Twentieth Century Architects: John Madin
Following one of my tweets a few days ago, this new book about the works of Madin is a must have for anyone interested in the architecture of Birmingham. He dominated the architectural scene in the city for several years during the hey-day of the 'concrete-jungle' redevelopment of the city throughout the 60's and 70's. Few Birmingham practices have been able to match his architectural success in the city and of course on the worldwide stage.
To me I'm going to be honest and say that I did not know the influence and commercial success of this architect until I knew of the proposal for the new Birmingham Central Library currently under construction a mere 200m away from the old one that Madin designed and I grew accustomed to! In fact Madin's original plans for the soon to be demolished 'concretecture' original library were for the building to be clad in marble, with the City unwilling to pay such a high price. Concrete and marble simply do not compare aesthetically...
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