Posts by nullptr

What job title would YOU want carved on your gravestone? 'Beloved father, Slayer of Dragons, Register of Domains'

Re: Sir Christopher Wren's epitaph

I'm not sure that criticism of the architecture is necessarily justified - given that most architects build to the best of what's there. Just as Wren was rebuilding in the modern style over what had burned down, so the Brutalists were doing after the Blitz, in a way which both perceived to be the best way to deliver a utopia on Earth. I agree the Brutalist builds have suffered badly from ageing, but arguably that's primarily a consequence of them being able to be designed for a (relatively) precise lifespan; which is a fault, but the utility of which is arguably exemplfied by those who wish to knock the Brutalist buildings down in favour of building their own tabernacles.

It should be remembered that anything standing today has undergone several periods of architectural fashion, potentially combíned with stone-robbing; the architecture of the 20th century has had to contend with much more in that we have an industry that wears its faith as but the passion of its hat, and changes it with the inexorability of a Kardashians' trousers. I will be genuinely interested to see what Brutalism survives into the 22nd century, since that will be most certainly the cream of the crop in a way previous architecture cannot claim.

Bill to protect UK against harmful foreign investment becomes law

We have - for once - May's government to thank that Red China are only bankrolling Hinkley Point, rather than building their own design of PWR. Shame we killed our indigenous nuclear industry so that we're forced into buying old designs in new bottles at vast expense. One can only hope the SMR programme delivers something good; although it's a shame that (AFAIK - might well be wrong) the entrant with good experience of building reliable PWR reactors in the ~100 MW range hasn't got a separate contract to build some SMRs soon.