G'day all.

I saw this on the Manchester forum and it is a pretty good idea! Had a trawl through our old forums and can't find anything similar, so here goes:

What is your favourite building in the former Metropolitan County of the West Midlands? i.e. Brum, Wolves, Black Country, Cov etc... And why?

And what is your least favourite?

To start:

My fave: the building which houses Barclays Bank on New Street. It is just so interesting to look at, and people don't usually look up on New St. :)

My least fave: that brown thing on Hill St next to Spearmint Rhino/Futurist Cinema. The sooner it goes the better!

i love hyatt and HCT of course

And hate the central library in brum

The Central Library's alright in its own special way :)

My favourite as a nipper used to be Tricorn House :crazy:

Erm... I dunno really. I absolutely love Selfridges. I wasn't too keen when it was first built, but it's grown on me like a... tumour?

As for least favourite... probably that thing on Hill Street too, Though I bet I'd miss it when it went...

my fav = HCT and also i like the mailbox at night

worst = Stephenson tower

Beat school of art and selfridges

worst stephensin tower or anything in tipton

best = the orion building

worst = that ugly grey tall box building right next to HCT, anyone know what it is called

best = the orion building

worst = that ugly grey tall box building right next to HCT, anyone know what it is called

That's Centre City tower, there's worse. ;)

Best = Selfridges

Worst = The Toys'r'us building. I can't wait for Martineau Galleries to finally get underway.

best building: Coventry Cathedral - a must visit for everyone

worst building: Martineau Galleries - most of it's ok but the corporation street evelvation is deeply dreadful - such a wasted opportunity :no: Everytime I walk by here it makes me angry. it makes me want to shit. gold witches hats?! for fuck sake what were they thinking. aaaaaagh

fave building: Can I have two? Selfridges :) and the Q club :nuts: can they reopen this please

most hated building: Travelodge, 230 broad Street. Incidently I saw this for in auction advert in the latest EG. Seems a bargin to me. Keep your fingers crossed the new owners may tear it down :happy:

http://tinypic.com/6ivig9.jpg

Favourite: the new Cathedral in Coventry
Least favourite: That horrible, horrible upturned pyramid in Brum - the thing with all the dismal fast foot restaurants inside it. You go through it when you walk from New Street to that area where Symphony Hall is.

most hated building: Travelodge, 230 broad Street. Incidently I saw this for in auction advert in the latest EG. Seems a bargin to me. Keep your fingers crossed the new owners may tear it down :happy:

http://tinypic.com/6ivig9.jpg

God I forgot about that. Fucking awful building. I hope it gets done up the arse with a giant nobbly stick.

Least favourite: That horrible, horrible upturned pyramid in Brum - the thing with all the dismal fast foot restaurants inside it. You go through it when you walk from New Street to that area where Symphony Hall is.

I assume you know thats the library. Personally i love it. Standing in hte centre and looking up is spectacular IMHO even if at floor level it is very tatty.

Not sure I have a favourite, there are loads of great buildings, but my least favourite is the Grosvenor shopping centre in Northfield. Useless from the horrible green cladding right up to the ridiculous little office perched on top.

Biosonic has chosen my fave building - the Cote d'Azure on New St. I also love Selfridges (just thought - Sell Fridges lol) HCT, Hyatt and Alpha (just do!)

Foxtrot has also nicked my pet hate - Travelodge on Broad St. I wouldn't get your hopes up on it coming down too soon - new logos have just gone up.

HCT. By a mile.

I love Selfridges and Hyatt. Selfridges is truely unique and Hyatt's got great cladding :)

I hate The Public in West Brom. Yeah, the Travelodge is shit.
Let's not forget the McLaren Building, what an ugly bugger!

I like Selfridges, and I think it has put us on the international map in a spectacular fashion, but I am reticent to put it as my fave. I think it would be so much better if they had set it as a standalone store with maybe a glass tunnel of shops linking it to the rest of the BullRing.

And I agree - Travelodge is a heap of *profanity*!!

I think the Central Library has its merits, but it is in completely the wrong place, wasn't built to the architect's spec and is no longer fit for its purpose. Sorry, but it has to go!!

Selfridge's ,what a building that is..I love it.

MSP ,,did you enjoy your hols mate?

