Reply To: Ugly buildings

The Central Bank, Its a quality building Its frightening the way some ignorant CEO Mullah from the sub_urbs can swipe away the most successful and accessible public space in the city. I am at a loss to see how some middle class kids with heavy make up can be considered intimidating.
more dissapointing is that an increasing number of our public spaces are becoming privatised. If you go down to the IFSC with a camera you will be approached by an irate securityman asking you to leave as you pose a security risk. Even good ol socio democratic countries with civilised planning systems like Germany are adopting this idea, Eg Potzdammer platz in Berlin is owned by the Sony corp, and if they dont like your haircut its bye bye.
Perhaps the boorish reputation of Stephenson comes from old staff rumours from his office. It was believed he did not come up with the idea for the central bank as his co workers simply couldnt believe he had the intelligence to concieve it. I’ve been to Stephenson Lectures myself and quite frankly I would believe the hearsay, juvinile and all as it is. The piss take of urban design that these railings are is not a silly joke, but an accurate representation of his thinking maybe.