Architect Edleston about buildings covered with cladding

Transcript:

I know it’s called the orange box

I didn’t see why it had to look so ugly, and I cannot see now why it can’t be buried in a creeper and I was thinking now of the centre court of Wimbledon. I can remember seeing that when, that was very ugly but it isn’t now because it’s covered with Virginia Creeper and it’s perfectly satisfactory and you can grow Virginia Creeper on that damn thing and it wouldn’t matter at all. And its hideousness would disappear. But it is hideous there’s no doubt about it. It’s the building that’s there, that I object to. A friend of mine who’s an engineer he, the last time I seen him, this is very unfortunate; when you arrive at Stevenage you’re immediately confronted by some awful buildings. And of course the orange box. Daneshill House, looked good for quite a long time but it’s gone off terribly. It’s typical of modern buildings these claddings soon begin to look down at the heels. Something to do with modern technology. And the success of the old coverings like brick for instance, it doesn’t seem to matter how old they are they can still look attractive through the years. But usually if you look at the plans the plans are very good indeed. I think architectural planning as such the inside very good indeed but when it comes to the outside.

It’s some damn cladding technique. And the result is miserable.