He had a very interesting take on the credit crunch, that it may actually be a blessing in disguise. It’ll stop the building of blinkered, one-use projects in their tracks for a start. It could instead leave room for ’slow architecture’ of more flexible, mixed-use buildings, which develop organically over time, adapting to economic and environmental change as they grow.

For the uninitiated, the Custard Factory is an urban regeneration project in industrial Digbeth on the site of – and you’ll like this – the old Bird’s Custard Factory. While by day it’s home to various Nathan Barley-style “meeja” creative outfits, by night it’s one of the best venues in Britain. When the large pool outside the main club space is drained and full of punters, you can count the amount of venues on one hand that even get close.