Bad Architecture, Design, Execution

start with the premise that nothing but the best should be good enough for our living, learning, working, playing and healing environment. I strongly believe that we as a nation, and as a "global village" should all, in whatever roles we are in, be as intolerant of bad and mediocre architecture and planning as we should be of bad food. Bad food generally results only in temporary sickness, but a bad physical environment results in permanent malaise.”
George Ferguson President of the Royal Institute of British Architects.
I could not agree more especially looking at some monstrosities built in UK since the seventies. However, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and what looks now awful may have looked great (or maybe acceptable) just twenty years ago.
So what makes a building, a house, a playground or anything really, great or somehow acceptable?
I believe that only those objects that withstand the test of time should be regarded as great designs.
Time is a killer! Rain, wind, sunlight they seem to work together trying to destroy what mankind has created, and they are good at that!
Only using materials that do not deteriorate or change during the years we can guarantee a degree of success.

Here below is an example of materials used for the wrong job (i.e. wood in a fountain) Southbank London