Finishing my first reading of Studies in Tectonic Culture, the idea of using tectonics as a basis for design is not so much about the emphasis of the construction detail, but about an all-encompassing attitude of building and design. Our design choices are too often predicated upon simulation and economy which creates a culture of commodity. Architecture should never be a commodity because it is shapes and forms culture. Architecture cannot be individualistic either because it responsible for the public sphere. Therefore, more and more, I understand that Frampton is getting at an "architecture of resistance" that requires more than just observance by a few architects. It requires a social conciousness of the degeneration of our culture. And it requires architects to lead the way to a reconstitution of a culture of permanence.

The topic I proposed yesterday was this: "The double hermeneutic for architectural practice: tectonic procedure and the space of public appearance. A critical look into the writings of K. Frampton, V. Gregotti, and H. Arendt on tectonics and social space." In retrospect, I think I may need to understand Frampton a little bit better before proposing one of his ideas as a suitable topic of research.

First, back to the root of my thesis- How should architecture engage both the transient lifestyle in the Chinese suburbs and the cultural nostalgia that is so visibly apparent.

I have in my mind what's been done in already in Toronto, but what is more suspect is what I'm intending to do. Am I saying that a simple expression of the material and tectonic qualities of architecture will solve the problem of cultural degeneration? Is rootlessness even a problem? Is cultural nostalgia a true emotion or one based on false and outdated experiences? I haven't yet answered a single one of these questions, but coming to grips with these pressing concerns is required in order to move forward.

I also need to be more choosy in what I read. So far, I have a dozen of unrelated texts that somewhat loosely pertain to this discussion. Will looking at the above authors advance my thesis? I'm not entirely sure.