Government declares war on Brutalism and says it will rebuild London鈥檚 demolished Euston Arch
A government minister has slammed architects for perpetuating a 鈥渃ult of ugliness鈥� in Britain鈥檚 towns and cities, pouring particular scorn on Brutalist post-war buildings.
In a speech this week transport minister John Hayes declared it was his 鈥渕ission鈥� in politics to oppose 鈥渂rutal, modernising so-called 鈥榩rogressives鈥欌�� and to restore 鈥渆legance, style and beauty鈥� to the built environment.
Hayes argued the government had a 鈥渙nce-in-a-lifetime鈥� opportunity to turn the tide, through billions of pounds worth of investment on infrastructure programmes such as HS2, Crossrail 2 and a hike in roads spending.
In an early sign of intent, he said the government would rebuild Euston Arch (pictured below) - the Roman-style 1837-built gateway to Euston Station that was demolished in the 鈥�60s. Hayes said the government would plan the works 鈥渋n the coming weeks鈥�.
In his speech - which cited the views of Prince Charles and philosophers Plato, Aristotle, Hume, Hegel and Burke - Hayes claimed the public disliked most modern architecture.
He said: 鈥淭he overwhelming majority of public architecture built during my lifetime is aesthetically worthless, simply because it is ugly鈥�
鈥淭he case for ugliness in architecture falls on one straightforward fact: people don鈥檛 like it. They crave harmony.鈥�
He criticised Brutalism, adding: 鈥淏e warned! The descendants of the brutalists still each day design and build new horrors from huge concrete slabs to out of scale; rough-hewn buildings, and massive sculptural shaped structures which bear little or no relationship to their older neighbours.鈥�
Hayes pointed to a Prince of Wales-backed study which found 84% of the public want new buildings to reflect historic form, style and materials.
He ended with the warning: 鈥淪ome who did the damage to our country were crass and careless. But some wrought monstrous havoc knowingly, wilfully.
鈥淎ll of them Philistines. Well now the Philistines have met their David.鈥�
He praised some modern transport infrastructure - including the revamp of St Pancras and King鈥檚 Cross stations in London - which he said had been 鈥渆nhanced鈥� by the extensions.
Hayes has form on this subject, .
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