Great pictures there! You can see the cladding in both shots though, being held in place by the red mobile crane.


Well spotted!

There is now! Panels of what looks like reconstituted stone are being fixed to the lower two storeys at the northern end of the building.

reconstituted stone? they look plastic from this distance, but hopefully the stone effect will be better at close range. Good shots stig, were they taken from one of the apartments in Whitehall Quays?

Doesn't Blue look bloody awful?!?! If the Granary Wharf development goes ahead I guess that will scupper the view.

reconstituted stone? they look plastic from this distance, but hopefully the stone effect will be better at close range. Good shots stig, were they taken from one of the apartments in Whitehall Quays?

Doesn't Blue look bloody awful?!?! If the Granary Wharf development goes ahead I guess that will scupper the view.

It's not that plastic rubbish fortunately, It looks like stone from close up. According to the Bridgewater Place website they are using 'Pre-cast architectural masonry panels incorporating natural aggregates'.

Hey Guys,

A close source to me told me that a new mixed-use scheme is planned for the Hindle Valves site across the road from BWP.

I have been told that 100 or more apartments are being planned in the development.

Can't say i'm a fan of the film trilogyin which Ian Mckellen wearsa dodgy beard and an oversized hat, however there could be a similar style gateway Little Neville Street in the making.

http://www.canoe.ca/JamLordOfTheRingsGalleryImages/river.jpg (without the lake and mountains, obviously)

Can't say i'm a fan of the film trilogyin which Ian Mckellen wearsa dodgy beard and an oversized hat, however there could be a similar style gateway Little Neville Street in the making.

http://www.canoe.ca/JamLordOfTheRingsGalleryImages/river.jpg (without the lake and mountains, obviously)

look what I found on the Civic Trust's website - the original 26 storey BWP design - looking positively futuristic. Not quite one of Argonaths, but eye catching nonetheless. Similar Jetsons style flying saucer design which we saw on the original City One proposals. I like what we're getting much better!

http://img459.imageshack.us/img459/8528/bridgewater6kl.jpg

heh I quite like that design, even though I'd go for the taller, current, design mainly because its taller...

Good shots stig, were they taken from one of the apartments in Whitehall Quays?

Doesn't Blue look bloody awful?!?! If the Granary Wharf development goes ahead I guess that will scupper the view.

11th floor.

You've got to give credit to Blue for dealing with such a small footprint and making something at least 1/2 way decent. I think it'll be better when it has someting other than a car park next to it.

I quite like blue, I don't know why everyone hates it, and as for that old BWP design, it's hideous.

I don't mind blue, maybe could do with being a bit less yellow but when it was built I liked it...

It's not that plastic rubbish fortunately, It looks like stone from close up. According to the Bridgewater Place website they are using 'Pre-cast architectural masonry panels incorporating natural aggregates'.

Close-up it looks like (but may not be) Portland stone.

Also the view from Crown Point Road where you see the whole width of the atrium is Phenominal!! it totaly dawafs everything else around it.

Quiet day at work, folks, so I thought I'd wander down to our rather neglected BWP:

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/9%20Nov%202005/P1010159.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/9%20Nov%202005/P1010161.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/9%20Nov%202005/P1010166.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/9%20Nov%202005/P1010163.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/9%20Nov%202005/P1010176.jpg

Sorry about the fuzziness of this last one. It looked awesome under the arc lights but I think I need a tripod or less gin in my bloodstream to stop the tremors.

Very good pictures Aviator. I !don't think the camera shake was due to drink but the lack of a tripod !

I can't belive the slow progress this building is making from design to actualy getting built its pathetic! what is the problem does anyone know?

I can't belive the slow progress this building is making from design to actualy getting built its pathetic! what is the problem does anyone know?