I think the Central Library has its merits, but it is in completely the wrong place, wasn't built to the architect's spec and is no longer fit for its purpose. Sorry, but it has to go!!
Why is it in the wrong place? Isn't it in exactly the right place - one of the city's most important civic buildings in the city's most important civic square, opposite the art gallery and the historic public hall?

What genuinely doesn't belong in Chamberlain Square is what's lined up for it - a speculative office development.

Least favourite: That horrible, horrible upturned pyramid in Brum - the thing with all the dismal fast foot restaurants inside it. You go through it when you walk from New Street to that area where Symphony Hall is.

The library? I love that building.

http://www.larry-arnold.info/photography/Birmingham/library.jpg

Favourites
Ford's Hospital in Coventry, and the Rotunda in Brum (please don't re-clad this incredible building).

http://www.thecoventrypages.net/hstoric-Cov/images/Fords/fords01.jpg

http://www.thecoventrypages.net/hstoric-Cov/images/Fords/fords02.jpg

http://www.larry-arnold.info/photography/Birmingham/rotunda2003.jpg

Least favourite
Cathedral Lanes in Coventry - a bland, unimaginative retail centre, not even worthy of a photo.

Originally posted by Bileduct
Why is it in the wrong place? Isn't it in exactly the right place - one of the city's most important civic buildings in the city's most important civic square, opposite the art gallery and the historic public hall?

What genuinely doesn't belong in Chamberlain Square is what's lined up for it - a speculative office development.

Sorry Bileduct - I didn't make myself clear. I think the building itself is in the wrong place. It is a brilliant location for a library, situated alongside other civic buildings, but the design of the building means that it is unsympathetic to its neighbours. If the Ziggurat design was featured elsewhere, such as Dale End or Eastside, then a reclad (or upgrading it to its original design of marble cladding and internal water gardens) would be brilliant.

I am undecided on the proposed Paradise plans. The simple fact is offices are desperately needed in Brum, and the west side needs to be opened up to the rest of the city (as does Summerrow) so it seems like a good choice. Maybe a hotel, restaurants/cafe's and a few office blocks with good street layout would help?

Travel Lodge on Broad street, what a piece of shit...its even worse than that brown BT thing on hill street...

favourite is the Library of the one already mentioned on New Street, the little 50's zig zaggy building x

I forgot this baby - what a beauty...

http://www.cbso.co.uk/gallery/albums/cbsocentre/CBSO_fa_ade.sized.jpg

http://www.cbso.co.uk/gallery/albums/cbsocentre/CBSO_Centre_AB_cmyk.sized.jpg

The CBSO centre - home to the finest orchestra in the land!

I hate to say it but I love the Central Library, I think it's a great peice of 20th Century architecture. All it needs is a refurb to get those stupid romanesque statues out and that bloody McDonalds too. It's not my fav but I'll still hate to see it go!

Ok, back to business.....
Favourite: Selfridges
Worst: New Street Station

dunno what its caled but that block between the town hall and paradise circus, jus b4 u get to the rancid copthorne hotel, now that is artocious!!!
i must concur that the travel lodge on broad st is rank
as is tricorn house
new st is foul
that big brown fucker oposite city centre an btwn the gorgeous orion tower, the brown ting with vents at street level and teh casino next to it are the most disgusting buildings in all of cristendom.....fact.
pavilion shopin centre is rank, as is palisades... the whole blok oposite the pavilion centre 2,

on the plus side we have the gorgeous red tower oposite the courts. the one spoons is in on corporation st 2, the cathedral is stunning to, thats a lovely area.
oh an that brilliant big portland stone joby jus across the park from alpha tower

dunno what its caled but that block between the town hall and paradise circus, jus b4 u get to the rancid copthorne hotel, now that is artocious!!!
r


thats is the library.

persoanlly Im not that keen on Baskerville house.

The old Q club/methodist central hall is fantastic though.

I'd like to add to this practically every new proposal that has been unveiled for Brum in its quest to become a "Dynamic European City of Commerce, Retail, Living, Leisure and Culture".

