Forum Topic

Fleur

On front page with her banner.  Also a post on front page regarding Thames path not stopping speeding cyclists.

Barbara Stevens ● 104d23 Comments

There was a particularly interesting drawing/representation of the plan of Chandigarh with the proposed community uses of spaces shown drawn in all dimensions which I found rather difficult to get my head round but which was very much admired by those who are used to reading drawings in 3D!I just didn't think there was enough of anything and it was busy as we've been busy and had left it to the last day.  I particularly like the comments about their work by architects? just on the way out.  I got to appreciate more the various aspects of the designs in dealing with the climatic conditions before all the newer buildings we now have that just rely so much on AC and not on orientation etc.

Philippa Bond ● 94d

https://www.putneysw15.com/default.asp?section=info&page=confleuranderson112.htm

Philippa Bond ● 94d

I too went to this excellent exhibition (which ended yesterday). I was rather disappointed that the film, which concentrated on Africa, had little or nothing about India and the work of Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew at Chandigarh.

Caroline Whitehead ● 95d

Martine. We sat and watched the film - and I was looking for...  washing!

Philippa Bond ● 95d

These Tropical Modernism buildings were designed with the climate in mind unlike many later buildings.  It wasn't until the early 70s that orientation, narrow buildings to allow easy cross-ventilation and brise soleil and louvres was overtaken by the use of AC. Now of course we worry about green house gases and the amount and cost of electricity we are using.We then went to the architecture part of the V&A and were surprised to find that there was an XR bamboo tower and the locking boxes they used in protesting about lack of action on Climate Change outside the architecture rooms as part of the London Design Week.

Philippa Bond ● 95d

Funny external balconies are usually art of the concrete slabs extended from internal floors.As yet I havnt come across see through concrete

Andy Pike ● 95d

Philippa, we have something in common as I have also been to the Tropical Modernism exhibition at the V&A.  However, unlike you, I didn’t look at the photographs and notice washing on balconies.  Wonderful exhibition, which I found far more interesting than I had expected.

Martine Guy ● 95d

I think it is both. And if you make it so that the balcony isn't totally see-through then you can also hang your washing outside without that being so visible either.  This afternoon I was at the V&A enjoying the Tropical Modernism exhibition.  I was thrilled to see all the washing hanging on the balconies of the flats - something that a lot of stuffed shirts here in the UK with their petty rules and regulations would ban. Instead many people end up having to dry their washing indoors which can cause condensation and mould and respiratory problems.  Not everyone has a tumble dryer and not everyone can afford to use that electricity especially when there is a better and cheaper option of God's own air.

Philippa Bond ● 95d

It's so much better than having an MP who nobody recognises and nobody knows what they are doing or if they are doing anything or if they even attend parliament.  That was often a case in the past and many people don't watch  Parliament TV or even know how to find out what their MP speaks on or how they vote when there.  That's if they know who their MP is and which borough they are living in of course!

Philippa Bond ● 96d

Upskirting is not a case of poor design  it's about the pervert who does it. How do you design external balconies to account for every possible  ( no matter how far fetched), perverted scenario.

Andy Pike ● 96d

Just not very impressed with the practicality of the design or management of lots of flats in this country!

Philippa Bond ● 96d

Yes precisely, Fleur, should be called Anna with her Banner.

Barbara Stevens ● 97d

A sweepstake should be started to guess how many times our MP can get photos of herself with a protest banner placed prominently of the news page of this Forum.Who does her PR ?Obviously not the person who does the same for Starmer !

John Hawkes ● 97d

Philippa's mind works in mysterious ways ...🙄

Sue Hammond ● 99d

How on earth did we get from mould and condensation to upskirting women.Phillipa you have excelled with your nonsense on this one.

Andy Pike ● 99d

Yes, and a lot of flats have balconies where from below you can upskirt women.  Others have balconies where it is not obvious that you have a clothes horse on the balcony.  I really don't think many of the blocks flats built in this country are designed to be as practical as they should be - and of course some just have the most decidly snobby management committees.

Philippa Bond ● 99d

Most blocks of flats have leases that do not allow washing to be hung outside, through windows etc

Lucille Grant ● 100d

I understand that gas cookers will be phased out as we reduce our reliance on gas and transition to cleaner fuel.  Sometimes people do not understand why there is a need for extractor fans ie it isn't just to reduce smell.

Philippa Bond ● 100d

There is also a link between gas cooking and asthma. In HK no link was found but they use very high powered extractors when cooking apparently. Still requires electricity obviously.I'm afraid these problems are interlinked. With bills going up not down as promised, one wonders if this is all just a publicity stunt.

Ed Robinson ● 102d

I think people need advice on how to live in UK flats and to avoid creating the right conditions for mould.  I agree with Ed that drying clothing is a major contributor to condensation which without ventilation and any heat will cause mould.  You have to learn how to avoid as much condensation as possible - eg put lids on pans when cooking and close bathroom doors and USE the extractor fans required by Building Regulations and provided in those rooms. Trickle vents are specifically designed to allow a little ventilation.If you were in Hong Kong you would find long poles similar to masts protruding from flats horizontally out across the streets where washing is hung. In some places clothing would be hung on clothes-lines on the roofs.  Here you rarely seem to find shared clothes hanging space in blocks of flats.  It is hard work pinning out lots of small children's clothes and everyone seems to have more clothes nowadays.  It would be good to hear of best solutions.

Philippa Bond ● 102d

Apart from Private Landlords, the Council also don't seem to keep their properties in order as shown on TV.

Barbara Stevens ● 104d

I think they will be hoping we won't be breathing much longer.  Just watched a clip on Fbook from Alf Garnet, 50 yrs ago. It would make you laugh, telling him to use a hot water bottle have a hot drink etc etc, He then replied, he would have to use elec or gas to warm the water. He was told to eat fresh vegtables, how could he afford all those vegetables. Well were heading that way again.  Bet Andy can find it on FBook.

Barbara Stevens ● 104d

Mould can be caused by condensation.People drying washing inside, cooking even breathing.Some letting agreements specifically have clauses for ventilation.People turning off extractor, closing windows and vents to try and keep the heat in and bills down.I'm not sure how cutting the winter heating allowance is going to help apart from less people breathing unfortunately!

Ed Robinson ● 104d