Croydon in Crisis
Croydon’s £120million bail-out for its development cock-up is the largest financial settlement for a local authority in UK history. Such an exceptional settlement means that services will close
Prisoners of Cladding
One of the unintended consequences of the Grenfell tragedy is the threat of penury or bankruptcy for leaseholders at the other end of the country.
Getting one over Parr
Martin Parr may not be your very British cup-of-tea but he surely doesn’t deserve to be the subject of a campaign that has led to his abject apology and resignation.
Book Bites: Philosophy of Architecture by Illies & Ray
A useful toolkit of architectural philosophy, focusing on ethics and aesthetics and taking a neutral stance… acting as a series of clarifications and questions rather than ready-made answers.
Risk and the construction industry
Understandably, Health and Safety has been a major concern for workers, unions and health and safety organisations for many years. However, in the age of coronavirus there is a growing perception that all jobs must be “safe”.
Working Practices: East v West
The efficiency drive in China means that architects and construction workers have to work very hard to meet deadlines and it is very difficult to keep a work-life balance. In the west, this is often all architects talk about.
The RIBA Plan of Work
… has been a useful guide in steering the profession to provide clear, accurate and timely advice. The new version is more driven by external political events, rather than the independent practical concerns of the profession.
Grenfell Tower: A Tragedy
“From blaming the deaths from the Grenfell Tower fire on the London Fire Brigade it’s only a small step to blaming the residents for not leaving the burning building quickly enough”, says Simon Elmer of Architects for Social Housing
Milton’s Paradise Regained
If we are to build a new city, then Milton Keynes represents the experiential cornerstone. It symbolises the kind of bold, creative masterplanning that we desperately need but haven’t seen the like of since those crazy days of the 1960s.
Book Bites: Peter Magyar’s Pen Zen Diaries
At its simplest, this book will teach you to draw and to learn from the process; with simple line studies and ink renderings. “Architects,” he says, “should aspire to reflect and invent the best of the present, and weigh its value in the future”.
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