Let's talk about concrete

Let's talk about Concrete, a much maligned and misunderstood medium. It was invented by the Romans it is said. I like concrete, it's a medium that if used properly by architects can be a thing of beauty. Honestly I mean it. One of my relatives worked with concrete, old Brother Will who always used to say my mate my mate strangely...

Look at the Trellick Tower in London, designed by the architect Erno Goldfinger. It ‘looks’ like a Bond villains lair, it is a grade two listed building and so it should be. The building is an example of the Brutalist style and you know it's ‘there’ you can't miss it on the London skyline! Bravo Mr. Goldfinger, bravo. At least it's not a pastiche of an ‘idyll’ in our past that never really existed, it is an example of looking to the future being bold and dynamic, rather than making buildings that are generic and boring aping a style that has had its moment. Compare the tower to say Poundbury and the tower wins hands down for architectural merit I think.

Now I think I might lose my argument a bit by saying that the Tricorn Centre in Portsmouth was an interesting building? Again of the brutalist style and was designed by Rodney Gordon and Owen Luder it was made to look like a tricorn hat and boy oh boy did it make a statement. It looked like it could be part of some 1970's Dr Who episode. It was ‘there’ and it was being bold! But sadly it's construction did not fare well and when I last saw it with my uncle Lawrence it seemed very, very neglected and slowly it became what was called by those who did not ‘get it’ as the third most ugly building in England. Jonathan Meades said of the building:

"You don't go knocking down Stonehenge or Lincoln Cathedral. I think buildings like the Tricorn were as good as that. They were great monuments of an age."

He was right and I am sure that his ‘tonybennometer’ would have gone off the scale if he had used his film prop on that much maligned and misunderstood building. So concrete buildings take a bow you are often misjudged, but there are some people who like your style! The Tricorn Centre is no more, but Erno’s magnificent building is still there so when you are in London go and have a gander at it. Enjoy...