Letter from London

摘要

There has been a spate of stories recently which have one theme in common: clients regarding architecture and design as a necessary evil, which they need to stuff into a box marked 'handle with care'. From Crossrail suburban stations to Birmingham New Street, we hear the same dreary litany. We are lucky to be getting anything at all, so don't moan if the design isn't up to scratch. And it is never the client organisation's fault -it is 'government' or 'Whitehall' or 'the Treasury'. But, unless you have a robust client culture, which not only understands but actively encourages and promotes good design, it is all too easy for politicians to stick the boot into the idea that design can make a difference.