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SEARCHARCHDAILY

Prince Charles 10 Geometric Principles for

Architecture Cause a Stir in the UK

29

DEC

2014

by Rory Stott
ArchDaily Architecture News New
Urbanism Prince Charles The
Architectural Review UK Urban
Planning

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PrinceCharlesusesPoundburyasanexampleofhisarchitecturalprinciples.ImageFlickrCCuser
JonathanLClarke

Lastweekend,theArchitecturalReviewpublishedanarticlebythePrinceofWalesin
whichheoutlinedhisstanceonarchitecture,reiteratinghisbeliefthatareturntotraditional
designprinciplesisnecessarytoenablesustainableurbangrowththatmeetshuman
needs.Inthe2,000wordessay,PrinceCharlesarguesthatwefacetheterrifyingprospect
by2050ofanotherthreebillionpeopleonthisplanetneedingtobehoused,addingthat
ratherthanwantingtoturntheclockbacktosomeGoldenAgeasheisoftenaccused,he
isfocusedontheneedsofthefuture.Attheconclusionofhisarticle,heoutlinesten
principlesforarchitecturewhichmeettherequirementsofhisvision.
AsisoftenthecasewithPrinceCharlespronouncementsonarchitecture,thearticlehas
promptedastrongreactionfrommembersoftheprofession,withresponsesrangingfrom
RobertSakulasayingifmorepeoplecaredasmuchashedoeswewouldhaveabetter
architecturalculture,totheresponseofBirminghamCityUniversitysAlisterScott,who

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saidthereisclearevidenceofelitismandhislackofempathywiththeproblemsfacinghis
peasantry.
ReadonafterthebreakformoreonthePrincesarticleandthereactionfromarchitects

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26 Apr 2013
Poundbury.ImageFlickrCCuserJonathanLClarke

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ThearticlebyPrinceCharlesfollowsonfromdecadesofengagementwiththetopicof
architecture,whichinfamouslybegan30yearsagowhenhedescribedtheproposed

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extensiontotheNationalGalleryinLondonasamonstrouscarbuncleonthefaceofa
muchlovedandelegantfriend.FollowingonfiveyearslaterwashisbookAVisionof
Britain,andintheearly1990sconstructionbeganonPoundbury,theLeonKrierdesigned
extensiontoDorchester,builtonlandownedbytheDuchyofCornwallandinaccordance
withPrinceCharlespersonalarchitecturalprinciples.
Inhisessay,PrinceCharlessetsoutthoseprinciplesinatenpointmanifesto:

29 Dec 2014

Prince Charles' 10
"Geometric
Principles" for
Architecture Cause a
Stir in the UK

1. Developments must respect the land:theyshouldnotbeintrusiveandshould

fitthelandscapetheyoccupy.
2. Architecture is a language:newdesignsshouldabidebygrammaticalrulesto
avoiddissonancewithexistingstructures.
3. Scale is also key:newbuildingsshouldrespectboththehumanscaleandthescale
ofthesurroundingbuildings.
4. Harmony the playing together of all parts:richnesscomesfromdiversity,
butbuildingsshouldbeintunewiththeirneighbours.
5. The creation of welldesigned enclosures:enclosedspacesarebothmore
visuallysatisfyingandencouragewalking.
6. Materials also matter:materialsshouldbenaturalandlocal,drawingontraditional
localstyles
7. Signs, lights and utilities. They can be easily overused:itispossible
insteadtocontroltrafficusingeventsintheroadlayoutwhichcausedriverstoslow
down.
8. The pedestrian must be at the centre of the design process:streets
mustbereclaimedfromthecar.
9. Density:thoughdensityiscritical,itcanbeachievedthroughtraditionaltypologies
suchastheterraceorthemansionblock.
10. Flexibility:rigidconventionalplanningshouldbeavoidedinfavourofflexible
schemes.

