In this week’s comments update, readers are debating the impact King Charles III had on British architecture while he was the Prince of Wales.
Under his previous title, Britain’s new monarch exerted significant influence on the built environment through campaigning, torpedoing modernist projects and even building his own traditional towns. We looked at six ways in which King Charles III has impacted British architecture and readers reacted.
Collin MacGillivray thinks “Charles certainly spoke for the majority who naturally like buildings with scale and decoration”, while Neo-Post-Modernisticist laments that it is “sad to hear the loss of Mies van der Rohe and Richard Rogers projects because of Charles’ royal powers”.
In Menso is upset that, in his view, Charles “deprived us of what would have become Mies’ best urban intervention” – referring to Mies van der Rohe‘s Mansion House Square proposal for the site of No 1 Poultry.
But Trewus is less bothered, saying “the Mies Tower design was utterly disgraceful – works in New York and Chicago but wouldn’t have done so in the City of London.”
Polak got upvoted for saying that “beauty, right proportion and respect for the context have been protected by Charles’ efforts and one can only applaud that.”
What do you think of King Charles’ impact on British architecture? Join the discussion ›
“Nothing could feel less wild or wonderous”
Paint brand Dulux has revealed Wild Wonder, a paint colour that it described as “a soft gold with hints of green” as its Colour of the Year for 2023, selected for its close association with nature.
However, Gparker546 argued that “Nothing could feel less wild or wonderous than this pale yellow.”
Others agree and some commenters have been coming up with alternative names. Dominic Langdeau McGee thinks “smokers’ teeth white” would be more appropriate, while Rose Robin suggests “Comatose beige. Good for hospitals, clearly.”
Robin518‘s “first impression was of 1970’s hospital ward colours; and there it was. Guess it was bound to come around.”
ZZ approved of the choice, saying: “Playing it safe with beige. Nice.”
Ken Steffes is more philosophical. “At a time in history when no one can agree on anything, a very safe choice! A colour that goes with many other colours in many environments”, they commented.
Are you wild with wonder at Dulux’s Colour of the Year 2023? Join the discussion ›
“The strength of the novelty nullifies the concrete crime”
Junya Ishigami has completed a Japanese house and restaurant of cavernous below-ground spaces separated by arched openings and stalagmite-like columns, crafted by pouring concrete into muddy holes. Readers were generally in favour, though some questioned the extensive use of concrete.
Jb thinks the project is “sensational. The strength of the novelty nullifies the concrete crime.” But HeywoodFloyd queries why “eco-warriors aren’t pissed about this one? A giant hunk of concrete?”
“An inspired building. How rare in our times”, commented Les Immateriaux.
George Panagos gives the project “five stars! This is definitely more interesting than anything I’ve seen for a long time.”
What do you think of this project and its material use? Join the discussion ›
“Worse off for taking each other’s space”
João Mendes Ribeiro has created a home around a chestnut tree in Portugal. The project, shortlisted in the small building category of Dezeen Awards 2022, had readers debating the pros and cons.
Skulkbogan finds it a “lovely building and lovely tree, but they both seem to be worse off for taking each other’s space.”
JZ thinks the project fits the tree “like a glove”, while Romeo Reyes questions the cladding: “A groovy design concept that needlessly resulted in blackened glory.”
Gavin Smitsdorp is enamoured with the project’s synchronicity: “Plan and section are almost the same… Lovely stuff!”
What do you think of this project? Join the discussion ›
Comments update
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