Barnabas Calder

Not so far it isn't. We're still full on fossil fuelism.

This summary piece of Barnabas Calder's thinking about energy and architecture (in Dezeen, form 2023) is a blast of sense. There's mention too of Yasmeen Lari's important work. #architecture

Yes. And the really troubling thing about beauty BS is that it's another weapon in the armoury for those arguing for endless demolition and replacement. Who cares if an existing building isn't in the style you happen to cling to sentimentally? It's tens of thousands of tonnes of CO2 to replace it.

Who should decide what makes a building beautiful? Everyone agrees that we need more homes, and fast — and that we want them to look good. But who should be the judge: architects, governments or the general public?

I offered a dissenting voice in this article about "beauty" in #architecture, though little of it got in. Essentially, I can't see why style wars should wang on self-promotingly through a climate emergency.
www.ft.com/content/fd8a...
I put the case here too:
www.dezeen.com/2023/01/12/a...

Thanks Lloyd - I'm so glad you enjoyed it and found it useful. @florianurban.bsky.social's data sets are amazing, aren't they!

A tale of two conferences and a book, "Form Follows Fuel" I attend a Sufficiency conference in Edinburgh and a Passivhaus conference in Belfast, and read a new book relevant to both.

on the plane home from conferences on #sufficiency and #passivhaus I read "Form Follows Fuel" by Florian Urban and @barnabascalder.bsky.social. It has remarkable relevance to both, a brilliant book demonstrating that we cannot get a real grip on upfront carbon without embracing sufficiency.

Poster for "centring the past" event

This will be really interesting and fun if you can get to Chester this weekend: learning to build medieval gothic vaults from very accurate foam replicas. I can't wait!
chestercathedral.com/events/event...
#architecture #medievalarchitecture #vaulting #chester

Such an important question. Is it possible to boil down some key findings as a thread for all of us who can't read Danish? I hope you get an English publisher.

Ooh! I don't know it. Your sketch is hugely recognisable though.

I don't know but I like it!

Single line pen sketch of a mystery building...

In a slightly abstract twist, where were we yesterday?!

#architectureandenergy Thanks to the 100+ people who joined our book launch event last night at the Glasgow School of Art! Well done Chloe and Kieran @architectsdeclare.bsky.social for organising this event, and thanks to @barnabascalder.bsky.social and www.instagram.com/john_joseph_...

Thank you. Yes, architecture is a great place to look at the intersections between it all, isn't it?

Very impressive! Yes it is!

Yep! On the right.

Thank you so much. That is unbelievably heart-warming and generous. I'm with Florian now after the Edinburgh launch, and we're both delighted with your kind words.

@barnabascalder.bsky.social @florianurban.bsky.social amazing job, this should be required reading for any history class!

form follows fuel: 14 buildings from antiquity to the oil age by florian urban and barnabas calder. a detailed drawing of the church-like chhatrapati shivaji maharaj terminus in mumbai on the cover

if you only buy one book about architecture or history this year make sure it's form follows fuel! 14 buildings from 4 millennia show how energy has shaped human housing, sustainability and climate through history, and its topical and informative interdisciplinary approach make this a must read!

A wrought iron station roof.

A cast iron station roof.

I love going by train. Recognise these roofs?
#whatbuilding

Endangered building - Liverpool vicarage and hall on Victorian Society’s Top Ten Endangered Buildings list 2024 - The Victorian Society Liverpool vicarage and hall on Victorian Society’s Top Ten Endangered Buildings list 2024 is on our list of endangered buildings. The Victorian Society - Campaigning for Victorian and Edwardian Built ...

St Agnes, Grade I, J L Pearson - Toxteth. We placed its Vicarage and Hall by Norman Shaw on our Top Ten Endangered Buildings list in 2024 - both have now been sold we believe. www.victoriansociety.org.uk/endangered-b... Thanks Barnabas.

That's the first review we've had, and what a lovely one! Thank you so much!

I hope the second half of the book remains as interesting even if more anxiety-inducing.

just finished the pre-fossil chapters, very hard to put the book down for the night as it is both an extremely informative and entertaining read! great choice of examples too, serving the focus on energy and sustainability in architecture just wonderfully! fantastic book, highly recommended!

form follows fuel von florian urban und barnabas calder, auf dem cover eine sehr detaillierte zeichnung eines kirchengebäudes

going in 🔥 @barnabascalder.bsky.social @florianurban.bsky.social very much hyped to finally have this

I hope it lives up to your expectations. We'd welcome feedback once you've had a look.

Well played!

St Agnes and St Pancras Toxteth Park, looking from near the entrance towards the altar.

That's very impressive! Well done! How did you manage that?

Geometric stone flooring.

Here you are. I think this shouldn't help excessively. #whatbuilding

It's not. It's within a mile of one, but that's probably true of quite a lot of churches. Do you think it's time for another pic?

@thevicsoc.bsky.social might get this.

Right city, but much too fun for Scott. :)