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Four Thought

Series 2

Episode 17: Owen Hatherley: The Decline of Architecture

Duration: 15 minutes

First broadcast: on BBC Radio 4 FMLatest broadcast: on BBC Radio 4 LW

Available for over a year

Writer and cultural critic Owen Hatherley attacks the architectural results of recent "urban regeneration".

He regrets the loss of confidence in a vision of how cities of the future should be. Defending the buildings of the 1960s, he says:

"Even the most reviled of blocks contain spacious apartments," whereas "the new blocks you can see everywhere are designed from the outside in - irregular windows and brightly coloured cladding hides the tiny mean proportions and a total lack of planning for human use."

Four Thought is a series of talks which combine thought provoking ideas and engaging storytelling.

Recorded live in front of an audience at the RSA in London, speakers take to the stage to air their latest thinking on the trends, ideas, interests and passions that affect our culture and society.

Producer: Sheila Cook. Show less

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