Scandinavians know how important light surfaces are in gloomy climates. Think of the white and gold of Russian churches, the Winter Palace or the pale blue or yellow of so many 19th Century Swedish villas.
But in Britain we are so wedded to brickwork that we often forget other building materials. And architects are keen to draw the artists impression for a summers day but they forget to check how it will look in the gloom.
On the far left of this image you can see Petersfield's funky 70's Barclay's Bank with it's white rendered and concrete surfaces. It would probably never get planning these days. But I must say I think it's a fine bit of urban intervention. And it's wearing remarkably well.
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