Thanks for the positive comments Ozzy, sadly BWP has been no Beetham in terms of build speed.

well. first it was redesigned twice, then the company proposing it realised it didn't have enough money and wouldn't start work until it got a pre-let. The legal firm Eversheds then came through with a pre-let for half the office space, but the developers sold the scheme on to a private investment vehicle. It then started, but does seems to be rather slow going (the cores actually started rising in December last year) due to the concrete firm providing the superstructure going bust, thus slowing the whole scheme down again. As posted previously I'm sure once the low rise element is complete the tower will shoot up, primarily as it has a relatively small footprint.

Its really made progress in the past couple of months though the original completion date of March 2006 is obviously looking rather challenging.

plus the tower will be built with steel rather than concrete so we might be looking at one floor per week

So this tower i see has had alot of problems and what about the other towers proposed for Leeds does anyone know how they are all ticking along?

Sorry to sound abit of a prick but i dont find time to get on the forums often and i have'nt looked at BWP for about 6 months so i thought by now it would be alot further along than what it is at the moment!

They all seem to be keeping relitaveley quiet and news from them seem to just come out of nowhere- such as the spiracle tower thing happening next week and what we think could be Clarence House just randomly starting...

So this tower i see has had alot of problems and what about the other towers proposed for Leeds does anyone know how they are all ticking along?

Sorry to sound abit of a prick but i dont find time to get on the forums often and i have'nt looked at BWP for about 6 months so i thought by now it would be alot further along than what it is at the moment!

pretty quiet I'm afraid.

Criterion Place - status unknown - no planning application yet, hopefully before the end of the year;
West Point - all quiet, no formal launch through Linfoots (the developer) just a few renderings circling;
Mayfair - read the thread, but sounds like rising costs has put this on the back burner;
Globe Road - Providence Tower (31 storeys) due to start in January;
Clarence House - ground works hopefully starting now;
The Plaza tower, hopefully starting next year, but most likely 2007;
Spiracle Tower (the old International Pool Site, due to start early 2007;
37 storey City 1 development - hopefully starting next year;
Kite Tower - vision but no site.


anyway, should have 3-4 of these u/c next year, but the two (or four) jewels will be Criterion Place and West Point.

I think The Plaza will start next year, around this sorta time maybe. The 20 storey Harewood Quarter tower I don't expect to start til late 2008 (probably). Venture Tower could be starting as soon as Summer 2006 (I heard, from the YP I think). The Gateway 26 storey tower I think will start next year too. Can't think of anymore...

Very good pictures Aviator. I !don't think the camera shake was due to drink but the lack of a tripod !


Night pictures require a slower shutter speed to capture the light, so a tripod is a must! :)

Oh yeh whats the Monkbridge Forge? Is that the same as that rumored Whitehall one or is it the Providence? Theres so many schemes in this area I get confused...

Oh yeh whats the Monkbridge Forge? Is that the same as that rumored Whitehall one or is it the Providence? Theres so many schemes in this area I get confused...\

no and no. Monksbridge forge is the now defunct factory site directly across Whitehall Road from Green Bank. Its on the opposite river bank to Wellington Place and has outline plans for a 38 storey tower and a smaller 20 storey residential tower with about 800 apartments. Think this is way off in the future as I saw a sales advert in Estate Gazettes for the entire site.....obviously the current owners reckon they can sell it for more with outline plans in place and are waiting for a big developer (aka Wimpey at Green Bank) to make a move. I'd say at least 5 years in the future. Green Bank, Wellington Place and the remainder of Whitehall Road to be completed first I'd guess.

can some one give me an updae of how bwp is going checked the web cam and it seems to be on the 10th floor ish at one end, is there much more cladding gone on?

a comment some one made earlier was that the tower was to be made from steel. why would the atrium be made from concrete and the tower steel?is this because they are residential and dont need to be built to te same standard or price?

Only one panel of cladding, work so far is being focussed on the commercial section (1st 10 floors) to be inhabited by Evershed Solicitors.
The residential will probably begin once all the services are in for the commercial which are progressing.
There is a lot more to this site than can be seen from Water Lane in a car (which is where I see it from for the most part). I think it's at the stage where not a lot is happening that is visible to the layman, though its obvious that the build marches on.

