This week I am pondering the question of “beauty”… largely inspired by all the beauty and splendor of the forthcoming Coronation!
Now, our dearly beloved Monarch, King Charles III of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Commonwealth Realms across the sea is very much associated with his championing of environmental issues and climate change. Long before they were a priority in the collective minds of us all, His Majesty were called all sorts of names and the butt of jokes about his love of the environment. Silly stories about him talking to his plants did the rounds and many politicians received “black spider letters” – handwritten letters (no doubt with the “stinking pen” that leaks ink on his fingers) urging them to do more to protect the environment and warn against the dangers of climate change.
40 years later and the “black spider letters” about the environment is now not just national policy but a global movement championed up by people like Greta Thunberg, a little girl with the heart of a lion.
But that is not the only passion of His Majesty…
Architecture is another one of His Maj’s passions. He is a champion of “traditional” architecture and Poundbury in Dorset – his Model Village – really is very oldy-worldy, chocolate box cover… an idealised “Ye Olde Englande”. And I am not suggesting that “traditional” architecture doesn’t have a place, goodness knows, I have advocated it myself many times and championed the work of Adam Architecture, who are steeped in tradition.
But I do think that at times, this can go too far. Berkeley Homes had an appeal decision overturned last week by Govey… “Overall, he does not find that the scheme is sensitively designed having regard to its setting. He finds that the design of the proposal does not reflect the expectations of the High Weald Housing (local authority) Design Guide, being of a generic suburban nature which does not reproduce the constituent elements of local settlements.” This was a landscape led design by one of the County’s most famous housebuilders and who is synonymous with high quality and sensitive designs.
The question then presents itself, has this obsession with “beauty” gone too far?
You can “read” the history of places by its architecture and every generation adds their own history. What will they read about our history in 100 years’ time? That we were the generation without any imagination that was obsessed with the “beauty” of what came before us?
So, Your Majesty, if you read this, please use your considerable influence and start writing “black spider letters” praising the innovation and vision of our great housebuilders and architects in Great Britain!
Until next week, (when I will no doubt be writing to you from the Tower of London!)
Henry