Pretty much all of them are staid, generic, boring, and predictably safe and unchallenging.
Full marks for effort and enterprise then, eh?

we get you hate Birmingham, so why dot you just forget it exists and go piss on someone elses parade...or maybe add something constructive

not every development is staid boring and generic....if so, that goes for nearly every commercial development being built in the world

there are many the fuckig same

I dont think I have ever read anything constructive from you, EVER

I don't hate Brum - that's where you're SO wrong! Ask Smileyface, Blunther, Elizabeth, DeepSeaBuildings, Dee, Woodhousen or any of the other Brum regulars and they will tell you that my [perceived] negativity is actually borne out of a deep-rooted cynicism that has now refused to be led into believing everything I read about the city's plans to do this or that. Too often our hopes for exciting projects for the city have been unnecessarily built up high only to be dashed back to earth again - and when that sort of scenario keeps repeating itself over and over again, little wonder we run out of patience and start to lose faith. Look at the never-ending New Street Station debacle for beginners, let alone the Arena Central fiasco!

I have always had a soft spot for the city anyway, despite being Cheshire born and bred, and I even based my sixth form Geography thesis on Birmingham and The Black Country.....focusing on its industrial and architectural heritage. A lot of my relatives used to reside in and around the city and as a child back in the early 70s I would always visit Birmingham and stay at my Uncle and Aunt's house in Edgbaston and was enthralled with everything about the place. I still have a lot of fondness for it now actually, despite the cynicism I show here with a lot of the [rather crappy] projects of late.

It's just that I am pissed off with the way progress is so backward in the city as regards everything transport, infrastructure and commercial building wise. Surely you cannot fail to see that not much truly exciting is happening in the city even now - buildingwise that is! As long as ten years ago, we were led to believe that there would be many ambitious and spectacular schemes that would transform the city over the next 10-20 years. Well, we are halfway there already and what have we seen so far? A new Bull Ring Shopping Centre, and enlarged Brindley Place, the complete destruction of the city's inner ring road.....the rather unexciting Millennium Place......and...er...that's about it. The rest have indeed become the legendary red herrings and false hopes and lost opportunities that the city is fast becoming synonymous with.

Six years ago Brum had the highest crane count in Europe cos of the huge Bull Ring redevelopment. That accolade has now passed to cities like Manchester. And you wonder why?




I dont think I have ever read anything constructive from you, EVER

Wrong again. I have made many constructive posts in the past - and even many of those were - shock! horror! hold the front page!! - optimistic and positive. The problem is too many people assume I'm just capable of one emotion and focus on solely that to the detriment of the other less negative posts I have contributed. They are all there if only you bother to seek them out you know!

so you fail to see the mailbox, its VERY exciting extension, many smaller individual apartment schemes coming on track now, the well thought out and executed park central, many creative ventures now setting up in digbeth, VIVID being the latest, intersting plans for the Jewellery quarter, being driven by Bennie Gray, the man behind the custard factory. plans for eastside have staled thanks to a chnage in political leadership, which seem luke warm about the project, it was always foolish to believe the ten year build time....twenty would be nearer the mark !! but things are moving

Masshouse is rather bland, but at least its moving, city park gate is midway though planning and is in consultation for a city cenre gp/dental practice to replace parts of the dental hospital,. a scheme with a public sector tennant tends to get built !!! Fosters is designing this and it look high quality....the plans by concept for Digbeth are innovative and aim to bring affordable city living to the most run down part of the city, they are on site clearing land now on several plots, 2 already under contruvtion, they are also working woth a consortia of other developers to push there interest together....much like the Birmingham Aliiance did

Granted the larger schemes seem to be stuck in development hell but finally the city is starting the get much needed, viable smaller schemes, there are innovatibe local architectural practices, Like Glenn Howells and Kinetic (to name 2) who are getting stuff built in the city...they are producing quality arhcitecture that is far from generic

I dont remeber them Martin- all of your posts havebeen negative

Sadly, negative doesn't necessarily mean wrong.

yes true

but he only presents half a picture and misses out anything positive !!! he has many valid points, but they can easily be counter balanced with the good things happening in the city....

I think he presents about three quarters of the picture, if we're honest. Don't be fooled by the ranting style, not everybody who rants is a fool or a troll - we need passion, and we need to learn from Mr G - and direct our sensible rants to those who matter.

I dont remeber them Martin- all of your posts havebeen negative

But then again your memory isn't as reliable as some other peoples!

Sadly, negative doesn't necessarily mean wrong.