I'm not bothered by how long it's taking to get built, i won't be one of the occupiers.

Haven't you heard of foreplay? :wink2:

\

no and no. Monksbridge forge is the now defunct factory site directly across Whitehall Road from Green Bank. Its on the opposite river bank to Wellington Place and has outline plans for a 38 storey tower and a smaller 20 storey residential tower with about 800 apartments. Think this is way off in the future as I saw a sales advert in Estate Gazettes for the entire site.....obviously the current owners reckon they can sell it for more with outline plans in place and are waiting for a big developer (aka Wimpey at Green Bank) to make a move. I'd say at least 5 years in the future. Green Bank, Wellington Place and the remainder of Whitehall Road to be completed first I'd guess.


This was the front page of last weeks Property Week. Same site is it not?

Dutch plan £150m Leeds leviathan

UK arm HBG Properties cashes in on northern renaissance with 500,000 sq ft offices scheme


04.11.2005

By Molly Dover, Sean McAllister

Dutch-owned developer hbg properties is planning one of the north of England’s biggest development projects: a 500,000 sq ft (46,450 sq m) mixed-use scheme in Leeds.

HBG, which is part of the £5.1bn Royal BAM Group, has acquired a 9.5 acre (3.8 ha) development site less than a kilometre to the south-west of Leeds city centre from engineering company Doncasters for £19.25m.

The commercial element alone is expected to be worth £150m. The site already has outline planning consent for a mixed-use scheme but HBG will submit a revised application to increase the office element to more than 500,000 sq ft (46,450 sq m). The scheme will also feature 300 homes, as well as shops on the ground floor.

HBG’s plans have been unveiled at a time of growing prosperity for development across the north, in part encouraged by the government’s Northern Way regeneration initiative.

Leeds is seeking to reassert its authority as an office location, as Manchester has won most of corporate relocations in the north of England in recent years.

Ian Pennington, director of HBG Properties, said: ‘Leeds is the fastest-growing city in the UK. We expect it to continue to grow and take-up to rise year by year. The Leeds property market is one of the most resilient in the country.’

The project will be aimed at law firms, accountants and government tenants.

HBG plans to develop the commercial space in four or five phases but will sell the residential development site once a masterplan is agreed and outline planning consent has been granted.

The developer plans to start work on the commercial element by the middle of next year and the first phase of offices is scheduled to come to the market in autumn 2007.

HBG has invited four architects – Aedas Architects, Allies & Morrison, Edaw and Make – to compete to produce a masterplan.

The site is just outside Leeds city centre, bordered by the mainline railway tracks, the Leeds-to-Liverpool canal, the River Aire and Whitehall Road.

There is a dearth of good-quality new office space in Leeds. HBG’s scheme will rival Hermes/St James’ Wellington Place city centre development, which started in 2002. Four buildings are completed and more are to be developed in a joint venture with Arlington.

Leeds-based Hill Woolhouse advised HBG; Fowler Sandford and Smylie Norden advised Doncasters. DTZ and Hill Woolhouse will be the letting agents for the mixed-use scheme.

Deffinately a good day for news of developments with imminent news on The Arena and this...........Who's says Leeds will lose out because the Supertram isn't coming

Could end up being a victim of its own success again...

I've copied the HMM's text and posted my response and comments on the Monksbridge Forge thread!

Drove past earlier and saw more cladding being added - too far away to get a good look though

Time for a few more pics, I think. The weather was so good today, it would have been a sin not to go snapping.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/16%20Nov%202005/P1010178.jpg


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/16%20Nov%202005/P1010181.jpg


This one's looking into what will be the atrium:
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/16%20Nov%202005/P1010186.jpg


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/16%20Nov%202005/P1010188.jpg


The cladding definitely not looking like plastic:
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/16%20Nov%202005/P1010187.jpg

Splendid snaps Avi, its always nice to keep updated with the progress down there, the webcam is rubbish! i love the idea of their atrium, i bet its going to look amazing!

hear hear. You're acting as a fine Leeds pair of eyes for me Aviator. Not home till 23rd Dec, so these updates are most welcome. Its really coming on, but would like to inspect that 'reconstituted portland stone' for myself before leaping to judgements. As Leeds John states, the atrium will be really splendid, i suppose of similar impact and aesthetic impact as the Light's central core.

p.s. Aviator, the guys in the red Astra (or Vectra, I get confused these days) are giving you the evils. I'd watch out for them! Could be Civic Trust members, hmmmm, you never know. Grrrrrr.

