Marchitecture

Maybe its just me, sitting here unsuccessfully attempting to transform the world on a platform which once represented a desk but now seems to be an homage to dead trees, but sometimes I wonder, has architecture become the talent show of the talentless, viewed by those who really don't care, appreciated by none, and dictated by those with gleaming smiles and lack of charisma. And yes, before you ask, I do have a Negroni by my side with the clock closing in on 10pm on a Saturday night, so forgive my ramblings.

Recession should be a time where the strong and talented survive while the weak and meager do not. It is a time where those least concerned about power and money and those more focused on a ideal shine through But what has happened to Architecture? All that seems to be gracing my e-mails on a daily basis is 'Foster and Rogers compete for [insert project name here]', 'Foster wins commission for [insert project name here] ahead of Rogers', 'Rogers wins commission ahead of Foster for [insert project name here].' Now, if an alien were to land and ask for a review on 'iconic' architecture of the last couple of years, he/she/it could be forgiven in believing that the whole human race is governed a few mere mortals, Rogers and Foster with a dash of Hadid and a sprinkling of Chipperfield.

'Hold up!!!', one might say. We are also graced by many architects who offer sometimes a valid or not so valid contribution to this world of money or lack of it and design. But lets think about it. Architecture has become a marketing exercise. A jostling of power. The majority of power handed down to a few individuals (taking a well deserved sip of my pleasant Negroni i should let you know).

On the left we have the Louis Walsh of architecture, Richard Rogers. To the observer he has a nice heart, (Barajas Airport and Welsh Assembly) but there is something there that just does not appeal to the masses (However much we in the 'industry' love it, Lloyds building by some in the south of the river can be considered an eyesore). But to the right, we have the gleaming, high waste line trousered Simon Cowell, or should we say, Norman Foster. Like Cowell who has made a fortune on publicising both his image and those of talentless wannabes, the mere mention of the Lord Mayor's building in London sends shudders down my spine (nearly spilt my Negroni there!!). But of course there are instances where he manages to produce something warrant of the term 'beauty' (Milau Bridge).

So, what's your fucking point Paolo!?! Well, I don't have one. That's the beauty of life. Do things for the benefit of everyone and not to satisfy the needs of the few. Architects have become so bothered in emulating the powerful few that buildings all end up looking the same. The soul has gone (and so has my Negroni at this point).

Maybe Prince Charles is right, we have to maintain a closer link to the designs of Wren and Hawksmore. But if that's the case, we would never adapt and change and we would end up being a society of infidels, die before were 40 and throw buckets of piss out of our Wren design windows into the streets.

No, all we need to do is all sit down, pick up our pens and paper or perhaps open up AutoCAD (if windows doesn't stop you) and sip on a glass of Primitivo and express ourselves. Lets stop doing 'green architecture' for the sake of doing it, otherwise Walsh and Cowell will live on for ever, and in 30 years time, spoty faced teenagers will be picking up a new edition of Sir Banister Fletcher's History of Architecture and wowing at the merits of soulless mass architecture over the merits of individualist heart-felt architecture.