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Robert Proctor

@rproctor.bsky.social

Architectural historian of the twentieth century.

1069 Posts1263 Follower 442 Folgt

Robert Proctor @rproctor.bsky.social · yesterday

Is it ever not construction industry awards season on LinkedIn?

Robert Proctor @rproctor.bsky.social · 4d ago

CFP for a conference in Ukraine with accommodation including bomb shelters seems somewhat ... optimistic?

Robert Proctor @rproctor.bsky.social · 6d ago

Foggy morning on the Severn. Wigeon are back.

A road bridge over a very broad river, half hidden by fog, blue sky.

Sardonicus @sardonicus.eu · last wk.

The Elbbrücken (Elbe bridges) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elbbr%C...

Robert Proctor @rproctor.bsky.social · 2w ago

Reading student reviews of my university, and the most frequent complaint is overcrowded, infrequent and overpriced buses to campus. Pretty much been the case for a decade at least. You'd think someone would look into that.

Robert Proctor @rproctor.bsky.social · 3w ago

Idea for a work of fiction: Gertrude Jekyll's cloying and smug Home and Garden about Munstead Wood, but with demonic ghosts, or murders. archive.org/details/home...

Home and Garden: Notes and Thoughts, Practical and Critical, of a Worker in Both

archive.org

Robert Proctor @rproctor.bsky.social · 3w ago

Short trip to Coventry, where I saw some wonders I remember and others I didn't.

Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, 1950s building with Portland stone cladding, mosaic and large windows, a coat of arms at centre top on projecting auditorium wall.

Wall of angled lead panels, tree; leisure centre building of 1960s, Coventry.

Chapel, looking up, circular space with plain thin cross hanging in the centre, slot windows with coloured glass in deep angled fins around the edges; in Coventry Cathedral.

Entrance to Coventry Cathedral, a sort of giant porte cochere with crosses suspended between red sandstone columns, and concrete roof over the top; red sandstone wall to left, similar stone walls to right.

Robert Proctor @rproctor.bsky.social · 3w ago

Have always suspected this, that the curves are to give a definite character rather than to appear straight.

Margot Finn@eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 3w ago

'after a detailed investigation, and a flurry of mathematical modelling, Prof Alain Goriely at the University of Oxford has reached an awkward conclusion. The optical illusions the curves are meant to fix are either nonsense or practically imperceptible....the illusions are themselves an illusion.'

Robert Proctor @rproctor.bsky.social · 4w ago

Muppet Crime and Punishment.

Ryan Whatever@silberwhatever.com · 4mo ago

What should have been the third literary adaptation to finish the MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL and MUPPET TREASURE ISLAND trilogy?

Robert Proctor @rproctor.bsky.social · 4w ago

On BBC iPlayer, I see. Recommend it.

Robert Proctor@rproctor.bsky.social · 2y ago

Vermiglio. What a film. Keep finding myself thinking about it a week later. Worth seeking out.

Film poster for Vermiglio, couple dancing in foreground, various people in middle ground, mountains in background.

Robert Proctor @rproctor.bsky.social · last mo.

Found a good CFP. Can't decide which of three possible proposals to put in. Writing them all out to see which looks best. Not sure this is the most fruitful use of my time.

Robert Proctor @rproctor.bsky.social · last mo.

Bradford-on-Avon bank holiday wander.

Marble monument detail, a carved skull with cherub's foot on it, classical mouldings around it.

A Renaissance virgin and child painting in a gold frame on a wall below windows.

A medieval stone barn, pedimented porch with doors open looking right through it, a person silhouetted beyond, stone-tiled roof.

Detail of a green and grey barge on overgrown canalside with plants in pots on the roof.

Robert Proctor @rproctor.bsky.social · last mo.

You know when you think you've found a really good building and then you look it up and find that of course it was by such-and-such? Postmodern theatre and media complex at Chambéry by Mario Botta, 1982-87, extended by Aurelio Galfetti, 1992.

