FORGING A NEW PATH
4
Tomas Stokke, architect and co-founder of Haptic Architects, welcomes the Architecture Uprising, stating it is 'super' that there is a public debate about architecture which after all concerns a lot of people. Their opinions differ, however, where the movement advocates for a classical architectural expression, which Stokke contends is not necessary to achieve most objectives. The problem of poor-quality developments can be addressed in a variety of ways.
The documentary, På arkitektur-tur i byen, from 1991 by Thomas Thiis-Evensen, professor emeritus at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design, explores the impact of shortsighted planning on city architecture. Highlighting the difficulty in identifying a representative Oslo style due to the splintering of dense cities. Stokke indicates London has a stronger sense of style than Oslo, with brick cladding becoming a signature style. This is linked to Stokke's work on Rosemoor Studios in Kensington and Chelsea, influenced by New London Vernacular architecture. Urban Design London's pamphlet, "A New London Housing Vernacular," highlights a recent change that has eliminated colour and variety from the capital's recent developments. (Birkbeck and Hart 2015)
In 2009, London Mayor Boris Johnson's housing guidance paper outlined expectations for developments that prioritise space, quality, light, privacy, and variety. (Smallman 2016) He did not propose a single style, but the guide largely made developers follow this format, ensuring that developments would accommodate a wide range of household sizes.
According to Flemming, Norwegian architects are in contrast passionate about this "modern", "brutalistic" architecture, as exemplified by a bank building in the centre of Oslo. Thiis-Evensen uses this building as an example of a splintering in the dense city and Flemming calls out its failed attempt to respond to its environment and investment ambitions. The classical outlook of the building across the street is much more successful in attracting tenants, as stated by Flemming. In a later video produced in 2021 by Nasjonalbiblioteket in Norway, Thiis-Evensen explains that the Architecture Uprising is happening as a result of developers going too far with monotony. He further states, "One must always have symmetry that leads to a contrast," or else it might overshadow surrounding structures.
A more detailed account of such criticism is given in another address by the then Prince of Wales, in 1987, addressed to the Corporation of London's Planning and Communications Committee, highlighting the risk of losing St. Paul's dome to highrise development. The City of London Corporation implemented the "St Paul's Heights" policy in 1937 to protect and enhance local views of the Cathedral. (City Of London 2023)
Hardy highlights contrast issues and the misinterpretation of the Venice Charter. The original intention as a starting point for discussion has later been applied too rigidly by modern architects, according to a conference Hardy held in 2006. The charter's focus on new buildings having to be distinct from the original work has led to a lack of understanding and application of the charter, highlighting the need for flexibility. The static approach to representing history in architecture in Norway has been criticised for preventing architects from exploring more creative solutions. Hans Jacob Hansen, an architect and professor, explains that the Venice Charter from 1964, a high-modernism document, is often overlooked in discussions about interpretations. (Hansteen 2020) This has led to inconsistencies and divergent nuances in the text. Perhaps this is a sign for architects and conservation departments to consider more innovative and creative ways to represent history in their architecture.
“Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.”
― Gustav Mahler
The adoption of the International Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites, 1964
"While others used an unknown Norwegian translation from 1990. Combined with a Danish translation from 1975, the English from 1965 and the original French text from 1964, several inconsistencies and divergent nuances emerged." (Hansteen 2020)
Stokke emphasises the importance of being sensitive in planning in London's conservation areas, contrasting with the Architecture Uprising's assertion that being sensitive does not depend on traditional expression. As it is clear that politics, prominent people, and power-based initiatives can influence architecture; perhaps this signifies that the key to breaking with the past lies in how things are planned rather than in the architecture itself.