Monday 16 March 2009

RENEWABLE HOUSE BY ARCHIAL FOR EMPYER HOMES

Not only is the above house 'modular' and 'energy efficient', it is also 'fucking ugly'. The first two quotes are from the press release, the third is from me.
Things I hate about this building include the downpipe, the completely blank flank wall, the tiny windows on the ground floor, and how the visualisation makes it clear just how horrible the sustainable Hemcrete render will really look if it ever gets built.
Archial's reaction to the credit crunch is cynical. Noone's buying any housing, so let's go back to what housebuilders do best, detached houses, tiny windows, fucking ugly, a few modern gob-ons but mostly redolent of some kind of tiny, bastardised, 1980s version of a farmhouse.
Also, on a lighter note, it seems that people who design ugly buildings have found a new button in photoshop - lens flare. I'll be posting more lens flare pictures by bad architects very soon.

7 comments:

  1. Gee, "lens flare pictures by bad architects". I can hardly wait... Whoever you are... you aren't funny.

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  2. That first line made laugh I have to say. Gratifyingly abusive!

    I'm looking forward to the lens flare genre too.

    Keep up the good work. Whoever you are.

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  3. Thanks Charles. Really enjoy your blog.
    And Mr Scum had so hurt my feelings, that i was thinking of jacking this blog in. I was beginning to think his flaccid generalisations and portentous prose were the way to go.
    Your comment gives me heart!

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  4. "Energy efficient" is like "organic" : a code for "not yummy".

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  5. "Tiny, bastardised, 1980s version of a farmhouse" - almost makes you nostalgic for prefabs and Bypass Variegated!

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  6. I think using a good honest anglo saxon word like 'fucking' in the same sentence as this terrible bastardise architecture is somewhat disrespectful to our glorious language... Ouch. This really is horrid.

    I remember when organic food had just got started, all organic potatoes had to be sold with loads of dirt clinging to them. I don't know why. It was as if you had to suffer to be organic. Then you could tell all your friends what a martyr to sustainability you were (as if paying twice the price wasn't martyrdom enough).

    This house is trying to say the same thing: "Look how renewable my house is - it's ugly! see how I am suffering for my principles!"

    Such a pity, as there's some really good work being done in the eco-housing sector. But not by these guys.

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