Peter St John - James Stirling and the importance of form

[@fumusfumus]

Michael Wilford was the person who made the buildings work, the technical genius, definitely in the latter period. And according to David Gosling, who knew Stirling and particularly Michael Wilford very well, Wilford designed the Dorman Long building. Wilford went straight from college to them, and would be engrained in the design culture, and offices are always a collaborative affair. Gosling was head of Runcorn New Town and commissioned the flats there in order to give Stirling work in a period when he was suffering a work famine. In return as a debt to Gosling, our professor at Sheffield Uni, we were tutored by Wilford in c1974. Wilford had a more practical monumentalism, and Dorman Long stands apart in that regard. Apparently Stirling and Gowan sat facing each other in the office, and had monumental rows, which lead Gowan to leave. A memorable moment in a Sheffield studio crit was when a student was waffling on about his design, and Wilford took a pencil from his pocket and gave it to the student with the response " shut up and draw what you mean. Architecture is a graphic art". This may give an insight into the Stirling office's approach and forthrightness. Stirling famously said, in his brusque northern way, "don't talk architecture with your clients, they will think you're pissing about with their money". This throws light on the subversive drive that he possessed, his way of achieving such far out there buildings. All good architects probably have some of that selectiveness in them.

[@David-mt1qm]

full marks for whoever got peter to present their strip club

[@user-yk1cw8im4h]

you think you're funny?

[@David-mt1qm]

@@user-yk1cw8im4h I applaud the courage of the students