OPTIMISM QUOTIENT APPLICATION

We introduced the concept of the Optimism Quotient (OQ). Let’s make a crude / broad brush / thumbnail / back of a napkin attempt at applying the OQ to buildings and see what happens. Might it be true that the buildings that we like and enjoy the most have the highest OQ? Let’s see.

Ronchamp. OQ = 96.

Typical Suburban Home. OQ = 7.

Historical Greek Revival House. OQ = 50.

New Style McDonald’s. OQ = 20.

Old Style McDonald’s. OQ = 75.

Robie House. OQ = 78.

While my application of a OQ to these buildings is rather laughable, the exercise does start to set up more profound questions. In fact, this exercise raises so many questions and impressions that this could easily be a jumping off point for another blog.  For example, is optimism a culturally shared quantity?

I could imagine that a wide range of categories could be established. These might include image, association, feelings of use, money, entry, what you do inside, approach, what you bring in, what you take out, history, scale, corporate identity, light, etc.

So for example, if one were to spend more time on this, the values applied to the categories above would then objectify why an old McDonald’s has a higher score than a new McDonald’s.

But in lieu of all of that work, I have found it fun as I drive or walk around, to tag buildings as either optimistic or not. It’s kind of a fun game.