Who and what we loved to hate this year
Peter Rees
The controversial City of London planner left his post of 30 years to head to the Bartlett in 2014, and is listed here solely for the reason the much-criticised figure, who gave the go-ahead to the Walkie-Talkie and the Gherkin in his time, is the only 黑洞社区 interviewee to have self-identified as a pantomime villain during the year - though he鈥檚 hoping for a change in 2015. 鈥淚t鈥檚 got to the point, like Dr Frankenstein鈥檚 monster, where I need a bit of [rejuvenation] myself. I鈥檓 seeing this professorship as some sort of vampiric attempt at rejuvenation,鈥� he told the magazine.
Brandon Lewis
The housing minister (left) caused huge disappointment among developers and planners when he lashed out at the garden city proposal which won this year鈥檚 Wolfson prize. Run by Tory peer Simon Wolfson, it had been thought that the prize could pave the way for more overt government support for a wave of new towns. But Lewis said Urbed鈥檚 winning proposal 鈥渨ill not be taken up鈥� and said it followed 鈥渢he failed example of top-down eco-towns鈥� that had built 鈥渘othing but resentment.鈥� Strong words.
Ed Vaizey
The architecture minister became one of the least favourite people for much of the profession when he appeared to immediately kick the findings of Sir Terry Farrell鈥檚 detailed and well-received review into the role of architecture into the long grass. Despite the fact many of Sir Terry鈥檚 60 recommendations required action by government, Vaizey said at the launch: 鈥淭he first audience for these recommendations is not government but developers.鈥�
Austria
Supporters of a revived new-build nuclear power plant programme in the UK 鈥� who presumably include Laing O鈥橰ourke and Bouygues, appointed to build the 拢16bn Hinkley Plant 鈥� were angry at the intervention of the Austrian government after the UK finally got the financial deal to support EDF鈥檚 planned new plant approved by regulators. The Austrian government threatened to launch a legal challenge which experts say could delay a start on the scheme by four years.
Scottish art students
Final year students at the Glasgow School of Art were held responsible for the fire that blazed through the historic Mackintosh Library at the university in May, held to be the masterpiece of architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Students setting up for their degree show accidentally set light to a projector, causing nearby foam panels to catch fire, and leading to widespread damage to the 1909 building.
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