It seems like the issue you have isn't the amount of work but the finished result here (if I understand correctly). Using new tech to make something easier seems less the issue than using tech to make it easier to make effectively a replica of something older that took a lot more work. I agree with you on the awing effect of European Cathedrals, but I had the same experience a few years ago at the Sydney Opera house. The opera house was admittedly far easier to build/less expensive than say the Florence Cathedral, but it represented a unique vision of beauty and elegance that would not have been workable with the materials that Filippo Brunelleschi had at his disposal during the Renaissance.
If we ever do build rationalist cathedrals, I'd take less issue with 3D printers being used than the printers being used to copy work from European Cathedrals or Asian Pagodas.
< It’s the conspicuous display of effort that evokes awe or admiration.
Noting that this taken literally is too strong a statement. Eg nature can evoke awe without it.
Also, some of the reason that so much effort went into detailwork on cathedrals was (if my understanding is correct) that human labour was cheap compared to the materials, so that even enormous amounts of work didn't increase the price.
It seems like the issue you have isn't the amount of work but the finished result here (if I understand correctly). Using new tech to make something easier seems less the issue than using tech to make it easier to make effectively a replica of something older that took a lot more work. I agree with you on the awing effect of European Cathedrals, but I had the same experience a few years ago at the Sydney Opera house. The opera house was admittedly far easier to build/less expensive than say the Florence Cathedral, but it represented a unique vision of beauty and elegance that would not have been workable with the materials that Filippo Brunelleschi had at his disposal during the Renaissance.
If we ever do build rationalist cathedrals, I'd take less issue with 3D printers being used than the printers being used to copy work from European Cathedrals or Asian Pagodas.
< It’s the conspicuous display of effort that evokes awe or admiration.
Noting that this taken literally is too strong a statement. Eg nature can evoke awe without it.
Also, some of the reason that so much effort went into detailwork on cathedrals was (if my understanding is correct) that human labour was cheap compared to the materials, so that even enormous amounts of work didn't increase the price.