Reply To: venting views.

Celfi

You make some very good points about some of the real issues affecting the building industry and affecting why we often get bad products, i.e., ugly, dehumanising buildings.

Architects do have a small role to play, as “convincers” or “leaders” vis-a vis their clients. But let’s not exaggerate; the role is small. It is extremely difficult to enlighten people, especially developers who are in the business for the fast buck, in a business, where there is very little regulation (i.e. protection of design) in this country.

Good design is a very precious and fairly defenceless commodity. A society which does not recognise this and does not regulate to protect the design aspect of building design (through codes, professional protection and legal frameworks) will almost inevitably get very badly designed buildings.