On Sep 4, 3:12*pm, "michael adams" wrote:
"Bruce" wrote in messagenews:0po2a5hvf7khhpt43lduednf0fek6im8km@4ax .com...
On Fri, 4 Sep 2009 16:18:10 +0100, "michael adams"
wrote:

The Victoria Embankment is faced entirely in grey granite. Both the
embankment itself and most of the buildings facing.

Even without the benefit of eyesight even a blind man could feel
the difference between granite and stucco.

Given the very poor resolution of the Google image, and the fact that
my arms are not quite long enough to stretch from Buckinghamshire to
the Victoria Embankment to "feel the difference", I'll have to take
your word for it.

But anyone with good observation will know that there are a great many
buildings in London with stucco finishes which copy that style of
masonry. *The whole idea of stucco - as practised very widely in
London - was to provide the appearance of fine masonry without the
attendant high cost.

That's correct. Especially in areas such as Pimlico (Cubbit) and Regents
Park (Nash).

And all painted sparkling white.

IMHO Nash's work has certain elegance. Unfortunately they have been
problems with some of his structures. The International Student's
House owned a Nash terrace close to Regents Park. ISH had the inside
rebuilt as accommodation, leaving only the original facade. This
would be in about 1972, 73.

During a conversation with one of the ISH principles I was told that
the reconstruction had been problematic. The lady’s exact words were
"Nash did not believe in foundations". I assume that she
exaggerated. :-)