Detail of a stripy building with grey lines interspersed with yellow sandstone, diagonal shadow, unusual gaps between corners, small cut-out windows.

Big outdoor flight of steps up to a partly circular drum of a building, stripy details of yellow sandstone. A temporary tent to one side, hints of a larger auditorium building to left.

A big stripy drum of a modern building, next to an older plain 3-storey building with rectangular windows and dormers; the drum has a stepped cut out section below it with entrances and a colonnade, and there's a glazed link between the new and old buildings.

Cars parked in front of large theatre building, big flight of steps up to a drum shaped building on the right, the steps flying over a cut-out arch, to the left a massive cubic structure with no windows except at the base, all with stripy lines of yellow sandstone.

Robert Proctor @rproctor.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Anyway, this year I'm taking all my annual leave whether I have anything fancy to do or not. So hello from a marsh in Gloucestershire, where there's a spoonbill looking as relaxed as me.

Marsh, very flat but some distant hills, some clouds in the sky.

Robert Proctor @rproctor.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Hard drive on the blink. The eyewatering price of new computers now! Another AI benefit ... Bought an old fashioned replacement hard drive and a cable instead. Fingers crossed I don't break something.

Robert Proctor @rproctor.bsky.social · 2mo ago

St Bernadette, Annecy, by Maurice Novarina and Claude Fay, 1963-67.

A concrete church with white cylindrical tower (slightly spiralled at the top) and metal cross, body made up of planes of concrete wall staggered slightly with full-height windows between, roof in a V shape projected out on deep doubled timber beams.

Detail of modern church entrance with deep concrete-walled recess and lower projecting wall inside it with rows of small windows in projecting frames, offset with each other to make a regular pattern. Weeds on one edge.

Interior of modern church viewed across the nave; rows of timber pews, raised sanctuary steps to right, timber ceiling supported on doubled timber beams, a series of concrete planes at far end slightly staggered with full-height glazing between them, a plain cross on one section of wall.

View of modern church interior, timber pews on paved floor, concrete wall sections all set at a slight angle and the gaps filled with glazing, timber roof supported by deep doubled timber beams; green garden just visible through the windows.

Robert Proctor @rproctor.bsky.social · 2mo ago

The perfect provincial French mairie doesn't exi ... At least Duingt, near Annecy, has a very cute one, doesn't it.

A little 'mairie' or village hall, a simple but charming box-like two-storey building with tall hipped tiled roof, symmetrical windows (3 above, 2 below surrounding a central door), and attached to the building on the right a small stair tower with pointed roof. Mountain ridge in the background; flower beds and potted flowers in the foreground, with a memorial on the right flanked by French and EU flagpoles.

Robert Proctor @rproctor.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Palais de Justice, Annecy, by Maurice Novarina with Patrice Novarina and others, 1972-8.

Part of a modern movement building, patterned concrete section protruding from glazed facade, all cantilevered over a recessed podium.

Modern movement building, a glass box with outward leaning facades, protruding central concrete elements that lean back slightly, all cantilevered over a recessed podium, on a large expanse of concrete paving.

Modern movement building, a glass box with outward leaning facades, protruding central concrete element that leans back slightly, all cantilevered over a recessed podium, on a large expanse of concrete paving. Lettering, 'Palais de Justice', attached at bottom of central concrete section.

Detail of modern building, glazed facade behind patterned concrete panel, on which letters are attached at the bottom reading 'Palais de Justice'.

Robert Proctor @rproctor.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Modernist Annecy. Lake-frontage apartment blocks.

A curved-plan 4-storey modernist apartment block with sloped fins dividing the building vertically, cars parked diagonally in front of a hedge, blue sky.

A 7-storey concrete apartment block with balconies across flat frontages, and a form that steps back from right to left, lush landscaping around the edges.

A tall modernist apartment block with yellow awnings projecting on one side, smaller rectangular windows in a grid on the other, and panels of beige stone cladding. Blue sky, curved lamp post, a bit of tree.