Exactly - I'm not the only one who feels this way - just ask Elizabeth Kinoke!

I always find it utterly incredible that whenever I make a point that is construed as negative or cynical people like Rigadon et al jump down my throat and take me to task for it. Every time. Absolutely without fail. As if it is such a fucking heresy to have a ...shock, horror.... negative opinion, you know? That's what pisses me off about this forum and why I tend to leave such long gaps between visits of posting simply because I'm just tired of having to justify and defend every little fucken thing I post here just cos others don't agree with it......I've long known that I have been made a scapegoat for harbouring less than complimentary views or simply for speaking my own mind and refusing to be sucked into this wave of all-out-optimisim that is ultimately so fucking misguided anyway. At least I'm a fucking realist most of the time. But not many people accept that, so they choose to lambast me for this.

To them, being a realist invariably equates with being negative, pessimistic and unconstructive....well, that's bollocks, innit?


I think he presents about three quarters of the picture, if we're honest. Don't be fooled by the ranting style, not everybody who rants is a fool or a troll - we need passion, and we need to learn from Mr G - and direct our sensible rants to those who matter.


Well put, but then again, nobody should feel any urge or compunction to "learn from me" as patently nobody gives a fuck what I think anyway - except enough to say each time that they don't like the way I am being so unduly negative. Ultimately, my opinion counts for diddly squat..... I'm just a worthless piece of shit remember. I have a reputation as an advocator of nothing but useless negativity and cynicism.

one of the best buildings is the old town hall, thats been converted into a concert hall.

anyone know when they are due to take the wrapping of this one, seems to have been covered for ages

one of the best buildings is the old town hall, thats been converted into a concert hall.

anyone know when they are due to take the wrapping of this one, seems to have been covered for ages

It was originally supposed to be 2008 but I am not sure now - maybe! I know stonemasons are pretty hard to get hold of.

It has always been a meeting hall, and they are reverting it back to its original design by removing a balcony. As far as I know, it has been used for town/city meetings, recitals and concerts since day one.

And what a bloody wonderful building it is too! :)

It's modelled on the Temple of Castor and Pollux in Rome, fact fans!

But then again your memory isn't as reliable as some other peoples!

yes it is

http://www.takagi-ryo.ac/docs/out.pimage?photo=340&doc=340

Don't forget about this high rise monster!
(taken from http://www.takagi-ryo.ac/docs/id/340/lang/1/)

Muirhead Tower that dominates one corner of the Edgbaston campus of the University of Birmingham. The building, completed in 1967 (incidentally this is the year that I was born as well), was built to the design of Philip Dowson of Arup Associates, the famous contractor. The local history book says it got a commendation from the "Civic Trust"; however, the building is now infamous to both students and members of staff, and is regarded as a single most ugly building in the beautiful campus. Various ridiculous rumors are around, such as: "the scaffoldings on the building has been there since it was complete" (at least it has actually been there for the recent five years or so), or: "the building was designed by a student with the School of Civil Eng, who considered the direction of the most significant wind in the area but, upon actual construction, built it in the wrong orientation", or: "the pre-stress of the concrete is applied in such a way that the building will be shattered apart once anybody tries to knock it down, which means you actually can never demolish it", and so on and so forth. In fact, the building is said to shake when strong winds blow; insufficiency of the capacity of lifts or emergency stairs are also apparent (for the lifts, it is said to be due to the fact that the original design of using continuous lift system, in which people can jump onto one of the moving cars going continuously upwards or downwards, were rejected because of safety concerns), and there have been fears that window glasses would be removed from the building when strong gales blow! I believe Arup will never be proud that they have been in charge of this particular building. The name, Muirhead Tower, came from that of the first philosophy professor of the University.

ooh thats nasty!!

It's modelled on the Temple of Castor and Pollux in Rome, fact fans!

are you sure your not Earlybird in disguise ?

It's modelled on the Temple of Castor and Pollux in Rome, fact fans!

