Letter: A design disaster

Sir: It is clear that those who most praise 'eminent' modern architects such as Jacobsen and Stirling (letter, 8 April) have never had to live in buildings designed by them.

I had the misfortune to live in Stirling's Florey building in Oxford for a year. It was an exceptionally badly designed building, particularly as a student residence: neither visual nor aural privacy was possible. As with many of these modern buildings, it did not keep the rain out, and it overheated in summer. It was also very ugly.

I suspect that one of the major reasons for this design incompetence is that many of these architects have usurped the engineering role in structural design, without sufficient knowledge, and without caring to acquire it.

Your faithfully,

STEPHEN R. GOULD

London, SW5