Dear Luis Fernández-Galiano,

By way of wishing you a happy New Year, I simply wanted to express how much I appreciate your faithful contribution to architectural culture world-wide and particularly to Spain, so much so that one has the feeling that your documentation of the constant prowess of Spanish architecture is somehow inseparable from your constant and faithful editorial activity. It is surely clear that AV and Arquitectura Viva, backed up (one might surely concede) by El Croquis, is the only accomplished representation of architectural culture throughout Europe, wherein it totally matches the continuity, precision, and vivacity of Spanish architecture.

It is somehow inexplicable that the constancy and energy of Spanish architectural culture cannot really be found anywhere else in the entirety of the European continent, which surely says a lot about the decentralized maturity of Spanish culture and society in general. Where else can one find in Europe the sheer brilliance to design social housing of an unmatched elegance and generosity? Certainly there is no trace in Britain of a comparable capacity in the society, nor in the profession, to imagine and carry through social housing of this quality. Of course, one realizes that this is not the whole story of the post-Franco Spanish achievement. How can one even begin to acknowledge this fully? Certainly not by David Cohn’s disappointing book dedicated to Spain! Eh bien, as Le C was in the habit of saying.

Best for 2025, Kenneth.

The architect, critic, and historian Kenneth Frampton, who turned 94 last 20 November, has been living in London since 2023, the year he retired from Columbia University after teaching there for over half a century. Born and educated in Great Britain, he is the author of essential works, including Modern Architecture: A Critical History and Studies in Tectonic Culture.