TrustNews Dec 22
Chairman's Jottings
St Cross Hospital (Photo City of Winchester Trust)
"Beauty", a Government mantra currently being used where buildings are concerned is, as said by the Finnish architect, Alvar Aalto, to be "an aspect of architecture that should be self-evident but in fact is extremely difficult to capture."
As a student architect in the 60s, my class of about 30 students was roughly divided into two factions, those who followed and were influenced by architects who practiced a more organic form of architecture such as Aalto and Frank Lloyd-Wright, or those that followed the refined engineered form represented by Mies Van Der Rohe and Philip Johnston, for example.
The philosophy that lies behind architectural thinking has evolved and is evolving, fast driven by the recognition by most architects that climate change is a fact that requires some radical re-thinking and addressing. As a result, new architecture is becoming more science-driven, which, when well-handled, arrives at a sympathetic, satisfying solution compatible with the environs in which the building is placed.
We seem to be drifting away from the refined glassy engineered buildings, moving towards the more organic route - a route that is possibly more sustainable, more thoughtful and human-related. Also important is the greater use of local and more sustainable materials where this is considered possible. This helps to anchor the building or buildings into the location for which it is destined, which in turn helps towards providing a satisfying solution that maybe could be called 'the beauty factor'!
The one major area which escapes the 'beauty factor' is mass housing schemes. Mass housing is the Cinderella of the building world, yet surely it must be one of the most important, as it affects us all one way or another. The average modern housing estate seldom delivers beauty or shows any signs of a design philosophy. It is pattern-book building churned out, and can be dumped anywhere in the country. Looking back to student days, we never explored anything to do with mass housing. It was, and still is, considered to be the province of specialist housing developers, who certainly do not want the expertise of good designers, so the government's idea of promoting 'beauty' and 'good design' is sadly probably remote.
Keith Leaman