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@chips-and-brown-gravy wrote:

Have you actually looked at the other buildings that were in contention for the prize?  Some pretty horrendous buildings there.

 

Updating buildings in different (modern) styles has been going on since there were buildings, and I guess there will always be those who love it and those who hate it.

 

It could have been demolished completely and something hideously modern put in it's place - all square glass and concrete.

 

If you want to see really bad taste in houses I suggest you look at

this

 

 

 

 

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I was stunned at some of the entries - the workmanship was awful and the materials already showing signs of breaking down.

A couple of the entries were quite mediocre too and from the videos there was nothing that really stood out as being inspirational - more like typical institutional.

At first, I wasn't too sure about Astley Castle until about half way through the video and more of the reasoning was explained as to why they'd chosen to do it the way they did.

The only other one I was really impressed with - and for reasons that weren't actually mentioned in the vid, was the Bishop Edward King Chapel - it was a shame that they went out of their way to 'prove' how the building had come to be felt the spiritual centre they'd hoped for so quickly.

The outside structure has some very special resonances and connections.

Anyway, I'm happy to say that, as I couldn't make up my mind, I voted for both of them.

I think Astley Castle is one of those places that really has to be seen in situ to really get the feel for why they did what they did.