London skyline to change radically by 2012

[London_Calling]

Tbf, the Eiffel Tower is a sack of shite, almost without a redeeming quality - it's like an electricity pylon.

 

[untethered]

Statement from the Protest against the Tower of Monsieur Eiffel, 1887

There's a difference between being opposed to the occasional bold experiment or even all development, and being able to spot when greedy developers are seeking to fill the city with third-rate junk.

It's easy to be wise in retrospect but I very much doubt whether any of these new buildings will be considered to be tomorrow's design classics.

 

[Guineveretoo]

For me it's about scale, about views, and the low rise tradition - corporate cock waving belongs in Docklands or elsewhere.

If they can afford London, they can afford two sensible sized towers.

So, what should we do about the people who need somewhere to live and work? Just spread out some more, and take in more of our "green and pleasant land"? I think I would rather we went up, although I don't really want us to get into the idea of huge towerblocks like in the States.

 

[Guineveretoo]

Tbf, the Eiffel Tower is a sack of shite, almost without a redeeming quality - it's like an electricity pylon.

Exactly. Crystal Palace park has two Eiffel Towers, in fact

 

[untethered]

So, in order to be harmonious, which of the many architectural styles already in London, do you think should be adopted? Should we demolish all buildings not in that style?

That's my point, really - there are buildings in the centre of London going back centuries, and ever since, all in the architectural style of the time.

I don't advocate any one particular style, but I think new buildings should be stylistically sober and modest in scale so as to fit in with their neighbours.

From a planning perspective I really don't see how we can justify or even support increased office capacity in central London. It's time to start dispersing more of these activities outwards. That means building up the suburbs, but not erecting 40-storey glass pinnacles in the centre of Richmond.

 

[London_Calling]

So, what should we do about the people who need somewhere to live and work? Just spread out some more, and take in more of our "green and pleasant land"? I think I would rather we went up, although I don't really want us to get into the idea of huge towerblocks like in the States.

It's like the preoccupation with 'national growth' or the argument we need more immigrants so their children will - in 20-30 years time - pay our pensions: Where does it all stop what is the logical conclusion of all this? Who pays the pensions of the immigrants further down the road?

It doesn't take very long to realise it's a barking mad mindset - we really need to get off the merry-go-round before it's too late.

 

[untethered]

So, what should we do about the people who need somewhere to live and work? Just spread out some more, and take in more of our "green and pleasant land"? I think I would rather we went up, although I don't really want us to get into the idea of huge towerblocks like in the States.

The outer London boroughs are around half the density of inner London. There's plenty of scope for intensifying them without building on the green belt or relocating outside London.

 

[skyscraper101]

Looks like the 'Walkie Talkie' is back on...

http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/...el-violys-walkie-talkie-tower/5213537.article

Britain’s largest developer, Land Securities, is understood to have pressed the go button on its mothballed Walkie Talkie tower – the clearest signal yet of returning confidence among the property big hitters

Sources said Land Securities had been active on the 155m-tall Fenchurch Street project in the City of London, designed by Rafael Viñoly, which has been on the drawing board since 2005.

 

[Crispy]

Oh christ I hate that design

Why why why must this go ahead when 122 Leadenhall (the cheesegrater) remains on hold

 

[ovaltina]

Oh christ I hate that design

It's fugly innit

 

[IMR]

Can't stand those kind of buildings and don't understand the enthusiasm that some have for them. Great, more big glass-covered office blocks with branches of Thomas Pink and Yo Sushi clustered around them, London is so short of that kind of thing.

Let them 'enhance' somewhere else, some fifty-year-old city with lots to prove.

 

[samk]

It's like the preoccupation with 'national growth' or the argument we need more immigrants so their children will - in 20-30 years time - pay our pensions: Where does it all stop what is the logical conclusion of all this?

Build a replica of the london streetplan in the scottishhighlands, and another leicester on salisbury plain. The topography won't quite match, but I'm sure augmented reality goggles and peaceful use of h bombs can sort that adequately. Assigning land title and funding building could be done in many ways, all of which will drive most of the people in britain mad, but this still seems the most sensible plan

 

[bromley]

I'm a big fan of modern (post-Brutalist?!) Sky Scrappers. Personally I think the walkie talky is a great shape, superior to the Heron Tower, but I have an issue with the width of it, it just looks too big and clumsy. The Helter Skelter looks fantastic and I can architects in 100 years time admiring the vintage early 21st century glasswork!

As long as architects realise the responsibility of building within the city and the standards remain high with sight lines and the actual need for the building to be there being high on the agenda then I don't see a problem.

 

[gamma globulins]

Does anyone know when the last large ('skyline-level') modern building in London was demolished? I'm curious as to how long these things are expected to last?

 

[Crispy]

The site for the 'walkie-talkie' used to have a pretty tall building on it

This one near London Bridge is about to come down

 

[gamma globulins]

That's interesting. So do these new developments also have a <60ish year lifespan? And how easy is it to demolish something bigger than canary wharf without damaging surrounding buildings? Or is it a case of "the technology will be better then/that's someone else's problem"?

 

[Crispy]

The lifespan is indeterminate. They don't knock them down because they're old/broken (although sometimes buildings become damaged or have structural flaws), but when they're not profitable. There are skyscrapers in Chicago and New York that are over 100 years old and are still profitable today.

The property market in The City changes all the time, so that floorplates in 60s buildings are no longer attractive to tennants and the rent crashes. Knocking the building down and building something that matches the market in terms of floor size, facilites etc. is often a sound economic prospect. In other parts of London or the country, the market pressures are much less so buildings last longer.

 

[JDM]

corporate cock waving

That's the phrase I was looking for!

 

[editor]

Here's the Heron Tower, near Liverpool Street.

http://www.urban75.org/blog/heron-tower-skyscraper-110-bishopsgate-london/

 

[Crispy]

Still got the construction hoist bolted to the side. Should look sleeker when it's gone

 

[editor]

Still got the construction hoist bolted to the side. Should look sleeker when it's gone

I rather like it but it wasn't as tall as I expected.

 

[bromley]

Could someone please upload a photo from Nunhead station? That's the best public viewing spot on the London skyline that I know of, does anyone know of a better one?

 

[kyser_soze]

Yeah, Dawson's Hill in East Dulwich, on Dunstan's Road. There's a completely uninterruped view from Battersea to Canary Wharf.

 

[editor]

Could someone please upload a photo from Nunhead station? That's the best public viewing spot on the London skyline that I know of, does anyone know of a better one?

From One Tree Hill near Nunhead:

 

[Crispy]

It's all the same hill along there anyway

 

[kyser_soze]

Dawons' Hill, One Tree Hill...do you think the producers of two US teen tellyshows were ever hanging around SE London?

 

[bromley]

From One Tree Hill near Nunhead:

Cheers! Shame about the weather though! That will look very good next summer when the skyline chances further, perhaps with the pinnacle rising up and the Shard at full height.

 

[ska invita]

not into skyscrapers - all just a load of corporate erections - bankers should have to work underground - i liked living on the 8th floor though