Distribution of Property After Death
Renowned architect John Pardey has penned a series of short essays, titled Reflections, focusing on some of the 20th century's most significant architectural works. The essays, published monthly by Architecture Today, aim to shed light on the architectural importance and enduring influence of these iconic buildings.
Pardey draws inspiration from the quote by renowned physicist Isaac Newton: "If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." This sentiment encapsulates Pardey's belief in learning from the great architects who have come before him.
The series commenced from Pardey's growing concern about the new generation of architects, who increasingly seek inspiration from social media, seldom visit renowned buildings, and rely heavily on digital platforms for information rather than physical books.
Pardey's passion for architecture was sparked by a retired architect friend who frequently encouraged him to pursue the profession due to his natural artistic abilities. After a brief detour in his youth, Pardey moved to London to study architecture, a decision that proved to be the right one for him. He found the subject to be a unique blend of his love for art and drawing with the additional challenging aspects of structure and contracts.
Following a successful career as an architect, Pardey spent the next fifteen years as a lecturer at various architecture schools. His experience in teaching architecture taught him a valuable lesson—it cannot be taught, but one can merely guide and show examples of great buildings. Visiting buildings and spending countless hours in libraries were his guiding lights.
Pardey laments the lack of historical knowledge among the younger generation of architects who rely excessively on search engines and Pinterest. He argues that history is the greatest teacher. Human culture has gifted us with an array of magnificent buildings, towns, cities, and landscapes. These are our inheritance, providing a wealth of wisdom to learn from.
In this series, Pardey aims to discuss some of the 20th-century's greatest buildings of all scales, including a few from the Industrial Revolution that exploited new materials. He aspires to uncover what each building contributed to the advancement of architecture. While he appreciates the architectural brilliance of buildings from earlier centuries, he believes they may lack relevance to the modern world unless one adopts a traditional approach to design.
Pardey hopes that this series will inspire architects and students to understand and visit these great buildings. Though the list is not exhaustive, he believes the essays will collectively narrate a broader story.
- John Pardey, inspired by Isaac Newton's quote, emphasizes the importance of learning from past architectural giants, as he believes in standing on their shoulders to see further in his own career.
- Pardey bemoans the current trend among young architects who primarily seek inspiration from digital platforms rather than visiting significant architectural works in person.
- Reflecting on his own journey, Pardey shares that his passion for architecture was sparked by a retired architect friend and grew over years spent visiting buildings and reading in libraries.
- In his new series, Pardey aims to explore the significant architectural works of the 20th century, including those from the Industrial Revolution, to uncover their contributions to the evolution of architecture and encourage architects and students to understand and visit these iconic buildings.
