Universities And Modern Architecture: A Symbiotic Relationship

The British education sector is undergoing a wave of capital projects in which institutions are "hiring architects who will make a splash for them in the minds of prospective students and the wider public." While these buildings are certainly attracting attention, they are not winning many accolades from the architecture profession. Marco Goldschmied, a former president of the Royal Institute of British Architects believes that universities should have the same leadership function in architecture as they do in the rest of society. "There's an art to being an inspired and attentive client, and who better to re-establish that role than the universities? They have relatively more freedom than other clients, and they have a long-term vision. Setting a standard that others can aspire to is one of the roles of universities." "They should have the courage to move away from the traditional, established, old-school architects. The average age of the university population is far lower than the national population, so demographically their architects ought to be youthful and vibrant. One of the great hallmarks of an inspired client is the ability to spot and nurture young talent."

Thanks to Zvi Leve