i doubt they were expecting cathedral-level but more masonry and stylish facades are definitely possible in conventionally proportioned & constructed buildings without breaking those rules (except acquiring masons, but no reason we shouldn’t have people employed in beautification trades)
Modern engineering and building safety standard make this prohibitively expensive if not borderline impossible.
what about engineering and safety could possibly demand new buildings be flashy glass skyscrapers?
Modern HVAC prefers low ceilings
Fire codes require putting way more staircases in everything and making hallways wider
Masonry is increasingly expensive and fewer and fewer people can do high skill masonry work
Also Cathedrals took generations to build, society doesn’t have the patience for that crap anymore
There’s other reasons I can’t think of off the top of my head
i doubt they were expecting cathedral-level but more masonry and stylish facades are definitely possible in conventionally proportioned & constructed buildings without breaking those rules (except acquiring masons, but no reason we shouldn’t have people employed in beautification trades)