It starts off positive enough but ends on a real downer
http://www.heraldscotland.com/comment/guest-commentary/in-praise-of-architects-drawings-by-robert-mcneil-1.1085072 (free registration to read whole thing online)
In Praise of … architects’ drawings. By Robert Mcneil
Published on 14 Feb 2011
THE skies are nearly always blue and there’s never a hint of a breeze.
Dwarved by edifices, the folk in the picture are blank everymen and women, going about their business like contented automatons.
The scene is futuristic, and the people are eternal. They’re devoid of thought, which must be marvellous. I think sometimes that I’d like to live inside an architect’s drawing, if not necessarily in the structure depicted.
Prince Charles and I disagree on many things – double-breasted jackets spring to mind – but we are as one with our protest banner against modern architecture.
The building in an architect’s drawing will always be a backdrop to me. It’s the people that make it attractive. Often, they’ll be just little figures. More occasionally, you will see a face, inevitably smiling. Sometimes a puppy plays, perpetually panting with pleasure. Interestingly, there are never any fat people. It’s as if the architect is telling the client: “You will also find this building deters bloaters from waddling about in the vicinity.” There are no warts at all. The occasional cloud will be fluffy, and it never rains.
Somewhere in my attic, I have copies of Enric Miralles’s speculative proposals for the Scottish Parliament building. They’re just scribbles. I asked him after a press conference: “What is this?” Him: “Que?” Me: “What exactly are you planning for our Parliament?”
He pointed a forefinger to the side of his heid. I said: “Don’t you call me a nutter.” But he meant the ideas were in his head. “Well, get them oot!” I rejoindered.
Donald Dewar et al really should have had their suspicions about these scribbles. That’s the thing with many architects’ drawings. They’re best left on the drawing board.
Regards
Dr Nina Baker
Research Support
Room AR332/F25 [1st floor]
Department of Architecture
131 Rottenrow
University of Strathclyde
Glasgow G4 0NG
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.
Thomas Edison, inventor (1847 - 1931)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
http://personal.strath.ac.uk/nina.baker/<https://nemo.strath.ac.uk/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://personal.strath.ac.uk/nina.baker/>
http://www.constructionhistory.co.uk<https://nemo.strath.ac.uk/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.constructionhistory.co.uk>
|