In architecture and urbanism, the false promise of modernity and the ideological imposition of modernism mirror a broader societal narrative: the myth of progress. As Tom Wessels argues in The Myth of Progress, our cultural obsession with linear advancement often ignores ecological limits, long-term sustainability, and the unintended consequences of unchecked growth. This same myth pervades architecture, where modernity is conflated with progress, and modernism is falsely equated with innovation, leading to a built environment increasingly disconnected from human and environmental needs.

The Fallacy of Modernity as an Aesthetic

Modernity, like economic growth, is often treated as an unquestionable good. But just as Wessels challenges the assumption that economic expansion equates to sustainability, so too must we question the assumption that modernity in architecture is best represented through modernism. Progress should be measured by the resilience, adaptability, and longevity of our built environment—not by the endless pursuit of stylistic reinvention.

Modernist architecture, much like industrialized agriculture or fossil-fueled economies, is built on the illusion that we can endlessly innovate without consequence. In reality, many of the buildings constructed under the banner of modernism are fragile, disposable, and ill-suited for long-term habitation. Just as nature teaches us the value of closed-loop systems and interdependence, architecture must recognize the importance of durability, flexibility, and historical continuity.

Modernism as an Unsustainable Ideological Trap

Wessels’ critique of infinite growth applies equally to the ideology of modernism. Rather than allowing architecture to evolve organically within ecological and cultural constraints, modernist thought demands a rejection of tradition in favor of perpetual novelty. This approach dismisses the accumulated wisdom of vernacular building practices—structures that have stood the test of time precisely because they were informed by the environment, not imposed upon it.

Much like extractive industries that deplete resources under the guise of innovation, modernist architecture often disregards the energy, materials, and craftsmanship embedded in traditional methods. The result is an architecture that is neither truly modern nor sustainable, but rather a symptom of a culture that prioritizes short-term efficiency over long-term viability.

The Manufactured Desire for the New

Wessels warns against the illusion that more technology and more consumption will solve systemic problems. This mindset is pervasive in architecture, where buildings are treated as consumable goods rather than enduring structures. The industry benefits from a constant cycle of demolition and construction, encouraging waste and obsolescence rather than resilience and renewal.

Just as the economy is designed to perpetuate the illusion of unlimited growth, architectural trends manufacture the desire for the new, replacing the wisdom of time-tested materials and forms with ephemeral, mass-produced alternatives. Instead of designing to last, we design to replace, severing our connection to place and history.

Reclaiming Architecture as a Living System

If architecture is to regain its purpose, it must abandon the myth of linear progress and embrace the principles of ecological balance. Buildings should be designed within the limits of their environment, using materials that are renewable, repairable, and locally sourced. The most enduring forms of architecture have always been those that respond to natural and cultural rhythms, rather than resisting them.

A truly modern architecture is not one that prioritizes abstraction over function, but one that acknowledges interdependence—between human needs, material reality, and the natural world. The choice is not between the past and the present, but between an architecture that serves life and one that serves industry. The former sustains itself through adaptation and wisdom; the latter is destined to collapse under the weight of its own excess.

The danger of being sold modernity or modernism is that it perpetuates the myth that progress is defined by rejection rather than integration. If we wish to build for the future, we must take our cues not from ideology, but from the deep patterns of nature, tradition, and human experience.