Very SMUG

still your the most negative person on here, and have read these pages for about 3 years and have NEVER read anything contructive EVER

http://www.takagi-ryo.ac/docs/out.pimage?photo=340&doc=340

Don't forget about this high rise monster!
(taken from http://www.takagi-ryo.ac/docs/id/340/lang/1/)

Muirhead Tower that dominates one corner of the Edgbaston campus of the University of Birmingham. The building, completed in 1967 (incidentally this is the year that I was born as well), was built to the design of Philip Dowson of Arup Associates, the famous contractor. The local history book says it got a commendation from the "Civic Trust"; however, the building is now infamous to both students and members of staff, and is regarded as a single most ugly building in the beautiful campus. Various ridiculous rumors are around, such as: "the scaffoldings on the building has been there since it was complete" (at least it has actually been there for the recent five years or so), or: "the building was designed by a student with the School of Civil Eng, who considered the direction of the most significant wind in the area but, upon actual construction, built it in the wrong orientation", or: "the pre-stress of the concrete is applied in such a way that the building will be shattered apart once anybody tries to knock it down, which means you actually can never demolish it", and so on and so forth. In fact, the building is said to shake when strong winds blow; insufficiency of the capacity of lifts or emergency stairs are also apparent (for the lifts, it is said to be due to the fact that the original design of using continuous lift system, in which people can jump onto one of the moving cars going continuously upwards or downwards, were rejected because of safety concerns), and there have been fears that window glasses would be removed from the building when strong gales blow! I believe Arup will never be proud that they have been in charge of this particular building. The name, Muirhead Tower, came from that of the first philosophy professor of the University.


Hey Blunther - dont you work in this beasty? Does it really shake in high winds?

Nah unfortunately not. I'm a few minutes walk from it.

I've had a few people ask me where Muirhead Tower is when I'm having a fag. I tend to point them inthe direction of the 'big ugly brown bastard on the left'. They tend to find it.

http://www.takagi-ryo.ac/docs/out.pimage?photo=340&doc=340
Hey, I actually like Muirhead. Okay, it's completely out of kilt with the other beautiful red-brick university buildings, and for that I can't forgive whoever proposed to build the tower where it is. But if this building was on a science park somewhere, well anywhere, else with similar modern buildings surrounding it we'd have no complaints to make.
It does sound like the architect was a few rulers short of a pencil case, though. Small lifts is one thing, but lack of fire escapes! Hmmmm

when i was on holiday i was sat at the dinner table with someone who knew worked on the designs for Muirhead. it's meant to look like a bookcase apparently...


I think the ugliest building in the Uni is actually the Biosciences building (i think this is the one i mean). It's probably around ten floors with that cheap wrap around floor at the top. Can't find a pic...

Yeah that's an ugly beast that biosciences. Can't find a picture either. Big cuboid grey granite with jutting out black shit round the top. Interesting the top bit's got doors leading out onto a 10 storey drop,which always makes me smile.

This is still one of my favourite buildings in Bham
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4df24b3127cce9bd42b53335e00000015108AbtGrNu5ZNQ

Some of the most disgusting sights in the city are the Uni buildings and offices at Lancaster Circus

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4d601b3127cce9bd42bef372a00000016108AbtGrNu5ZNQ

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4d601b3127cce9bd42bed372800000016108AbtGrNu5ZNQ

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4d601b3127cce9bd42beab61f00000016108AbtGrNu5ZNQ

my least favorites without question, 1. The large brown brick block that sits on New Street close to Burlington Hotel, you can't really miss it, wish that would go and 2. Similar looking thing next to Waterstones book store by the Rotunda, think its part of a shopping centre.

are you sure your not Earlybird in disguise ?

What the fuck's that supposed to mean? I don't "do" disguises. I use my own name with pride. Unlike some sad fucks on here.


Very SMUG

Who's being smug, eh pal? Not me that's for sure.


still your the most negative person on here, and have read these pages for about 3 years and have NEVER read anything contructive EVER

Well BIG GREASY HAIRY BOLLOCKS to that stupid pathetically ill-informed conclusion of yours if what you just quoted by me wasn't exactly "constructive" then.....I've never heard such utter piffle.

Oh - and get your spelling right!

It's....

You'rE!

and

ConStructive!


Secondly, don't use second hand quotes tossed off from Rigadon either - write your own bleedin' words!


