Knightsbridge Barracks
Central London

Height: 94m
Floors: 29
Built: 1970
Architect: Sir Basil Spence

Links:
http://accessibility.english-heritage.org.uk/default.asp?wci=Node&wce=7740&redirected=1


- Knightsbridge Barracks stands on the edge of Hyde Park in Knightsbridge, and is one of the tallest residential buildings in London.





http://www.willfox.com/images/skyscrapers/knightsbridgebarracks/1.jpg



http://www.willfox.com/images/skyscrapers/knightsbridgebarracks/2.jpg



http://www.willfox.com/images/skyscrapers/knightsbridgebarracks/3.jpg



http://www.willfox.com/images/skyscrapers/knightsbridgebarracks/4.jpg



http://www.willfox.com/images/skyscrapers/knightsbridgebarracks/5.jpg



http://www.willfox.com/images/skyscrapers/knightsbridgebarracks/6.jpg



http://www.willfox.com/images/skyscrapers/knightsbridgebarracks/7.jpg

Britains ten worst eyesores BBC. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3266745.stm)

1. Windfarms
2. Birmingham New Street station
3. Oxfordshire's Didcot Power Station.
4. Battersea Power Station
5. Electricity pylons
6. 1960s Basingstoke
7. Motorways
8. Knightsbridge Barracks
9. Edinburgh's St James Shopping Centre
10. M1 service stations


Knightsbridge Barracks - Demolition - Brief Article
New Statesman, August 18, 2003 by AN Wilson

The Household Cavalry daily delight visitors and Londoners alike with their fine horsemanship and beautiful, Teutonic uniforms. They deserve a barracks of Schinkel--like austerity and grandeur. Instead, they and every sighted individual who traverses Kensington Gore have to put up with Basil Spence's true monstrosity of a barracks. London has the least considered, and most obtrusive, collection of sub-modernist buildings of any capital city in the world, but the Knightsbridge Barracks is one of the ugliest. It is a terrible eyesore, spoiling not only that corner of Knightsbridge, but any walk across the park which inadvertently takes it into view. A prime case for demolition.

I queit like it. Although I wouldn't build another one thats for sure. Looks like a monster in those pics, particularly number 6.

it might be inconspicous and forgetable stuck in the middle of a huge cluster of skyscrapers but stuck on its own on the edge of Hyde Park required something beautiful or hidden.... and err this is neither

It's quite hideous really, especially the top bit :sleepy:

5/10

7/10

5/10 ugly.

6/10 .. probably even less.

It's not that bad, with a quality reclad it could actually look quite decent.

I like it. Think it looks much better in person. 7/10

:runaway:

4/10

The top is different, but i think two things spoil it..

1 - its made out of concrete
2 - it looks like its just been slapped on top of another mundane yet as equally vile council block...

I think if it had been built in these times, with better materials, a bit of tapering to the tower it could be a nice design shape-wise.

But... i give it 2

Hideous especially considering its location- one of the most inappropriate locations for a tower next to Hyde part & in knightsbridge. Towers like this put back skyscraper development in London back years. No wonder people didn't want tall buildings when stuff like this was built .

The sad thing about Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens is that it had to put up with this and that hideous circular casino builing on one side, the Hilton at Park Lane, another god awful hotel at the High-Street Kensginton end!

H8 it. Knock it down!

3/10

Hate its location, look, height and ereythin else about it. 1

I heard on the radio that the MoD were going to sell off their Chelsea barracks, for some reason I assumed it was this building and I leapt with joy then they mentioned it was at a prime location next to the Thames and my heart sank once more.

Yeah well done to the architect for depressing an entire nation with this one!

This is such a terrible building! A classic NYC scraper, a small chrysler, or something with some classic style would have been awesome.... but no, we get some huge pile of steaming turd.

Also why is Parklane so crap, the whole street should be a showcase of the finest hotels anywhere... push that motorway underground and reconnect the westend tp hyde park, and rebuild the parklane mansions...

Finally, why does London fail to have that classic british pedestrianised shopping feel? Haven't been out of london for a while, headed to Northampton, and Leicester (not spectacles) but they had a centre that was much more lively than the fume filled car choked straight roads of many of London's finest shopping areas...

Sorry for the rant!

This is such a terrible building! A classic NYC scraper, a small chrysler, or something with some classic style would have been awesome.... but no, we get some huge pile of steaming turd.

Also why is Parklane so crap, the whole street should be a showcase of the finest hotels anywhere... push that motorway underground and reconnect the westend tp hyde park, and rebuild the parklane mansions...

Finally, why does London fail to have that classic british pedestrianised shopping feel? Haven't been out of london for a while, headed to Northampton, and Leicester (not spectacles) but they had a centre that was much more lively than the fume filled car choked straight roads of many of London's finest shopping areas...

Sorry for the rant!


I agree with what you say about parklane

But London has Covent garden and a few other places like that....so its not totaly devoid of good pedestrianised shopping areas

6/10

Truly horrid, but probably fantastic views from inside

2/10

6/10

I think this could look pretty awesome if it was reclad in glass but with the concrete verticals kept (and painted) The roof would be a perfect location for a restaurant addition too.

Lots of scaffolding up around this one, anyone know what's going on?

Lots of scaffolding up around this one, anyone know what's going on?

Probably part of some MoD refurbishment using the money they received from the selling of Chelsea Barracks.

The idea was too use the money from the sale of Chelsea Barracks to invest in the barracks at Knightsbridge, Wellington Barracks on Birdcage Walk, Woolwich Barracks, Hounslow Barracks, Regents Park (Albany Street) Barracks and RAF Northolt. Part of the MOD project is called MoDEL which involves centralising a lot of services around Northolt.

Other sites were also sold such as the MoD Postal Service site at Mill Hill, RAF Bentley Priory, Ruislip Barracks, RAF Uxbridge, the Cavalry Barracks at St John's Wood (leased) etc

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_MoDEL

As for Hyde Park (Knightsbridge) Barracks it was designed by Sir John Spence, who designed Coventry Cathedral etc, so I have little doubt that the 20th Century Society and other such tossers will be pushing to have this eventually listed. Personally I am not a fan of this or it's location in relation to Hyde Park.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyde_Park_Barracks,_London


:)

Kill it with fire.

I lived in this tower for 14 years and loved it. Was so well built, never heard any noise from neighbours, felt safe as it had 2 stairwells, and the views were amazing.
Sir Basil Spence designed it to look strong as in the armoured part of the Household Cavalry. I do agree it probably isn't the best site for a building such as this (by Hyde Park) but I love it and still do.

So what will it look like when it's refurbished? is it just a clean.