The Millennium Dome, 52 metres of weather-resistant plastic tent designed to last 25 years, was that hardest thing to create: an instant icon, one of the buildings of the millennium moment in this country and beyond. At the opening of this venue, the Queen was obliged to sing and hold hands, over which James Bond raced in The World is Not Enough and where, it must be said, it contained the most painfully awful and over-sponsored tat.

The memory of my own visit, including the trite “Faith” and “Journey” sections, the latter funded by Ford Motor Company, stands out as a particular low. The building’s concept and delivery were stunning: it was actually built under budget, but the visitors did not flock as intended and the two year-long operation cost the National Lottery a toothsome £603m, £200m over budget. It was subsequently corporately rebranded as the O2 Centre.

Rogers’ buildings are treated with reverence. Historic England, which struggles to protect increasingly rare early twentieth century traditional buildings, is listing his oeuvre already and will, no doubt, continue. They are, in official parlance, ‘significant.’ But, while Rogers’ buildings remain his most discussed contribution to modernity, I hope the most influential will turn out to be his advocacy of traditional urbanism. He was chair of the critical 1999 Urban Task Force which first made the important case for re-investing in the liveability of city centres. I like to think that his own Anglo-Italian heritage, his youthful experience of some of the world’s most delightful, and — yes, pretty — cities helped him make the case so powerfully. Even one of Rogers’ sternest critics, the classical architectural historian, David Watkin, recognised the value of his argument.

The ‘urban renaissance’ which he helped create has led to many important improvements in cities like London and Manchester. Evolved into a more melodious argument for beautiful gentle density, which most British people find more homely, his work may continue to improve our town centres, to help us ‘level up’ and to influence patterns for future development. I hope so.

Lords Rogers famously won permission to gut his home, a grand Grade II listed Georgian house in Chelsea, and fill it with a triple height void. Amazing? Certainly. But even sympathetic visitors report finding it ‘intimidating.’ The problem with building to shock is that people are shocked. The problem with building for the moment is that the moment passes. Who would now consider creating a cultural centre with the heating apparatus on the outside? Sustainable it is not.

And I wonder if the jury of the Stirling Prize will ever again award their laurels to an airport. The Urban Task Force concluded that, ‘how we live our lives is shaped by where we live our lives.’ It was right. And, in my experience, most people care more about where they are than in which decade they are living.

Nicholas Boys Smith is the Director of Create Streets