Letters.

THE VENTURI EFFECT 

SIR: What a vindictive, vainglorious, vituperative review by Timothy Brittain-Catlin (AR October, p97.) One would have thought that Venturi and Scott Brown had murdered Timothy's mother rather than built beautifully detailed, well considered, appropriate, carefully crafted uplifting buildings not to his taste.

This book is an exhibition catalogue to the recent Out Of The Ordinary exhibition held at Philadelphia Museum of Art and was naturally self-centred -- and I am not defending it. However, T. B.-C.'s article was less a book review and more a chance to throw stones at Venturi Scott Brown, a predilection of the AR.

It is extraordinary how Venturi Scott Brown upset people with narrow exclusivist demeanours who are locked into the current fashion (currently that stripped style known as Modernism) to the exemption of all else and who seem to find Venturi Scott Brown's deep interest in a wide and diverse array of cultures, methodologies and typologies somehow threatening. A bit like prejudicial religious fervour really, isn't it? Sad.

I urge T. B.-C. to visit Frist Campus Centre, Trabant Student Centre, the glorious houses on Long Island and Nantucket, to witness their enriching exhibitions and to study superbly detailed planning analyses. And the Vanna Venturi house, startling in its three-dimensional intricacies and Tardis-like quality. They had their hands tied behind their backs in Trafalgar Square, but what has emerged is a stunning space in which to appreciate the art.

I, too, love much current architecture, Murcutt can entrance, Lapena and Torres excite and Piano sometimes just makes one envious.

Celebrate diversity and quality. Denounce uniformity and mediocrity. T. B.-C. get a life.

Yours etc

RICHARD PAIN & TESSA MACK

Hampton Wick, Surrey, England

WEST NOT BEST

SIR: I was provoked to respond to the Letter from Tabora in AR February 2001. Being an African (Zambian) and having worked as an architect in three Southern African countries, I think it is only fair to respond to such a letter which appears to have a very foreign perspective of the African architect profession.

Development not only in Africa results in change. All cultures have developed from some primitive state. When the white man came to plunder our rich resources they came with their culture. This so-called civilization resulted in our cultural and traditional ways being gradually replaced by Western cultures and customs, Western architecture in Africa is a direct result of the manner in which the colonialists went about developing their new settlements, trading posts and railway sidings.

First, I do not see how missionaries and whites in general being kicked out of Africa will affect professionalism. The so-called professionals are generally skilled labourers or technicians in their countries of origin. When they come to Africa they tend to assume more responsible seemingly professional duties on behalf of their beneficiaries/donors from the West. Any locally trained technician can satisfactorily carry out the role they play.

The implication of the missionaries and whites being kicked out is simple. No more funding from the churches in the West or donor organization, because they do not have a representative they can trust to keep track of their money. Van Buiten and Folkers honestly do not think that without 'white' architects Africa is doomed, unless they are implying that funding for projects will stop without white architects. To say African architects and engineers are too busy discovering the sweetness of liberty, money and power and still euphoric to have escaped from the savannah is a myopic.

I am, however, pleased to read that the authors of the letter have had an adventurous time in Africa. The only people exploiting Africa are the same ones who came here and think they can solve all our problems by telling us how to do things. We have been taught architecture from a Western perspective. This is good for the West because we need to continue to import technologies from the West, most of which are not appropriate for Africa.

Sorry for the delayed response to the letter. I was still discovering the sweetness of liberty, money and power ... I wish!!

Yours etc

SIANYINDA D. SICHOMBO

Francistown, Botswana