It鈥檚 easy to blame the architects for the glut of 鈥渓ook-a-like鈥� housing developments throughout the country.


In the main I agree with P Sheurer鈥檚 comments (14 December, page 27). However, I feel it is so easy to blame the architects for the glut of 鈥渓ook-a-like鈥� housing developments throughout the country.

Naturally in the case of a lot of builder/developers the issue will be one of keeping costs down and getting as many units as possible on any given site. At the end of the day, the architect can only guide and advise but the final say lies with the local authority planners. So, rather than 鈥渄esign by committee鈥� I feel that we have a 鈥渄esign by sandwich鈥� system. Builder/developer-architect-planner. The architect being the soft centre that everyone chews on.

William R. Ellis

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