Poundbury.ImageFlickrCCuserdorsetforyou.com

Reactiontotheseprincipleshasbeenmixed.BDOnlinereportsacollectionofarchitects
whogrudginglyacceptPrinceCharlesideas,withmanypointingoutthatmostofhisten
principlescanbeappliedtocontemporaryarchitecture,withoutrecoursetotraditionalism.
Otherspointoutthatthenatureofhispositionandthepowerhewieldsisundemocratic,
withRobinNicholsonofCullinanStudiosayingthattheonlyproblemisthathespeaks
fromapositionofuntouchablepower.PrinceCharleshaspreviouslybeenheavily
criticisedbyNormanFoster,ZahaHadidandmanymoreforhistendencytoinfluence
projectswhichhedisagreeswith.
WritingfortheArchitectsJournal,PatrickLynchofLynchArchitectssaysdespitecertain
reservations,IhavetosaythatIthinkthatitisonbalanceagoodthingforapublicfigure
toengagedirectlywiththeprinciplesofarchitecture,addingthatarchitectureremainsa
subjectwithahistoryandatradition,mostofwhichwearealmosttotallyignorantoftoday.
Thequestionwefaceishowrelevantthisistooursocietytoday.
OpposingLynchthough,AlisterScottarguesthatasPrinceCharlessuggeststhe
languageofplanningandarchitecturedoesneedtobemoreinclusivebutitdoesneedto
beunderstoodbasicallyweneedtobuildbetterplacesbutformorepeoplebutthe

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examplesallpointtowardsdesigncredentialsforawellheeledPoundburysettlementthan
amajortownorcitywithitsattendantproblemsofdeprivation,towncentredecayand
stagnationandlackofinvestment.
ThemostcompleteresponsecomesfromarchitecturecriticDouglasMurphy,whosearticle
fortheGuardianstatesthatonreadingPrinceCharlesessayitwashardtoknowwhether
togoapoplecticorsimplyrolloneseyes:Itsthatmanagain
ItwasntjusthispowerthatmadeCharlespolemicshithome:theycoincidedwith
Britainsgreatlurchtotheright,arguesMurphy,addingthatCharlesandhisfriendsliketo
portraythemselvesastheunderdogs,asvictimsofaleftieconspiracyofinhumane
modernism,buttheycouldntbemorewellconnected,andtheirpolemicsinfavouroftwee
cottagearchitectureresonatestronglywithapublictasteforthepicturesqueand
sentimental,andthespuriousnotionofWhatPeopleReallyWant.
Finally,describingPrinceCharlestenpointmanifestoasessentiallyamixofthesensible,
thetautologicalandthedownrightsinister,Murphygoesontogivehisownprinciples,
includingthecitybelongstoeveryone,architectureisnotalanguage,honestyisstilla
virtue,thestreetisnteverything,andperhapsmostcriticallyhisfinalpoint:changeis
coming:thenextcenturywillbepivotalforhumanity,andarchitecturewillplayahugerole.
Cutecottageswithnicelocalstoneworkwonthelp.
ArePrinceCharlespronouncementsonarchitecturewelcomeincontemporary
architecturaldiscourse?Leaveyourcommentsbelow.

Cite:
Stott, Rory. "Prince Charles 10 Geometric Principles for Architecture Cause a Stir in the UK" 29 Dec
2014. ArchDaily. Accessed 31 Dec 2014. <http://www.archdaily.com/?p=582691>

14Comments

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Jointhediscussion
Worried 9hoursago

Howcanitbeundemocraticifsomeonewithpoweristospeakup?
Democraticdoesthatmeansomeonewithpoliticalauthorityshouldnot
bespeakingtothosewhohaveacademicauthority?
Quiteanunusualthingtosaythat...Architectsneedtogetoutofthis
'exclusive'clubandthiscommentisaverypoorstatement..
Additionally,thereismuchwecanlearnfromcottagesandoldbuilding
settlements,andoldarchitecture...
Architecturemaynotbealanguage,butitholdstruethatitdoes
communicatecertainknowledgetopeoplewhousethespace.....
Perhapsitisthearticle,butthereseemstojustbetoomuchreaction
andlessthoughtfulconsideration.
1

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PrinceCharles10GeometricPrinciplesforArchitectureCauseaStirintheUK|ArchDaily
art adayago

Historianwrotethatitwaseclecticismthatsmotheredallcreative
activities,
these10pointswerepartofourbasicarchitecturaleducationand
history,whyarewefightingthem.
1

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TomBecker adayago

It'struethatbyusinghispowertoinfluencearchitecture,PrinceCharles
couldbeconsideredslightlyundemocratic.However,youshouldalso
considerthatallthearchitectureschoolsinwhichfamousarchitects
promotetheirownarchitecturalagendas,obligestudentstoadopt
exclusivelycontemporaryarchitecturallanguagesthatabidebytheir
ownsubjectiveworldviews.IfitistruethatPrinceCharlesisan
undemocraticpowerinfluencingarchitecture,itisalsocorrecttosaythat
architectureschoolsarealsocontributingtocreateadistortedviewof
therealityfromtheotherendofthespectrum.Ican'tthinkofanything
moreundemocraticthenthebrainwashingfuturearchitectsundergoin
thearchitecturestudiocoursesatuniversity,aswellastheinfluenceof
thearchitecturemagazineswhotendtodisplayprojectsalmost
exclusivelyofacertainstyle(contemporary).
3

Reply Share

RobertBeach adayago

ReadslikeafreshmantheorypaperfromNotreDame.
1

Reply Share

craigpurcell 2daysago

Ohpleasegivemeaflattopit'ssocoolandnotatalltwee....

