In nearly ten years of writing columns for BD I have rarely, if ever, commented on architectural style. It’s not that I don’t have opinions. I just don’t believe everyone should share mine. Architectural principles are important but we can get too tangled in style wars and forget that streets and cities need some diversity. I think today I am as close as I have ever come of my self-imposed rule on commenting directly on another architect’s design.

I have recently seen a steady trickle of planning applications and press reports about building over historic buildings. I am not talking about sensitively employed rooftop extensions. I am talking about a building almost floating over a heritage asset. The most noted recent examples are Marron’s proposal for 80 Broad Street in Birmingham, or Herzog and de Meuron’s proposals for Liverpool Street Station in London.

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