Over Blown

It may be difficult to describe the actual point where a project begins to exceed the well-founded structural (or design) requirements, but most of us recognize full blown overengineering when we see it.  ( obviously if we're talking about the modern gas powered leaf blower, then the quantum leap it makes from what was the perfectly good job that a rake can do, is quite obvious.

And yes, the answer to the question is – A dry stone wall can be over engineered.  

Such a structure can be ridiculously too thick, have unnecessarily tight fitting faces, have too many through stones, (or ones too over-sized) or that have all the stones sawn and/or completely fabricated and divested of their inherent character. The end result of over engineering is that the thing has an annoying overworked appearance, or worse, looks like someone was just trying to show off.

The next question is why does this happen. Why can something as simple and as time honoured a craft as dry stone walling still slip into that trap of becoming overengineered? Why is it not obvious that instead of being a logical, frugal, and uncomplicated way of building, it often compels those who practice the craft to outdo or overdo or overshoot what is needed or what has been done before?