Reply Share

GeoffJamesEberle 2daysago

authoritarianmeasuresimposeduponanysystemwillalwaysfailto
reacttothespontaneityofhumanidiosyncrasiesfurthermore,human
habitationshouldreflectthefunctionandideologiesinaflexiblemanner.
Charles's'manifesto'doesn'trepresentsocietyinit'stotalityit
representsadiminishingconservativeideal,whichhaslittleplaceinour
globalizedsocietyanddeclaredbyamanwhocouldn'tbefurtherapart
fromtheeverydayinhabitant(ifyoucouldsaythereonetospeakoff).
Yesit'sgreattheengagementfromanonarchitecthoweveryoucould
hardlydescribethemanasamemberofthepublic.
1

Reply Share

David 3daysago

Mostwhohavebotheredtocriticisethese10pointscomeacrossas
beingargumentativeforthesakeofit.NothingthatCharlessayshereis
negativeinanyway.OnlyYOUarenegative.
5

Reply Share

GeoffJamesEberle>David 2daysago

Yourargumentisdirectedatthepeoplethemselvesratherthan
theircriticisms,andreadsironicallytoyourproposition.His
pointsarenotnegative,howeverpeoplebelievetheoutcomesof
hispointstobeso.
1

Reply Share

David>GeoffJamesEberle 2daysago

Ijustfeelthathispointscanbesobroadlyinterpreted,
thatonlyamindpredisposedtoanegativetakeonthe
manandhisbackgroundwouldspendtheenergyon
imaginingtheoutcomesthatmakehispointsworthyof
anycriticisminthefirstplace.

Reply Share

jon 3daysago

ThanksfortheadviceCharles,wherewouldourprofessionbewithout
you?PleasebuildanotherPoundburywithyourbackwardbuddies.I
alsourgeHRHtogotooneofthemanyfineArchitectureschools.
Ps.toguestbelow,howisCharles'traditionalist,rosetintedwatercolour
idealofarchitecturaldesignanydifferentto"somemovement,vanguard
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idealofarchitecturaldesignanydifferentto"somemovement,vanguard
orwhatevertoshtheypurporttofollow"thatyoumention?Ifhehadany
cluehewouldrealisethatdesignisaniterativeanddemocraticprocess,
butofcourse,thePrincedoesn'tnegotiate.
2

Reply Share

Guest 3daysago

Therealelitistsaretheoneswhoshovetheirarchitecturalmonstrosities
downourthroatsbecauseit'spartofsomemovement,orthevanguard,
orwhatevertoshtheypurporttofollow.
Thesepeoplewhocomeoutwiththeoldclichaboutthat"harkingback
toaGoldenAge"areidiots.What'swrongwithmakingoursurroundings
lookasgoodaspossible?PrinceCharlesis100%rightaboutthis.
4

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guest>Guest 2daysago

Wellforone,"asgoodaspossible"isentirelysubjective.andI
don'tthinksomeonewhohasspenttheirentireexistenceina
placeofextremewealthandprivilegedislikelytounderstandthe
wantsandneedsofhissubordinates.Imean,he'spurposing
standardsforawayoflivingthathehasneverexperienced.
Secondly,architecturedoesnotexistto"look",itexiststo
function.IthinkyouandPrinceCharlesmaysharethat
misconception.
1

Reply Share

Guest>guest adayago

Youareentirelymistakenabouttheconceptof
architecture.Aestheticsisoneofthemajorprinciplesof
architecture.Architectureexistsnotonlytofunctionbut
foraestheticpurposesaswell,alongwithenvironmental,
climatic,technological,andculturaldeterminants.
1

Reply Share

TomBecker>guest adayago

Itisnotcompletelytruethataestheticsinarchitectureis
subjective.Thereisanentirebodyofscientificstudies
thatstudythepsychologicalinfluenceofbuilt
environments
onpeopleandthesestudieshavefoundnumerousfacts
onhowcertaintraitsofthebuiltenvironmentinfluenceour
emotions(forexample:fractaldimensionofenvironment,
relationofopentoclosespaces,proportionsofelements
inrespecttohumanscale,etc.)
1

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