Pedantically yours,
Martin G

I see you've made a new friend martin :D I have got a good memory and MG used to be one of the forumers I chatted to on a regular basis in the good old days. He's not anti Birmingham he's just as pissed off as us with the lack of ambition and false starts showed by our city.....he just speaks his mind instead of using those rose tinted specs. When I first joined this site Bham was modelling itself on Chicago and planning to overtake Frankfurt as the highrise king of Europe.....bloody hell Leeds is giving us a run for our money now......anyway back then MG was as enthusiastic as anyone about what the future could hold for Brum, even coming up with a few concept renderings himself. If you knew MG well enough you'd realise that his sometimes misunderstood negative responses are because he does give a shit about Bham, he's just not scared to tell it how it is.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4df24b3127cce9bd42b53335e00000015108AbtGrNu5ZNQ
Perrot's Folley, that's a good one. And has historical and literary links.

Those university buildings look dreadful. They don't look like they've been cleaned since I studied there in the mid '90s.

I've got some better photo's of Perrot's folley somewhere but that was the only one I could find at hand.....yeah those Uni buildings have got about 30 years worth of grime on them...yeuchh!

yes it is

Quantify that claim please, if you will.

I have to choose Colmore Gate as my favourite. There's many others that I like, but this building is too often overlooked (as demonstrated by this thread). I always point it out to friends when I'm showing them around Brum to prove there's more great buildings besides the usual suspects.
If Birmingham's buildings are to be subject to height restrictions then there's a lot to be learnt from Colmore Gate; if we can't build tall, then we should build beautiful (hint, hint, Mr Whitby).
http://www.truplex.com/personal/ssc/ColmoreGate-Circus.jpghttp://www.truplex.com/personal/ssc/ColmoreGate-Row.jpg

I agree it's a fantastic looking building but it looks too short....here's my favourite pic of it anyway (probably because I took it).
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Robdann/Birmingham%202/Colmoregate2.jpg

^^^^^^

should have had at least another 7-8 storeys on top.....all glass towers should be tall and slender.

I see you've made a new friend martin :D I have got a good memory and MG used to be one of the forumers I chatted to on a regular basis in the good old days. He's not anti Birmingham he's just as pissed off as us with the lack of ambition and false starts showed by our city.....he just speaks his mind instead of using those rose tinted specs. When I first joined this site Bham was modelling itself on Chicago and planning to overtake Frankfurt as the highrise king of Europe.....bloody hell Leeds is giving us a run for our money now......anyway back then MG was as enthusiastic as anyone about what the future could hold for Brum, even coming up with a few concept renderings himself. If you knew MG well enough you'd realise that his sometimes misunderstood negative responses are because he does give a shit about Bham, he's just not scared to tell it how it is.




Thanks Smiley for sticking up for me. This is also a prime reason why I rarely post here, cos each time I do open my mouth and express an honest opinion (no matter how much it's tinged with cynicism) on the Brum / Manchester / wherever else forums - and make no fucking mistake, it IS EVERY TIME - I always incur the wrath of these tedious knee-jerk gets who just jump down my throat and keep on banging on about me being "negative" and "having nothing constructive to say" - and in so doing then completely fail to see the sheer irony of their own words by their own incessant whingeing in the process....

On a more serious and ominous note - and it's got to be said - it must also be stressed that unlike so many of the young cocky upstarts here, I myself haven't got forever to hang around waiting for these oh-so-wonderful schemes to become reality as it were, cos unlike these young cocky upstarts, I don't have a whole long healthy life left ahead of me any longer. So they can fucking scoff all they fucking well like, but once they start getting it into their thick shell-likes as to the extremely precarious state of health I am currently in [let's just say that I haven't got that long left on this planet as something chronic has decided to hold my main sensory faculties in an extremely unpleasant and horrifying state of ransom these past few months] then they may just back off and stop looking on me as some sort of negative doom mongering preacher ..... after all, unlike everyone else here, I - as a consequence of this crippling illness - have every fucking justifiable right to be angry, pissed off, impatient and defeatist...... Call it raging against the dying of the light if you fucking well must - you won't be far off wrong. Now to all those responsible - just fucking get out of my face and just allow me the priviledge of airing my own uncensored opinions. It really is all I am asking for at this very late stage of my life.

^^^^^^

should have had at least another 7-8 storeys on top.....all glass towers should be tall and slender.

Agree - if it was 50-70 feet taller it would look wonderful - like something you'd see in a Dallas skyline even! As it is it's just too squat.

