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.
For Whom The School Bell Tolls
“Who should the school governor listen to if they get conflicting information? The Local Authority or the government?”
Answers came there none…
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.
Identity Politics ain’t Liberal
“Common cause” is not going to work if we have to morally browbeat people into supporting the uncommon interests of oppressed minority-groups. The question is, what unites us?
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.
Defining Art, Creating the Canon: Artistic Value in an Era of Doubt by Paul Crowther
The aesthetic experiences that we have as adults are a kind of echo of these formative infant experiences: an ongoing rediscovery of the world and its possibilities.
Write 100 lines: “We aren’t going to die”
If I were your child’s teacher, I would not fill their heads with nonsense that says that the world is about to end. The Children Act 1989 provides that teachers have a duty of care towards the children under their supervision.
Generation Wars
On Friday 20th September, I joined the children, parents and teachers gathering in Manchester for the Climate Strike where Mayor Burnham proudly announced: “Our generation has failed you. I’m not arguing with you. We are giving you your voice and power.”
In defence of a Defence of Stars and Icons
We need a more journalistic nuance as well as hard-hitting intelligent critique.





