Mediating Modernism: Architectural Cultures in Britain
Andrew Higgott, 2007
View book on Google Books
Andrew Higgott, Mediating Modernism: Architectural Cultures in Britain, Oxon: Routledge, 2007 p.15
Despite popular belief, history does not speak for itself. It is, rather, a series of accepted judgements which shift sometimes almost imperceptibly, sometimes swiftly. In Britain in the 1960s, it was generally believed that the nineteenth century had produced bad art and bad architecture. As a result, most of Victorian Whitehall as well as St Pancras Station were seriously threatened with demolition. It was believed that, in terms of absolute quality, these buildings were bad. In the end, with British hesitancy, most survived: Euston Station Arch (which was defended by the young progressive architects Alison and Peter Smithson) was one of a few major casualties. This situation is not exceptional; similarly, once disdained modern buildings such as the housing tower blocks by Goldfinger are now valued, not as curiosities, but as good architecture. The reverse is true of Cumbernauld town centre designed by Geoffrey Copcutt and completed in 1966, widely praised by Banham and many other critics on its completion. A 2005 television programme Demolition saw it awarded the highest number of votes, in favour of its destruction, of any British building.
This situation is not exceptional; similarly, once disdained modern buildings such as the housing tower blocks by Goldfinger are now valued, not as curiosities, but as good architecture.