Wonders and Blunders with Su Butcher

Like many people I didn’t notice my wonder, the Willis Building, the first time I saw it. It is a good example of “stealth design” during the day. It only really comes to life when it is lit up inside at night.

When you visit, the reason for the black glass facade becomes obvious: a grade I-listed Unitarian meeting house next door gazes back at its own reflection across a pedestrian walkway. Good design doesn’t need to shout about itself.

Inside is one of the first offices to consider the social life of inhabitants with an atrium, swimming pool, rooftop restaurant and garden. I have worked near this building for over four years and it is a joy. I love talking to locals about it and they rarely know that the Willis Building is listed, or why.

Of course I now pay the building close attention: on a recent visit I noticed the square black window supports had each been colonised by a tiny spider, living in one of the four Allen key holes, and it had made a perfectly square web between them.

I watched my blunder, the aquatics centre, going up while taking the train out of Liverpool Street. I was very taken with the beautiful lines of its roof then taking shape. So I was much disappointed when, later, the awful temporary stands arrived. It looks like it has been attacked by value engineers. It is such a waste of promise.

It seems to me that the aquatics centre will look its worst when the eyes of the world are upon it during the 2012 Games, and only afterwards will the sinuous form of the elusive first proposals be visible. The centre will be remembered for many years as expensive, overambitious and ultimately a disappointing and unnecessary compromise.

Su Butcher is practice manager at Barefoot & Gilles Architects