There is an exhibition of the work of French Architect La Corbusier in the crypt of the Roman Catholic Cathedral until the 18th of January. He is the architect responsible for high-rise living.
He wanted to demolish the centre of Paris and build dozens of high rise flats. The future he called it and he could not understand why people did not support him. In my opinion he has a lot to answer for but you may disagree and think it is £6 well spent to view this exhibition.
Funny that an exhibition on La Corbusier is in a crypt, maybe no one saw the irony of this.
On Saturday night the cream, if that's the word, of British Architects gathered at the Liverpool Echo Area for the presentation of "The Sterling Prize" I would like to quote from the Architects Journal
The RIBA Stirling Prize is awarded to "the architects of the building which has made the greatest contribution to British architecture in the past year." It is one of the most prestigious awards in UK architecture, and one which all architects aspire to winning.
This is the Oscars of the architects' world, an event so prestigious that Channel 4 devoted an hour of live television with there star presenter "Grand Designs" Kevin McCloud, hosting the event and showing the six buildings that had been nominated, just like the Oscars but without the singing and dancing.
Now every prize giving, presentation or awards ceremony that I have ever been to from Sailing Clubs, Fishing Clubs Amateur Football Clubs to Tourism Awards and Law Society Dinners these have always been a dress night. Ladies spend months selecting the right dress for the night, it is easy for us men, we just have to put on the Evening Suit, the Dinner Jacket call it what you will or Kilt if you are Scottish. The only choice is "which bowtie"? And we all feel that once we put that dinner jkacket on we are James Bond for the night, it's all about style.
But not the members of the Royal Institute of British Architects, (RIBA) not an evening suit is sight, they looked as if they had just wandered in off the street, which they had, to describe them as scruffy is to milign the needy. In fact I have seen smarter Big Issue sellers.
I am a tie man, if you wear a suit, wear a tie, we only have to look at the present gang of Politicians who don't wear ties to see how bad it looks or BBC news correspondents, no tie - no class.
This just about sums up the present bunch of architects, not for them the acceptable codes of dress. They are above all that, no style, no class, no finesse, in fact just like the buildings they design.
La Corbusier would be proud of them.
"It's a Wonderful Life"
(Thu 02/12)
TURN IT DOWN.
(Thu 11/11)
Do we need another Beatles book.
(Mon 11/10)
President or Pope, who is most welcome?
(Mon 16/08)
Post a comment