Vernon Bogdanor would have us believe that the Prince of Wales’s “controversial” meddling in public policy is a good thing. But Prince Charles’s interventions and lobbying activities demean our democracy – and have deprived the public realm of great architecture.
Mariinsky-2, the new theatre in St Petersburg’s renowned artistic complex, opened to fanfares of national pride and triumph. Many locals are not so sure. Was it worth it and what is the end result?
A disastrous fire in the 18th century Lyadiny ensemble has resulted in the destruction of one of the two churches and the belltower. Wooden churches are very vulnerable, but all too often the situation is compounded by neglect and indifference, says Matilda Moreton
Disillusioned by the failure of the post-Orange Revolution coalition, Ukrainian civil society has so far appeared unable to resist the Yanukovych regime’s regression into authoritarianism. But starting with a burgeoning conservation movement, is Ukraine now following in Russia’s footsteps, asks Ye
When Sergei Sobyanin was appointed Mayor of Moscow in October last year, many residents had come to loathe his predecessor Yuri Luzhkov’s ability to trade historic architecture for nepotistic building contracts. Sobyanin’s early talk on architectural preservation was tough, reports Clementine Ceci
