is the city doing enough to protect its architecural heritage for the future, Has it learned the mistakes of the sixities ? or is it making them all over again

The Civic Society, Victorian Socitey, Georgian Society and 20c Society along with other architectural and cultural pressure groups, seem to think the council is failing in its duties ?

What do you think ?

Should the post and mail building have been demolished when there is so much development land around and much worse buildings that could have been demolished and replaced, what of many other areas, redevelopments in edgbaston/paradise circus

Im glad Post and Mail is going, and I actually think, Birmingham is one of the best cities in the UK for architecture. Modern and Old.

gee whizz that's such a tough question for a poll...mmm.... :wink2:

ha ha! I think what brum2003 is getting at is - should be be conservative in our approach to redevelopment and retain what we currently think of as eyesores, or do we pull em down and build build build and run the risk of being decried in much the same way as we criticise those who set birmingham in ultra-modern forward looking concrete back in the '60s.

Essentially, do we know better now, or is that what the planners and architects said back then too?

EDIT: I seem to be repeating what brum2003 said in his opening post - that'll learn me for not reading all the way down!

ha ha! I think what brum2003 is getting at is - should be be conservative in our approach to redevelopment and retain what we currently think of as eyesores, or do we pull em down and build build build and run the risk of being decried in much the same way as we criticise those who set birmingham in ultra-modern forward looking concrete back in the '60s.

Essentially, do we know better now, or is that what the planners and architects said back then too?

EDIT: I seem to be repeating what brum2003 said in his opening post - that'll learn me for not reading all the way down!

bless you put it much more succintly......but thats the point, and there seems to be a large consesnus building we are again getting rid of some gems from the past, and in some cases not building to the highest standard to replace them....

am all for new stuff, case in point, they seem to be demolishing the old bonded warehouse at cape hill, regenration is much needed here, but at what cost, a 150 year old building demolished for a row of cottage style barrat homes ? surely a compromise coudl be reached ??

a big critism of bimringham by outsiders is the suburbs all look the same, could this be why ? unsensitive redevelopments and thoughtless planning

I hate BCC

Don't agree that all the suburbs look the same. I can feel a definate change in most suburbs, be they greener, more built up, posher, more dangerous etc etc ...all the same? No way.

I dont honestly think that there is any one way you can get the right balance.

why do you demolish a building???
* the existing building has outlived its life
* building no longer serves its needs
* building is now uneconomical

Why conserve a building
* architectural merits
* historical values
* landmark status

however, as you can see, most of the reason you conserve something can not be told often until its too late and in todays world, money makes the world go round. although it was disgusting some of the buildings that were torn down in the 60's, how did they know any better. victorina architecture was out of fashion and modernism provaled. a similar example no was the demolition of the old bullring....anway miss it? anyone want it saved??????? No, becasue currently it didnt have any value.......40 years down the line however, we moght be kicking our selves asking why did we do it????? imagine, in 50 years time, people may be asking the council to blow up HCT!!!!!!!!!

I thinks its about opnion and time. Who knows how people will view developments in 20 years time, Selfridges could be seen as a icon for the city or a monstrosity. There are alot of people that don't like No 1 Colmore Square but i really like it.

Yeah I agree. What is considered an architectural gem is really subjective.

But it's just stupid that they replace old landmarks with shorter, bland, unimpressive buildings.

went to the pevsner guide talk, the guy was bemoaning the fact that the post and mail tower complex was one of the few pieces of very good sixties architecture in brum and is being demolished.....oh well, on with the show x

City landmarks are crumbling
Jan 25 2007
By David Harry

Heritage campaigners have warned that Birmingham's most historic buildings are at risk, as they revealed a £1 billion backlog of repairs.

City landmarks including Curzon Street Station, the Gas Retort House in Gas Street and the Grand Hotel on Colmore Row are among the buildings English Heritage has put under the spotlight in its latest campaign.

Other well-known buildings, such as Weoley Castle and the Hockley site of the former family business Evans and Sons, are also on the campaign group's 'at risk' register.

West Midlands business manager at English Heritage Ken Taylor, said Weoley Castle, a moated medieval manor house which was cited in the Doomsday Book, requires the most urgent attention.

He said: "The fabric of the structure is being undermined due to the effects of vandalism and natural degradation."

He also said the building, which has survived for over 700 years, was desperately in need of funds for repair works.

The campaign group also highlighted the plight of Curzon Street station, which has remained vacant in recent years after several attempts by the city council to find a suitable tenant.

The building, which stands opposite Millennium Point, was the original terminus of the London and Birmingham railway.

"After rising costs in maintaining the building, originally erected in 1832, it is a struggle to find a suitable use," said Mr Taylor.

The remnants of 54-57 Albion Street, Hockley, the former works of silverware company Evans and Sons for 150 years, has also been put on the 'at risk' register.

Mr Taylor said: "It is one of the finest examples of a 19th Century manufacturing premises in the internationally important Jewellery Quarter.

"But its condition is poor."

English Heritage also claim the Gas Retort House – which supplied Birmingham's first gas street lighting – has only remained intact because vital repairs have been carried out.

However, the building needs urgent funding to ensure it has a new lease of life, Mr Taylor said.

The £1 billion repairs backlog has been revealed by Britain’s leading heritage organisations, which also include Heritage Link, National Trust, Historic Houses Association and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The figures are contained in a report, Valuing our Heritage, which details the challenges facing owners and guardians of the country’s historic sites, buildings, places and gardens.

The report also reveals spending on heritage in England is less than in other European countries including Germany, Italy, Portugal, Norway, Spain and the Netherlands.

The groups are now calling on the Government to halt the decline of the country's historic buildings. They also want a simpler and faster heritage protection system and backing for a campaign to get more people involved with the historic environment.

Appealing to Ministers ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review later in the year, Anthea Case, chairman of Heritage Link, said: "Moreover, our heritage regularly tops the list of reasons why tourists visit Britain, supporting a tourist industry which contributes £75 billion to the economy each year.

"The enormous input from people from all walks of life, volunteers, young and old shows how passionately people care about our heritage but maintaining these assets requires even greater attention and investment.

"The report seeks to remind Ministers of the economic, social and educational benefits of maintaining the built heritage and sets out ways in which Government can make a difference."...

I thought the Retort House had had a tart up!

I take it from that that it was just a sticky plaster?!?

Well as soon as they get a friggin' move on with Eastside Cuzon Street will be worth a fortune, so not too worried about that.

Can't believe that poor old little Wheellllie Castle has been Vandalised, it's so defenceless!

Ironic, isn't it? :lol:

I don't agree with inference of the Question... yes we should value our heritage however that doesn't mean the demolition of 50s, 60s & 70s buildings is repeating the mistakes of the past.

It's not hard really, knock down the bad buildings, say the Consevratory, but keep the good, the Library and the Natwest tower.

Darn!

Oh, a better example would be the New Street Signal box, which I think looks great after the clean. I hope that'll stay no matter what they do to the rest of the disaster that is BNS.

I think the Library is high quality.

I don't.

Simply dosn't work as a building. In the same way as the old Bull Ring didn't.

Although I do like the external shape, I would support a complete knock down and replacment,

PS The reason I included that and the Natwest in the above post was because they are being replaced! I do quite like the Natwest tower, built in a totally unsuitable place of course...

I meant the shape, its horrible inside but if you use your imagination you can see what they were going for when they designed it.

http://www.zshare.net/download/old-birmingham-zip.html

we had buildings that cities like Paris and Rome would envy!

i just hope we learn from our mistakes and choose to preserve our city's heritage at all costs (apart from all the 60's rubbish they put up)

Yes we did.....and now it's too late