The Essay - Architecture: The Fourth R - Culture and Multiculture

Making shelter is a fundamental human activity, so, asks Former President of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Sunand Prasad - why don't we talk about it? The way we build reflects society's values and aspirations - but also its fears. Sunand Prasad takes us on a journey through Architecture, from the India he grew up in, to the Utopian vision of Le Corbusier, from the concrete carbuncles of Post-War Britain, to the design that will combat Climate Change. In this third programme, he assesses the impact of multiculturism on British buildings. As waves of immigrants make their mark on society, Sunand asks, what would a future archaeologist see of their impact on our buildings? He looks at the evolution of architecture as cultures come together; how the spaces around us can promote how we want to live and work; and how, from warehouses to weavers' lofts, the way we use our buildings is constantly adapting, with every social change.