SIR - The building in Jewry Street next to the library is nearing completion.

It may well have a pleasing façade, but it will not have an inspiring design to it.

It will be ordinary and uninspiring unlike the library. The same is true of the new flats in Worthy Road at the top of Hyde.

The reason as with so much of modern architecture is the materials used.

It uses internally a rolled steel joist which is a long length of steel which can be attached to other RS joints to make a hollow cube, and then floors and walls are hung from this.

This has the advantage in that much of the building is made off site, and then can be assembled, rather than built.

This means the architect's scope for design is limited. He has to stick to a cube.

Before, when you had to put one brick on top of another the architect could put design into the building, and put in curves and different-shaped windows, and arches.

It could also be proportioned well like the wonderful buildings in Kingsgate Street.

We can blame architects for this but really they reflect us, they are keen to use all the latest tools, and technology.

But technology has become our master not our servant.

It would be more valuable if the Royal Institute of British Architects had promoted a public debate about this, but I fear they are an apathetic professional body like so many others.

Rupert Pitt, Park Road, Winchester.