Articles on the DnA blog which clearly state Frances Anderton’s perspective and viewpoint can be accessed by clicking Commentary as well as Reviews. The articles in these sections begin with non-biased information on topics ranging from art installations to market trends. After she briefly summarizes the topic or subject, Anderton goes on to make her own interjections and give her personal opinion. Her viewpoints and comments on architectural and design trends tend to follow a macro perspective. She emphasizes the importance of understanding how current trends in architecture and design reflect larger movements. These ‘movements’ or trends are directly influenced by elements DnA highlights such as economics, information and technology, psychology and mass social psychology.
Lethal Weapons-By Design is an example of a blog post and radio interview which reveals Anderton’s taste for intellectualizing about macro modern ideologies. Her blog post is a short summary of the topics discussed on her radio show. However, the radio interviews resemble how Anderton delves into archetypes, design in relation to emotional appeal and how these interact with overall product design (in which the ordinary plebian is incredibly influenced). In another post she contemplates how current economic fluctuations might have produced a new generation of architects involved in an unstable economy. After stating factual information Anderton delves deeper into what she believes this new architectural ‘generation’ might be paying attention to:
“Architecture is an expression of our primal need to reshape our environment, and it takes many forms and serves many kinds of clients, a diverse picture not always reflected in the media, which tends to focus on the extremes of “star” architecture and its perceived antithesis: socially conscious, collective, community projects. Those forms can be lavish and extraordinary as well as functional and socially improving (sometimes a piece of architecture even manages to be all those things at once!). They can also, at worst, be mediocre and degrading” DnA, The Architecture Meltdown: End of An Era, or Start of a New One
Image of Trampoline Bridge concept from Ambition Wins at 6th Street Bridge, Writes FOLAR’s Alex Ward
Like many modern (modernist) artists, Anderton appears to have a liberal perspective. At times her views and opinions reflect a woman still very involved in a youthful mind set. In the blog post Psychedelia Had a Baby and They Called It Geek Soul: KCRW’s Orpheum Concert, Indie Rock and the Style Question she reveals her past which was intertwined with rock music and an avant-guard, revolutionary persona. Although, she has the capacity to be a shrewd critic and have a scholarly approach to reviewing anything, Anderton likes to be open to ‘whatever’. For any middle aged woman in the 21st century, modern teenage music might seem like something noisy and uninteresting. However, Anderton openly accepts new youthful trends and cultures as an opportunity to fully critique their global and local significance.
“James ran off to grab a smoke and I just floated for the rest of the weekend, remembering to stay open and empty toward everything that came my way, knowing, Psychedelia had a baby and they called it Geek Soul” Psychedelia Had a Baby and They Called It Geek Soul: KCRW’s Orpheum Concert, Indie Rock and the Style Question