Civic Trust for Wales Bill Davies Essay Simplicity everywhere (3)

Building for the future is a wonderful challenge; as yet we have just touched its potential.

I suggested above that, even in urban areas, topography and landscape are almost invariable backdrops. On sloping terrain one can mould the land to achieve a formal layout – the Roman and Beaux Arts solution – but is this valid for us? To the Greeks, the land was sacred. Their towns and religious sites responded to the land directly, in layout, and in using natural features as part of the composition. The layout of Delphi is a superb example of this; I suggest this offers a more valid approach for Wales than the academic and formal layouts now in fashion. Many examples exist in Wales of such respect for land and site – Tremadoc and Portmeirion are especially noteworthy.

Welsh building should recognise our particular social and climatic conditions, our culture, economy and topography.

Folk building suggests an approach, but it represents the needs of a peasant people, isolated from external influences, incessantly striving to gain a living from the land. Times change. We cannot be peasants in perpetuity. Yet there are certain cultural constancies remain – simplicity, economy, the rational use of structure and materials, simple form, smallness of scale, a limited use of colour.

Much of our recent building is insensitive to these traditions. Often, traditional materials are used inappropriately. With few exceptions there has been a failure to understand the sensitivity of scale relative to location. Considerable study and development is needed to achieve the quality of built environment our people deserve, as reflected in the words of William Morris:

“simplicity of life, begetting simplicity of taste, that is, a love of sweet and lofty things, is of all matters most necessary for the birth of the new and better art we crave for: simplicity everywhere, in the palace as well as in the cottage”.

Professor Bill Davies is a member of the board of the Civic Trust for Wales. He has had a distinguished career as an architect, both in private practice and as a teacher. He was recently the recipient of an award for lifetime achievement in the Welsh Housing Design Awards read

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Bill Davies, Simplicity everywhere (3)
Building for the future is a wonderful challenge; as yet we have just touched its potential. I suggested above that, even in urban areas, topography and landscape are almost invariable backdrops. On sloping terrain one can mould the land to achieve a formal layout – the Roman and Beaux Arts solution – but is this valid for us? To the Greeks, the land was sacred. Their towns and religious sites responded to the land directly, in layout, and in using natural features as part of the composition. The layout of Delphi is a superb example of this; I suggest this offers a more valid approach for Wales than the academic and formal layouts now in fashion. Many examples exist in Wales of such respect for land and site – Tremadoc and Portmeirion are especially noteworthy. Welsh building should recognise our particular social and climatic conditions, our culture, economy and topography. Folk building suggests an approach, but it represents the needs of a peasant people, isolated from external influences, incessantly striving to gain a living from the land. Times change. We cannot be peasants in perpetuity. Yet there are certain cultural constancies remain – simplicity, economy, the rational use of structure and materials, simple form, smallness of scale, a limited use of colour. Much of our recent building is insensitive to these traditions. Often, traditional materials are used inappropriately. With few exceptions there has been a failure to understand the sensitivity of scale relative to location. Considerable study and development is needed to achieve the quality of built environment our people deserve, as reflected in the words of William Morris: “simplicity of life, begetting simplicity of taste, that is, a love of sweet and lofty things, is of all matters most necessary for the birth of the new and better art we crave for: simplicity everywhere, in the palace as well as in the cottage”. Professor Bill Davies is a member of the board of the Civic Trust for Wales. He has had a distinguished career as an architect, both in private practice and as a teacher. He was recently the recipient of an award for lifetime achievement in the Welsh Housing Design Awards read
			Portmeirion Despite clear Italian influences, the relationship to site, sheltered spaces and planting owe much to Welsh vernacular. Delphi A supreme example of layout relating to site and buildings to land form. A series of short, formal routes leads up the hill side via a number of nodal points with buildings. The amphitheatre and the circus are beautifully related. Tremadoc A small-scale formal square dominated and enhanced by the mountainous background.