http://train4tradeskills.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/admiral-hq-cardiff.jpg

Latest

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i216/neilfromroath/AdmiralB1.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i216/neilfromroath/AdmiralB2.jpg

Not looking that great really IMO. It doesnt have much gravitas in terms of design and maybe if the enhanced the top section of the building it might make it look a little less 70's in design (reminds me alot of capitol towers dumpy friend).

was told today that this is starting soon, can't find anything on the internet at all about it. anyone know anything about it, latest pictures would also be useful

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4eWLOrBxS3M/TfEIUo9OgpI/AAAAAAAANwo/nTPqGLnn1aE/s1600/12052011010.JPG

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ITi_z56xn0U/TfEJLmNmhbI/AAAAAAAANws/8_tOmrA2HY4/s1600/12052011009.JPG

Hmmm that model makes it look like it'll be an old 60's building :?

its not the best that is for sure, but it will give some impetus towards that part of town, linking up the cluster around Newport Road / Churchill Way with Bute Terrace (albeit in the loosest sense)

Certainly seems to dominate the area. External materials will be key

Doesnt look good in the model, what strikes me about the design is it apears to be two towers seperated by an atrium/stairwell. Why not just stick the towers on top of each other, creat something more landmark and provide a larger public square to apreaciate the building and show off the company?

It'll be pretty dark in the job centre and traders tavern. Although its usually dark in there anyway.

Hopefully this may indirectly lead to a sprucing up of Charles St - its looking a bit shabby these days and i wish someone would purchase that steel frame and finish - Ditto the one in the Bay.

its not the best that is for sure, but it will give some impetus towards that part of town, linking up the cluster around Newport Road / Churchill Way with Bute Terrace (albeit in the loosest sense) http://www.frou.info/g.php

wow - word for word exactly what I typed. imagine that

:banana:

Doesnt look good in the model, what strikes me about the design is it apears to be two towers seperated by an atrium/stairwell. Why not just stick the towers on top of each other, creat something more landmark and provide a larger public square to apreaciate the building and show off the company?

I think there are two very interrelated reasons why they did not go for a taller building: cost and practicality.

First, it just costs more to build up than out: you need stronger structural elements, have to think more about wind, etc. Second, it also tends to lead to less efficient use of a given floor space. Given people like to have toilets on every floor, and meeting rooms on every floor, you probably end up with less core office space for a given overall internal area. You might need extra lifts (because they have further to travel and therefore take longer). It might also be harder to organise teams particularly when you have quite a lot of people doing the same job (answering phones). So it just makes sense for them to try to get a building with fewer larger footplate floors. And its not the kind of business where statement buildings make a difference to customers: customers don't visit the offices.

Furthermore, I'm not sure a taller, more slender building, would actually work better in this context. I happen to quite like the design: very strong on the verticals. Its got a chunky feel you get in large scale London office buildings. If only we could get a few more like it instead of a lot of 30 - 50k square feet buildings. The proposed 230k building in Central Square might be similar.

Cambo Dai

You are right there is a certain height (which i forget - probably the height of this and all the others we have of similar scale) where the size/cost of the foundations, the size of the central service core, plant required, such as lifts and water pumps etc all start to increase rapidly. In Cardiff where there is quite a lot of spare space and land is not that expensive, it does not make economic sense.

I like it. Much depends on the materials of course but I think it has a really strong look, plenty of glazing, I like the double storey height colonnade and I think it fills the space well without being too overbearing. It also doesn't look as though it has masses of render (or any at all) which tends to go off colour and look crap after a while (see Altolusso, the Aspect etc).

What is round there is almost universally crap however. Rapports buildings are desperate for redevelopment, the Job centre building would look unambitious in the centre of Blackwood, the CIA is a god awful mound of brown brick lumpeness and the Park Inn, formerly Jury's, is one of the worst buildings in Cardiff. SD2 east side is none too pretty either especially the wire mesh car park that only looks good at night when the lights are flashing.

I like it. Much depends on the materials of course but I think it has a really strong look, plenty of glazing, I like the double storey height colonnade and I think it fills the space well without being too overbearing. It also doesn't look as though it has masses of render (or any at all) which tends to go off colour and look crap after a while (see Altolusso, the Aspect etc).

What is round there is almost universally crap however. Rapports buildings are desperate for redevelopment, the Job centre building would look unambitious in the centre of Blackwood, the CIA is a god awful mound of brown brick lumpeness and the Park Inn, formerly Jury's, is one of the worst buildings in Cardiff. SD2 east side is none too pretty either especially the wire mesh car park that only looks good at night when the lights are flashing.


You forgot cineworld which some find interesting but I think is shit

Cineworld is different, i wouldnt call it shit.

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6150/6022804025_ac22237d34_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/21732688@N03/6022804025/)
P8059508 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/21732688@N03/6022804025/) by stephenanstiss (http://www.flickr.com/people/21732688@N03/), on Flickr

I don't mind cineworld or the car park both break up a bit of monotony. Although I do agree that everything else there is crap.

I dont think there will be much render - it sounds and looks like it'll be quite a lot of glazing on the North and South sides while the other two will have off white reconstituted stone cladding panels similar to Eversheds.

In fact - the colonnade and materials may mean this is like a tall fat version of Eversheds, kind of

There's a bit of info on the architects website and if you click along the numbers you see how it will tower over Charles street.

http://www.glennhowells.co.uk/content/commercial/417

In my experience with architects they often stick with similar designs & materials & looking at Glen Howells's website, they are no different.

Eleven Brindley place in Birmingham looks similar to this building from some angles (although admiral's doesn't curve). I think it will be similar to the North & South (more glazed) facades. Brindley place even has a little colonnade section as well.

Here are some images and a link to the SSC project page with some completed images.

http://www.glennhowells.co.uk/content/commercial/38

http://*************************/images/jpgs/birmingham/brindleyplace_gha1106.jpg

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=400291&page=45

I think we'll be pleased with it.

http://*************************/images/jpgs/birmingham/brindleyplace_gha1106.jpg

Don't know what's wrong with that Url - but if you google 11 Brindley place and click on images - the first image shows how similar these may be.

ok fair enough at night lit up like that alongside the car park it looks interesting and a bit piccadilly circus, which lets face it Cardiff could do with a bit more interesting night scenes

Can't they build something taller, say 20 upwards . The city needs more height

Hoarding going around the grass space between Motorpoint Arena and Charles St ........ thats the site i believe. Any news anyone?

Work is starting, should be a shock for those who like to use the grassy area.

Just by way of update there is now a big hole in the ground and a number of pile drivers are on site. Probably a couple of months before there is anything above ground.

Just by way of update there is now a big hole in the ground and a number of pile drivers are on site. Probably a couple of months before there is anything above ground.

I hear there are two floors below ground and then 12 above ......

I'm pretty sure it's more like 15 floors above ground..Or the equivalent of 15 floors anyway.