Thanks Smiley for sticking up for me. This is also a prime reason why I rarely post here, cos each time I do open my mouth and express an honest opinion (no matter how much it's tinged with cynicism) on the Brum / Manchester / wherever else forums - and make no fucking mistake, it IS EVERY TIME - I always incur the wrath of these tedious knee-jerk gets who just jump down my throat and keep on banging on about me being "negative" and "having nothing constructive to say" - and in so doing then completely fail to see the sheer irony of their own words by their own incessant whingeing in the process....

On a more serious and ominous note - and it's got to be said - it must also be stressed that unlike so many of the young cocky upstarts here, I myself haven't got forever to hang around waiting for these oh-so-wonderful schemes to become reality as it were, cos unlike these young cocky upstarts, I don't have a whole long healthy life left ahead of me any longer. So they can fucking scoff all they fucking well like, but once they start getting it into their thick shell-likes as to the extremely precarious state of health I am currently in [let's just say that I haven't got that long left on this planet as something chronic has decided to hold my main sensory faculties in an extremely unpleasant and horrifying state of ransom these past few months] then they may just back off and stop looking on me as some sort of negative doom mongering preacher ..... after all, unlike everyone else here, I - as a consequence of this crippling illness - have every fucking justifiable right to be angry, pissed off, impatient and defeatist...... Call it raging against the dying of the light if you fucking well must - you won't be far off wrong. Now to all those responsible - just fucking get out of my face and just allow me the priviledge of airing my own uncensored opinions. It really is all I am asking for at this very late stage of my life.

Everyone's got their right to argue, crtitisize and damn well get fustrated (Martin more than most I'm afraid) but in defense of the Bham posters they are just defending their city, the problem is that's all we seem to be doing at the moment so I'm sure MG you can understand a few raised hackles to your comments. Lets draw a line under this and all get on.

sorry to hear about your illness Martin, I see your "negative" comments more as frustation, hopefully one day we may see a proposal that lives up to all of our satisfactions.

What the fuck's that supposed to mean? I don't "do" disguises. I use my own name with pride. Unlike some sad fucks on here.


Who's being smug, eh pal? Not me that's for sure.


Well BIG GREASY HAIRY BOLLOCKS to that stupid pathetically ill-informed conclusion of yours if what you just quoted by me wasn't exactly "constructive" then.....I've never heard such utter piffle.

Oh - and get your spelling right!

It's....

You'rE!

and

ConStructive!


Secondly, don't use second hand quotes tossed off from Rigadon either - write your own bleedin' words!


Pedantically yours,
Martin G

Sad, very sad.......I recently had my mother die and was diagnosed with a very nasty disease thats gonna give me slow and painful death, and you know what...

I DON'T feel the need to rant on in a negative fucking way and use it as an excuse to be nasty to people, so you can't use your illness as an excuse, you have been writing negative rants for years, you never, NEVER say anything about the positive developments in the city or in fact, anything positive about the city. Always negative. And I have as much right to comment on your posts, as you do to RANT

I mentioned a host of developments ongoing in the city, and you NEVER bothered to comment on those, but quite happily have got into a slanging match.....you must get off on it


I don't need to quote anyone else, I can speak for myself, your posts are the worst thing about these forums, YOU are depressing. I certainly don't wear rose tinted lenses and am as frustrated as anyone about the lack of progress on certain things, but thats the way the Market and Industry works.

If lifes so bad go and get some Fucking Therapy !!!

And my names Dave by the way, Martin

I really dont come on here to get into a slanging match with soemone I dont know and really dont want to know.

Say what you want in reply, but I dont want to waste my energy on you anymore, and will avoid your posts

http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/6774/5wt20fu.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/7981/5wt12bp.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Even though it suffes from Sick Office Syndrome and is more or less empty, I still love this building.

Second Fave would be 1 Hagley Road

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/7853/1hag9gy.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


But my fave completed building so far is the Hyatt

http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/7117/hytt4vu.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


HCT is ok but it needs to grow on me: don't like the frontage but the rear is great. Needs a bit more time to settle in

FWT looks good and is great example of the style of its times. Badly designed and finishes are poor though - no-one else to blame other that the idiotic designers and construction managers.

I have been on top of 1 Hagley Road - great views!