Seven Seconds…….

There is a saying it takes only 7 seconds to make a first impression. This is a very short period of time and considering there is not much you can say or do in this time the assumption must be mostly an aesthetic one. This led me to think about how many times we judge and are judged in a single day.

Wanting to consider the impact of first impressions further I compared and contrasted different examples of architecture and fashion.

Primark Princess & Middlesbrough Aldi.

Now and again you can find a beauty but most of the time you can not hide the fact that this look is just cheap. Adding a diamanté or a curved element does not disguise the fact that this has been created at minimal cost.

Vintage Classic & Cologne Cathedral

Beautifully hand crafted and oozing with sophistication. These one off pieces took time to make and you can tell. They get better with age and never fail to take your breath away.

Eco warrior & BedZED

Congratulations. There was no child labour or melting of ice caps in this creation. Your conscience is clean. Problem is, to be honest, it just does not look good. A lot of the time style seems to be sacrificed when designing in a sustainable manner.

The Topman & the Kingsgate building

This looks good…..but I have seen it all before and it there seems to be clones popping up all over the place. The look just seems to be lacking in passion and soul.

The Fashionista & London Aquatic centre.

Designers at the top of their game, where money is not an issue and the pieces are instantly iconic. Constantly pushing boundaries of what is possible and creating pieces that are nothing short of impressive.

With the nature of opinion based information you may not agree with my impressions of these examples but if we all agreed life would be nothing but dull. Our landscape seems to be full of different styles and that’s what makes it so beautiful. This brings me to my first idea!