My favourite section of her book The British Building Industry is her account of the opportunities missed after the Second World War. It made for an antagonistic rather than a co-operative relationship. This gap between architect (including design team) and builder meant that no parties had any direct economic incentive to innovate to reduce costs, improve technical efficiency or the aesthetic qualities of design. She notes a key issue being the RIBA's 1887 charter identifying that the Architect was to be the Client's agent, and not to be directly linked to the Builder. Not long after industrialisation and the development of mass produced bricks, the Arts and Crafts movement came along in reaction, championed by William Morris. For example Ruskin was not a fan of the Crystal Palace pavilion. Inertia from the design professions is noted by Marian Bowley. There are individual cases of inspiration where the teams worked together to create innovative products such as the Crystal Palace pavilion which championed patent glazing and even composite structures and was revolutionary for the time. In general each party in the design team was working with a strict, distinct and separate set of materials and construction methods. Where developments in architecture occurred, they often followed structural developments, after a delay. Architectural aesthetics are shown separate to structural and technological requirements cladding in stone over steel frame makes reference to a more 'crafted' look expressing accepted aesthetics. The dis-junction between architects and structural engineers is one example. She says the structure of the profession as a whole worked to inhibit innovation. The basic relationships within the building industryĪ lot is said about the working methods of design professionals and lack of progress.
DESIGNBOX MX PROFESSIONAL
The core of her argument looks at the professional structure of the industry and the relationships that exist between client, design professionals and builder what she calls the 'outworn patterns of organisation' (BBI p441). It is interesting to note what Marian Bowley finds in relation to how the building industry moved forward.
The post Second World War period was an important time of reconstruction and much innovation and technological developments had been achieved as part of the war effort.
Half a century later it is worth a note to ask how much has actually changed. She identifies examples of progress but also many key obstacles forming resistance to change. She charts the development of the Brititsh building industry through industrialisation and two world wars and examines the needs at that time for innovation and progress to meet the demands of housing, education and expanding commercial worlds. Marian Bowley wrote two very revealing books which relate to architecture: Innovations in Building Materials an Ecomonic Study (1960) and The British Building Industry Four Studies in Response and Resistance to Change (1966).
0 kommentar(er)
