In 1941 as in 1666 catastrophe is British architecture's opportunity.
When congested, slum-ridden London was leveled by the Great Fire, Britain's greatest architect, Sir Christopher Wren, urged his Government to rebuild it better. But, like many a would-be city planner, Architect Wren ran smack into public apathy. The Wren Plan was dropped and London was rebuilt as slummily as before. Wrote Wren's son later:
"The Practicability of the whole Scheme . . . was at that time demonstrated, and all material objections fully weighed and answered. The only, as it happened, insurmountable difficulty remaining, was the obstinate averseness of [a] great part of...
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