One seam coat

As I mentioned last week, Cristobal Balenciaga was famous for his unconventional pattern making. He avoided side-seams and sought to … More

Out of reach

As I mentioned last week, there is a botanical garden attached to the Kew research site, which is where the … More

When ArtAngel takes over a venue as a gallery, they seek to combine existing and specially commissioned pieces in the … More

When I was in Philadelphia I visited the Eastern State Penitentiary. The prison in Reading (Berkshire) was built around similar … More

On 2 September 1666 a fire broke out in a baker’s house on Pudding Lane, London. It spread across the … More

One of the special exhibitions on at the V&A this year is about the influence Ove Arup had on design and … More

One of the most eminent museums of art and design hides its focus behind a name which doesn’t even mention … More

The amazing artwork in the stained glass windows of Salisbury Cathedral is only properly visible from inside, when the light from … More

People interested in the history of ‘the people’ running a state rather than despotic (or benevolent) dynasties, often point to … More

Cities and cathedrals are closely related in England. Mainly because a conurbation can only call itself a city if it … More