In this development of the pre-fabricated concrete classicism of St. Quentin-en-Yvelines, the Taller de Arquitectura’s idea of a Versailles for the people was taken to an even further extreme. Given the formless nature of the new Parisian suburbs – most are truly hideous and make one almost long for the Mock-Tudor and Neo-Georgian delights of Kingsbury or East Cheam – Bofill’s idea of creating a powerful architecture and a sense. (more…)

The idea seemed to be a good one. Build Versailles for the people. Call in Ricardo Bofill’s Taller de Arquitectura and have them run up blocks of flats around a lake in Neo-Classical style. Very impressive. Have to make do with prefabricated, pre-dyed panels though. The result is grim indeed. (more…)

Regensburg Cathedral is considered the most important Gothic building in Bavaria. It was built to replace the previous Carolingian-Ottanian construction, the position and dimensions of which it retains, while updating its architectural appearance. Initially, only the atrium and transept at the entrance of the old cathedral were demolished; the main longitudinal body was retained to allow services to continue as usual. (more…)

The Chinese Revolution abounded in contradictions. Was it for the people or against them? Were Mao Zedong’s “Great Leap Forward” of the 1950s and Cultural Revolution of the 1960s well meaning, if disastrous attempts, to make life better or to keep a billion, hard-working people under savage control, whether by starvation or brutal “justice”? It is hard to say. (more…)

Stalin died as this astonishing building neared completion. It had his enthusiastic endorsement and is widely cited as the symbol of the Communist dictator’s unprecedented reign of civil terror. Even so, no one can be unimpressed by this towering wedding cake of Soviet brick and steel. Megalomaniacal it might be: it is also magnificent. (more…)

Burgos Cathedral is the oldest of Spain’s large Gothic cathedrals. The first stone was laid on 20 July 1221, in the presence of the King of Castile, Ferdinand III, and Bishop Mauricio. Work on the cathedral continued swiftly until the facade was competed in the second half of the 13th century. Over the three centuries that followed the cathedral took on its current appearance, with the construction of the side chapels, the spires on the towers on the facade, the Chapel of the Condestable and the crossing tower of the cimborrio. (more…)