Monthly Archives: September 2008

The Grinning Smithsons

10 Sep ’08 – 12:32 am

As their greatest and most heroic project is about to bite the dust after decades of slow demolition by neglect, Alison and Peter Smithson’s remaining body of work increasingly looks like the Cheshire cat’s grin – exactly at the point when they seem to be vanishing they are also achieving a prominence they haven’t enjoyed [...]

By Ian Milliss | Posted in architecture, building, heritage, people | Tagged , , | Comments (2)

Reviving Newcastle

9 Sep ’08 – 11:06 pm

It can take a heroic effort to bring an ailing city district back to life but often all it takes to spark it off is one person or one small group. Marcus Westbury‘s efforts to revive Hunter Street, the ailing main street of the Australian industrial city of Newcastle (think rustbelt if you are not [...]

By Ian Milliss | Posted in activism, architecture, art, building, business, heritage, people, planning | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Out of the closet

4 Sep ’08 – 1:00 am

Why does the humble wardrobe have so much appeal as a refuge, an escape to a different world even. From children’s stories like The Chronicles of Narnia or The Indian in the Cupboard, to farces and cartoons where everything from lovers to dead mothers are hidden in them, somehow wardrobes seem to be hotbeds of [...]

By Ian Milliss | Posted in art, containers, furniture, household | Tagged , , , | Comments (2)