‘Planners need the confidence to say no sometimes’

Ken Shuttleworth used to work at Foster + Partners before setting up on his own – as Make Architects – in 2004. He has worked in collaboration with a number of practices including both HKR and Gehl. He is also doing a project with Anthony Reddy and Partners. He is part of an advisory panel headed up by Dick Gleeson Dublin city planner. “Planners need the confidence to say ‘no’ sometimes. Some things are just not appropriate,” says Shuttleworth. “Some cities grow over many decades and develop the confidence to say what they want. Dublin spent so many years in the doldrums that it was pleased to get anything – parts of the UK are the same – but you can make sure there are checks and balances in place.” Shuttleworth is of the school that believes high rise should be in clusters with the Docklands being an obvious location (and where his former employer’s U2 Tower is due to be built).

The Irish Times