The Ogre that Ate Ugly Buildings

Thirty odd years ago my five year old son had thrown at me the phrase: they’re trying too hard. It was in reply to my question: what do you think of that building? I realized then that kids, even at that age, have opinions about the built environment. That’s how long the idea of a book of Architecture Fables for Children has incubated in my head. For three decades! But most of it was written in the two last years and re-written, at leisure, during the pandemic.

The Fables address the gamut of what constitutes our discipline. Architectural Practice, Academia, Conservation and Construction. There is a mixed bag of protagonists (and antagonists) that populate the fables. Two ogres, a spider, bat, lizard, strays, owls, crows and other birds intermingle with, and often confront, humans. More often than not humans come away looking foolish and inadequate!

The Fables are a critique of the status quo of architecture; they are addressed at older children (12+), most of whom know very little about the discipline. The Fables have a large canvas that transcends the immediacy of the nuts and bolts of the profession. They address societal issues, like all fables must. Especially the hubris that sadly seems to play a pivotal role in our lives. It seemed to me appropriate to learn from the non-human inhabitants of our planet. Real and imaginary.

The Fables attempt to debunk it all

— Edgar Demello, Architect