By AJ Contributor 1 October 2007 1 Views
Astragal’s favourite April Fool’s spoof appears on techie website www.theregister.co.uk . The story discusses conversations between Microsoft and Richard Rogers about a potential takeover by the software giant. Titled ‘Microsoft to build on Rogers Partnership’, it ‘quotes’ CEO Steve Balmer shouting in excitement: ‘Acquiring the Rogers Partnership will allow us…
By AJ Contributor 1 October 2007 0 Views
Astragal was fortunate enough to attend the treat that was the Architectural Review’s annual conference, which was bursting with high-profile names such as Peter Cook, Ricky Burdett, Terry Farrell, Richard MacCormac, David Mackay and Zaha Hadid. The stars trooped on and off the RIBA stage like an architectural parody of…
By AJ Contributor 1 October 2007 0 Views
Astragal found himself in the most foreign of environments recently when he attended the Architecture Foundation’s ‘Blueprint for London’ exhibition. Alarm bells started ringing when Astragal realised that the event was co-sponsored by GQ Style. The ‘definitive guide to men’s fashion’ had thrown its trilby into the ring for reasons…
By AJ Contributor 1 October 2007 2 Views
The architectural great and good were, unsurprisingly, out in force at Isabel Allen’s leaving do. Jack Pringle, Sara Fox, Clare Wright, Simon Allford, Paul Monaghan, Max Hutchinson, Keith Williams, Francine Libessart, Rab and Denise Bennetts and Renato Benedetti were all setting about the wine and nibbles with gusto. But Astragal…
By AJ Contributor 1 October 2007 1 Views
There were tears aplenty (and drinking aplenty) at the leaving do for award-winning former AJ editor Isabel Allen at Exmouth Market's glamorous Ambassador restaurant. But the world of architecture hasn’t seen the last of Allen, who is off to join TV’s Kevin McCloud at sustainable-development company HAB. As she pointed…
By AJ Contributor 1 October 2007 7 Views
Astragal, as one would expect, is something of a traditionalist golf fan. A sombre Pringle jumper, a restrained cry of ‘fore!’ and no ladies at the 19th hole thankyou very much. But Astragal’s conservative views were completely altered after reading the recent obituary of Jez Feakes, architect and inventor of…
By AJ Contributor 1 October 2007 25 Views
Astragal has been on the receiving end of a rather bizarre communication from ‘The Lord of Harpole, in the Parish of Wickham Market, UK’, who turns out to be Abdul Latif, Britain’s first Bangladeshi lord of the manor (self appointed) and proprietor of the Curry Capital restaurant on Newcastle’s salubrious…
By AJ Contributor 1 October 2007 0 Views
Discontented rumblings continue to tarnish Future System’s Prague library competition victory. First the Czech Chamber of Architects complained that the green and purple sea-creature-like blob had breached UIA contest rules. Then came the rumours that some of the other competitors were threatening legal action to have the result overturned. Even…
By AJ Contributor 1 October 2007 1 Views
So despite some furious lobbying from Astragal, the government has chosen to ignore the call for a monorail to serve our nation’s capital, and instead opted for something called Crossrail. This locomotive network has been 17 years in the pipeline, and looks set to finally be given the thumbs up…
By AJ Contributor 1 October 2007 4 Views
Astragal was shocked and upset to discover that he is among the 30 per cent of Brits ‘hiding under filthy sheets’, according to washing machine manufacturer Electra. Although Astragal generally beds down under the table at the Easton or on that cosy bench just outside the RIBA (with a few…
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