More Opinion – Page 336
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OpinionMastering his universe
Given that the Pritzker Prize has historically been given to recognise a career of exceptional design, but with no particular emphasis on sustainability, the attendance of some 410 people at 2002 winner Glenn Murcutt’s lecture on May 3 at the RIBA was perhaps the most unequivocal endorsement of the Australian ...
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Opinion
Ian Martin
What does the modern city need? Grim, free-range cyclists elevated to the status of an urban aristocracy
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Opinion
Where are the cast lists for buildings?
One of the things that strikes you when wandering around Paris is that in a reasonably prominent part of nearly every building is a little cartouche carved into an appropriate piece of stonework telling you the name of M le Architect responsible.
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Opinion
Name and shame jobsworth planners
It’s time for some post-election wishes. Less war, less poverty and, after about four months’ campaigning, how about less meaningless political bickering. Oh, and perhaps Her Majesty’s government could do the architecture profession a favour and finally get stuck into the planning system.
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OpinionConcrete Boots
Air pressureDavid Marks and Julia Barfield of Marks Barfield Architects are official campaign champions for a pressure group that wants more power to be generated by wind turbines. The pair join prestigious champions Norman Foster, London mayor Ken Livingstone and TV presenter Chris Tarrant. The name of the pressure group? ...
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Opinion
Ian Martin
I spent an hour or so sharpening pencils and reassigning them to their proper positions in the HB spectrum
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Opinion
Cloud of negativity ignores Cabe work
I applaud what Cabe has achieved in its short life and am surprised that two-thirds of the respondents to the BD readers’ poll think it has failed to make a significant impact on the quality of design (News April 29).
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Opinion
A force for good
As someone who was often frustrated by the strange ways of Cabe’s predecessor, the Royal Fine Arts Commission, I find Cabe something of a revelation; a definite force for good.
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Opinion
Worthy of support
I question the outcome of BD’s election poll survey. Surely there is enough visual evidence around us to highlight an upward trend in the quality of architecture and the built environment?
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Opinion
Toilet talk
The article by Christopher Woodward (Culture April 22) reminded me of my only encounter with Peter Smithson. I was a student at Birmingham School of Architecture in the 1950s and was responsible for organising visiting lecturers.
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Opinion
Camden clear-up
May I correct a few factual errors in your article, “Camden planner clings on” (News April 29)?
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Opinion
Too much ‘wow’, too little action
John Prescott has been known to punch voters. Now he should prepare to be punched right back, and by the most unlikely of constituents — you, the architects.
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Opinion
Power trip building proves a bumpy ride
What started me writing about the edifice complex was a photograph published in the Scotsman midway between the two Iraq wars. It showed Saddam Hussein, in his British army surplus sweater and beret, surrounded by a cluster of henchmen with interchangeable moustaches, lost in wonder at the sight of a ...
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Opinion
Green dream begins at home
I was delighted to read Kate Macintosh’s imaginative ideas for generating electricity from coastal defence systems (Letters April 22).The other area we have to look at is how to conserve more energy in existing buildings, particularly housing. It is essential that they are thermally upgraded, and this is not something ...
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Opinion
Caravan jam
So Peter Smith thinks Ken Livingstone is on another planet. Nothing new in that.But where is Green Ken going to source all his London building materials? John Prescott is covering the 35-mile radius in multi-storey caravans.
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Opinion
Meeting the code
Following your report that I was not allowed to attend the ODPM consultation about the Sustainable Buildings Code at CIRIA last Friday (News April 22), I managed to gain access to the meeting and stayed for an hour before going on to another meeting about sustainable housing.I raised the issue ...
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Opinion
Ticket tout
I was interested to read Allan Murray talking about “stealth” in relation to the new visitor ticketing facilities he’s apparently been “asked to design” for Edinburgh Castle. Reading his article (Culture April 15), I began to wonder how there was going to be space for his stealth booth alongside our ...
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Opinion
Lattice beef
Last week’s BD featured two lattice or lace-related buildings: the completed Le Bon Infant in Paris and the proposed Nottingham Centre for Visual & Live Art. The former applied a complex laser-cut, stainless-steel lattice cladding to externally unify a grouping of existing and new buildings; the latter will incorporate external ...
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Opinion
In the beginning
Mike Nightingale seems to suggest that it is acceptable for contractors to compete for PFI projects after the architect has been appointed (Talkbox April 22). Has he read anything about Constructing Excellence? There should be one contractor, one architect and one of everything else working on the project from the ...