All Opinion articles – Page 328
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Opinion
White male lineup is of BDs making
We are astonished in our office to see nine young white men lined up as your newest A-Team in architecture.
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Opinion
Alsop’s gang makes a grab for power
It’s about time Will Alsop left behind his reputation as an enfant terrible. He will be 58 in December and the two don’t mix.
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Opinion
Store wars
Just in case readers are under the impression that John Lewis adheres to higher and more tasteful standards in architecture (News July 22), here is a photograph of a model of the Waitrose store that John Lewis proposes to build in the heart of the Marlow-on-Thames conservation area. Needless to ...
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Opinion
Not the only one
I and a neighbour both reported noise problems to Countryside and Taylor Woodrow.A consultant undertook sound tests and concluded that sound transmission through the party wall was in compliance with building regulations. We asked GMV to identify the performance standard stipulated in the design specification and if this had been ...
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Opinion
What noise?
I was chair of Maurer Court residents’ association for some time and do not recall any issues with noise other than those caused by neighbours having windows open and playing loud music. Most Maurer Court residents I have talked to are more likely to comment on how well insulated against ...
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Opinion
Noisy neighbour
Regarding noise problems at Greenwich Millennium Village (News July 22), I’ve raised the issue of inadequate sound insulation in Faraday Lodge, which neighbours Maurer Court, since moving in nearly four years ago. It seems design and implementation is effective in parts of the block and not others. I hear every ...
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Opinion
Remembering Lee
It is with great sadness that we learnt of Lee Harris’s death as a result of the London bombings on July 7 (News July 22). He had studied with unit 17 at the Bartlett, graduating in 2000, and was an exceptionally talented, modest and warm-hearted student. He had an amazing ...
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Opinion
An insult to Islamic tradition
Mickey Mouse mosques, Toon Town housing and town centre tarting need to be replaced with projects with a design quality that local communities can have pride in and encourages social interaction (News Analysis July 22). The mosque featured is a travesty of Islamic architecture. This “sitting duck” is a ...
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Opinion
Ian Martin
It wasn’t long before the AI unit became self-aware and realised it was in charge of a building full of civil servants…
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Opinion
Greenwashing won’t hide the facts
“Architectural greenwash”: that is the verdict of the head of the Building Research Establishment on the sustainability claims of the Greater London Authority as BD reveals this week that its headquarters is using 50% more energy than was intended.
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Opinion
A lot to learn from embracing diversity
Since the July 7 tragedy, there has been much discussion about what makes London, my city, great. Architects need to be a part of that conversation, not just by studying the physical context of our environment, but by delving into the social context, too. This is not about understanding architecture, ...
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Opinion
Out of control?
I read with interest about the Bridge Academy (News July 15). It raised some fundamental issues: how do you teach multiple classes in an open-plan environment? How do you control multiple groups of pupils externally on the “terraces”? And if spaces are deemed as breakout zones attributed to each faculty, ...
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Opinion
Cold discomfort
I was saddened to read of Hopkins Architects’ reaction to our success in the British Antarctic Survey competition (News July 22). A review of the assessors’ report shows that our design won on both architectural and technical merit. The fact that we were the closest competitor to the budget, I ...
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Opinion
A lost cause
Tessa Jowell’s refusal to delist the Commonwealth Institute building brings to the forefront the subject of the preservation of similar buildings representative of the considerable intellectual achievements of post-war construction.Tightly designed to a very specific brief and lightly constructed within a ridiculously low budget, the building has proved a commercial ...
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Opinion
Concrete Boots
FAB to the rescueLast week Boots speculated that Hopkins’ design for a new research station at the South Pole may have been inspired by the At-At Walkers of the Star Wars films. Now we can reveal Hugh Broughton’s competition-winning scheme was inspired by a more home-grown science-fiction machine: Thunderbird II, ...
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Opinion
A matter of size
While I agree with Pascale Scheurer (Letters July 15) that competitions and tendering procedures for smaller Olympic projects be tailored to small practices, I disagree that they should only be open to young members of the profession.
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Opinion
Show letdown
I contributed a short review in your student shows piece on the assumption that you would do a full round-up of all our schools.
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Opinion
We need a leader
There is no doubt that we have the architects capable of designing the Olympic development, but now we need a co-ordinator of the calibre of Hugh Casson, who was so successful in getting everyone to work together on the 1951 Festival of Britain exhibition.
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Opinion
Saving homes
I am writing to correct your article “Prince Charles backs Pathfinder bulldozers” (News July 15). It incorrectly states that the Enquiry By Design report by the Prince’s Foundation calls for the demolition of 225 homes in Nelson, East Lancashire.