6-storey apartment building with projecting side wings forming a front courtyard, viewed from under a walkway canopy that leads to the entrance, mauve paving in the courtyard and raised beds with drought-stricken grass on them, yellow awnings projecting from some of the flats, recessed balconies forming a repetitive rhythm on the building, blue-tiled flanking sections to windows.

C20 Society @c20society.bsky.social · 2mo ago

NEWS: Yes, Prime Minister? The RC Church of St Oswald & St Edmund Arrowsmith (J Sydney Brocklesby, 1925-30) in Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, has been upgraded from Grade II to Grade II* by DCMS. The French Romanesque church contains an unrivalled collection of stained glass by artist Harry Clarke.

Roman Catholic Church of St Oswald & St Edmund Arrowsmith, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan - J Sydney Brocklesby, 1925-30.

Image credit: Historic England.

Robert Proctor @rproctor.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Basilican panopticon.

Orange printed sign saying "LA BASILIQUE EST SOUS SURVEILLANCE VIDEO" on a grey and white veined marble pilaster.

Robert Proctor @rproctor.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Well anyway, props to these balconies for not collapsing on me during my dinner.

Old stone balconies on a building with an arcade running under it, the balconies propped up with poles and wrapped with green netting, viewed between orange brasserie umbrellas in the street.

Robert Proctor @rproctor.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Sad to find that FNAC is like WH Smiths now, books and films in a corner of a store full of electro-junk.

Dónal Hassett @donalh.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Ps Bobigny Town Hall has to be one of the most beautiful in the world.

Robert Proctor @rproctor.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Tourist tat fridge magnets are all AI slop now.

A display of colourful fridge magnets representing Annecy.

University of Wales Press @uniwalespress.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Congratulations to @rproctor.bsky.social whose book 'Percy Thomas: Modern Architecture as a National Service' has been shortlisted for the @thesahgb.bsky.social Alice Davis Hitchcock Medallion! Discover more about this fascinating book and read the full shortlist: www.sahgb.org.uk/features/202...

Book cover which features a photo of the Temple of peace in Cardiff.

Matthew Whitfield @matthewwhitfield.bsky.social · 3mo ago

very pleased to be shortlisted for the @thesahgb.bsky.social Alice Davis Hitchcock Medallion in a very strong year for 20th Century architectural history titles, with fantastic books from @alistairfair.bsky.social @holsmith.bsky.social @rproctor.bsky.social & others www.sahgb.org.uk/features/202...

Shortlists revealed for the 2026 Alice Davis Hitchcock Medallion and the Colvin Prize - SAHGB

The shortlists for two of the most important prizes in architectural history – the Alice Davis Hitchcock Medallion and the Colvin Prize – have been revealed.

sahgb.org.uk

Robert Proctor @rproctor.bsky.social · 3mo ago

save-gsa.uk Keeping an eye on this, late though it is; petition setting up shortly, apparently.

Save the Mack

Stop the betrayal of Mackintosh's art school. Act before Wednesday.

save-gsa.uk

Alistair Fair @alistairfair.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Very exciting news that 'Building Modern Scotland' has been shortlisted for the @thesahgb.bsky.social's Alice Davis Hitchcock award alongside excellent titles by @holsmith.bsky.social @matthewwhitfield.bsky.social @rproctor.bsky.social and others! www.sahgb.org.uk/features/202...

A small tortoiseshell cat and a copy of the book 'Building Modern Scotland'

Robert Proctor @rproctor.bsky.social · 3mo ago

The SAHGB Alice Davis Hitchcock Medallion book shortlist has been announced, and I'm delighted to find that my book on Percy Thomas is included, alongside brilliant new books by @alistairfair.bsky.social @holsmith.bsky.social @matthewwhitfield.bsky.social and others. www.sahgb.org.uk/features/202...

Shortlists revealed for the 2026 Alice Davis Hitchcock Medallion and the Colvin Prize - SAHGB

The shortlists for two of the most important prizes in architectural history – the Alice Davis Hitchcock Medallion and the Colvin Prize – have been revealed.

sahgb.org.uk