Sir - You printed two letters about the modernist extension to St Antony's College (November 16).
One was from the director and senior curator of Modern Art, Oxford, who, I presume, have a vested interest in imposing ugly, ridiculous, expensive architecture on us poor souls who like living in a historic city.
The other letter from S. Skyte posed a few questions - "the centre of our city is dead architecturally with not a single modern building in sight" (three cheers from me!) He extols the virtues of the pyramid at the Louvre in Paris (eyesore) - the modern buildings in Rotterdam (possibly the ugliest city in Europe) and the "terrific" modern British Embassy in Berlin (have not seen it. But I will not be taking any photos of it when I visit next May).
These "experts" in what we should allow to be built in our lovely old cities, remind me of the true story of a modern art painting that was on display for several months until the artist visited and exclaimed "You have displayed it upside down!" No one had noticed!
Mr Skyte, Magdalen College's Longwall Street extension may be a pastiche, but I love it, so promote your ghastly architectural schemes in Milton Keynes in future. "Emperor's new clothes anyone?"
A. J . Green, Oxford
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