Contemporary architecture we love to hate

“We devised this culture where we think about selling our houses before we ever spend a night in them,” says Kate Wagner, an architecture critic and creator of the popular blog McMansion Hell. With this quote, Wagner sums up why McMansions—those large, ostentatious symbols of the suburban upper-crust—are more than just a gaudy expenditure. The episode begins with the superficial issues; Wagner and host Roman Mars provide a comprehensive breakdown of the aesthetic sins of the McMansion, from the problem with two-story entranceways to the use of nonfunctional columns. To blame? HGTV for starters, she argues, as well as the rising cultural awareness of house flippers. But it goes deeper: While the impractical use of space and lack of functionality is obnoxious, the real issue is that the McMansion’s focus on aesthetics over structural integrity is unsustainable. By eschewing structural improvement, energy-efficient innovations, and green upgrades, these houses weren’t built to last. They’re assets more than homes, Wagner argues, making it clear that, though she approaches the topic with humor, this is an issue that means a great deal to her.