What's New

John Prescott's Sustainable Communities spending explained

John Gummer defends PPG7 and planning restrictions on much wanted housing development in the countryside

David Blunkett is issuing immigrant construction workers with Work Permits, which are socially divisive and intrusive

Click here for Why is construction so backward?, by James Woudhuysen, Ian Abley, Stefan Muthesius and Miles Glendinning, and with a foreword by Martin Pawley

How does Will Alsop manage to pose as a maverick and maintain a role as government adviser? Ian Abley thinks it is because he has become fluent in communitwaddle

Fire is the result of too many trees in the wrong place

This is What's New

As a research company for construction professionals we also organise and publicise events, books and articles. In the process we aim to make our work of interest to a lay audience that wants to critically understand how the construction industry operates today. audacity.org argues against sustainababble and for development. Click here to find out what we do. Contact us if you want us to do some specific research, organisation or publicity work for you.

This next event considers the floodplain of the estuary, and the habitable landscape that might be created while saving the best wetlands. More than Mudflats and Microflats - the Thames Gateway landscape.

Having apparently accepted the argument that there is chronic housing undersupply, and particularly so in the South East of England, the government has commissioned Kate Barker to assess the predicament.

We publish a series of articles about the Review assumptions and conclusions.

View James Heartfield on the London Programme

James Heartfield argued for living space in The London Programme of 3 October 2003. Presented by Phil Gayle for London Weekend Television, the programme discusses the current Visions for the future of London. It provides an excellent summary of the polarities and tensions of present day development thinking. Featuring contributions from architect Lord Richard Rogers, the Mayor of London Ken Livingstone, Piers Gough, Rowan Moore, Bill Dunster, Eric Reynolds, and Kevin Fitzgerald of the Campaign to Protect Rural England - among many others - the programme serves as an excellent educational introduction to the planning issues facing London and the wider South East.

Click here to view the London Programme - Visions of 3 October 2003 in which James Heartfield challenges the urban cramming orthodoxy of current planning policy

If you want to screen this video in support of a seminar or discussion at school, college, society or work, and would like James Heartfield to speak, please email Ian Abley with your details. The LWT video is free of charge, but there may be expenses incurred depending on the event you wish to organise and the speakers you want to attend.

Our company directors are available for interview, and we are keen to develop our stock of audio and video materials for wider discussion.

If you can provide us with technical support to improve the multimedia content of this website we want to talk to you.

Sustaining Architecture in the Anti-Machine Age

audacity.org has edited this collection of 18 essays and several case studies on sustainability for Wiley-Academy, packed with insightful contributions from within and without the wide debate in the architectural profession. Click the cover image to view the book summary and availability. ISBN 0-471-48660-4.

'Most books on architecture simply praise celebrities. They have an introduction in microscopic print followed by 200 pages of blinding colour photography. Sustaining Architecture in the Anti-Machine Age is not like that. This is a book of words that deal with development, politics, planning, society and cities, pitting ideas against ideas with audacity and intelligence.' Martin Pawley

'History demonstrates humanity's painful struggle to temper the destructive effects of famine, disease, and war. Now mankind faces the abyss. Can we curb the devastating outcomes of scientific and technical progress? Sustaining Architecture in the Anti-Machine Age exposes the complexity of debate that must inform any such endeavour. It is essential reading for all those who claim to care and anyone who intends to contribute.' Paul Hyett

Sustaining Architecture in the Anti-Machine Age, edited by Ian Abley and James Woudhuysen

Visit ArchitectureWeek for news and features on architecture and construction, digital media, and building culture

ArchitectureWeek provides online news and features on architecture and construction, digital media, and building culture to 200,000 visitors a month. ArchitectureWeek provides timely information and images with an independent perspective, and is for everyone who appreciates great design, quality craftsmanship, good buildings and places, and the thoughts that make them real. Covering new buildings as they open, ArchitectureWeek showcases well known journalists and experts in architectural design, practice, building technology, and digital media.

Click here for a daily digest and archive of international architectural news on www.archnewsnow.com

New irregular columnists

The audacity.org website has been gaining momentum, which we are pleased about, with over 30 unique hits on average each day since we started counting. At the same time more contributors are coming forward to write material for the site, and our compliment of columnists has increased. If you are interested in writing an irregular column, not tied to publication deadlines but subject to our editorial control, please contact Ian Abley. We will be pleased to add to our list of irregulars.

Ian Abley

James Heartfield

Richard McWilliams

Martin Pawley

Miffa Salter

James Woudhuysen

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