Tony Watkins

Fifty years ago I wrote a thesis on “Architecture as liturgy”, as opposed to architecture for liturgy. The book developed the idea that the act of building was itself spiritual, rather than simply a technical process which eventually resulted in a materialistic object, which only then might be used for spiritual purposes. My thesis was that a church was more than a place for worship. It was itself an act of worship.

Thursday 1 March 2012 will be remembered by history as the day on which our culture died. On this day the government instructed those resourceful, valiant, entrepreneurial souls who had built our nation to put their tools down, sit on their backsides, and join the queues waiting for a hand-out.

The popular myth, firmly held by those who have it, is that security of tenure is an essential foundation for any built environment. There is however an opposite view. Insecurity of tenure can be a very valuable planning tool in reducing the negative carbon footprint of buildings.