The Brits who Built the Modern World

Reading aligned with lecture: 
   Modern form-makers: Scandinavian Design. 18/02/2015

Personal summary of video: The Brits who Built the Modern World, BBC4. http://bobnational.net/record/201388

Foster, Rogers, Grimshaw, Hopkins and Farrell were all apart of the Modernism movement through the 70's onwards which was commonly known as 'High Tech.' Development in new materials and pushing traditional design to unseen forms through engineering were some of the elements of High Tech. Many of these Architects worked/studies together but were later in life rivals of architectural competitions not just for companies but to win over the public and HRH Prince Charles to help advance Britain's architecture.

HSBC and Lloyds Banking both have grand pieces of Modern high tech architecture that represent the companies are dominant and take risks. High tech architecture is used in both the designs. Rogers designed Lloyds Bank head quarters in a medieval part of London and was required to keep the same work ethic of the bank; working in one room. All services, stairs and lifts were placed externally to the internal space as such, creating an inside out piece of architecture. It took 6 years to construct and opened in 1986 and received a lot of criticisms; the public especially and HRH prince Charles did not take a liking to this new style.

 Foster designed HSBC headquarters, he was a previous colleague of Rogers, their thinking and designing are quite similar through these pieces of architecture. Foster won the HSBC competition when jobs were scarce in Britain for him so he started looking abroad. After completing this building, the world was Foster’s oyster. Through this project he re-invented the skyscraper and his thesis is used by many of today’s Architects.

From the video it becomes apparent that there is battle between architects themselves through the styles they use and also between winning over the public and even HRH Prince Charles, High tech vc Traditional.

High Tech has gradually won over the public and critics through evolving high tech to work harmoniously with the past. A pleasant example of this is Lords cricket stadium; a collaboration of old elements and materials seamed together with modern high tech materials. It was warmly welcomes by critics and the public approved. The architects created a piece of architecture that enabled the past to still be present while holding new materials and techniques that still help to represent Britain.