5/12/02

Doodle day

Are architect's doodles worth keeping, like the sketches of painters and sculptors? One of the problems is space. In the late 1970s, Robert Adam's old home saw faded drawings being used as fire kindlers. Times have improved. Tragically, the Stirling Archive went to the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA), so to draw researchers from all over Europe. But at least it is secure. The CCA has over 65,000 drawings in its collection, from the Renaissance to the end of this century. Phyllis Lambert founded the institution, to her great credit. They have proceeded discreetly and intelligently, literally saving works from obscurity rather than, Getty-like, swallowing all that comes by, while also leading to dramatic art price inflation. But, architectural drawings? British institution should move on it. We have no equivalent to the Museum of Modern Art here with its inclusion of both architecture and design - we should. This means enlightened government policy, not imbecility - how many 'Domes' have to be tolerated before good sense finally prevails.