If it does end up like The Light, it will be awesome! (Except obviously it will be much higher and bigger).

I have to agree with Jimbo - visual updates are always welcome for us out of towners.....great pictures

In the latest edition of Leeds City Councils Development Department Magazine, there is an updated picture of Bridgewater Place showing off the new stone cladding. I can't decide whether I like the new cladding or the old proposed cladding (the silver stuff)
I think the stone effect cladding will age better, and I suppose the gray/silver cladding is getting a little over used in Leeds at the moment.

Stone cladding is infinitely better than the crap they have used in most other developments recently like the Royal Mail apartments, West Point is it?

If it was upto me all the crap silver/grey stuff used recently would be replaced with stone.

If it's used properley it works though... same with terracotta. Like on the light there is some. What do you think of glass and mirror/mirrored glass stuff

Most materials can look good if used right, even concrete, but it takes a very skilled architect to do so. The thing is, good materials can make even the most boring design look quality, yet you can the most beautiful building in the world horrible with bad cladding.

Think of the Empire state in plastic cladding, or the chrysler in terracotta.

*Shudder*

Wasn't No1 City Square supposed to be 25+ storeys before the council went cold on the idea? Bridgewater will give us a good idea as to what it would have looked like.

Is that true? Would have been a very impressive building if it had been.

No worries! It will be anyway and if its true its hardly the case that this was Leeds' only skyscraper/hi rise.

Jolly goodly.


This is one of the little mentioned UC buildings in the UK.

Yet it's so tallt.

Leeds No 1: im a huge fan of copious amounts of glass, for example that glass fronted building in the middle of Park Row looks amazing, but if you get the right blend of glass and stone, your in with a winner for me. Take for example the building on City Square with the seagulls and glass lift... splendid use of stone and glass.

No.1 City Square, Norwich Union...Yeh I know its good. The Light is another example, and the Victoria Quarter an old example of good use. The Trinity Quarter may turn out in the same way at its facades.

I like lots of glass but maybe not all the time (sometimes something else can look just as good). If glass was used on Lower Albion Street it would make it much better because of the darkness of it and how it feels smallish and a bit delapidated. It would be interesting to see a design for a stone tower rather than steel, glass etc...

leeds no1 do you suffer from forum dioreaha?

you dont half type some crap sometimes

but then as i sed the other day ydo post some interesting things
hahah

yeh well I just type it as I think it really. Its a bit sad if you think what you're gonna type before it coz that takes longer, time I dont have :)

lol

Couple of recent pics from the webcam from last week.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid195/p11c4970d0d42af624a0ce5ede4907578/f1574cd4.jpg


http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid195/p2810e182e0bcdb7820cf21f03b32c31f/f1574cd3.jpg

Nice and arty, quite beautifull really.

Seems not to be growing much at the moment, which was also seen at this point before. I think in a few weeks we can expect it to suddenly build up around the core, in the same fashion it did for the core... June 2006 is full completion isn't it? So many completion and commencement dates, cant remember them.

Seems not to be growing much at the moment, which was also seen at this point before.

Not so. The front block is now up to its full height of 8 storeys. The rear block is up to 10 storeys at the tower end and up to 7 at the southern end. There is also cladding going up on the north end of the front block and along the base of the rear block. The only problem is, of course, that none of this will show up on the webcam for a while.

By growing I meant theyre not adding loads of floors

Didn't anyone like the pictures ?

They were thrilling :)

Didn't anyone like the pictures ?

Yes, i needed them to remind me how stunning Leeds looked when i was getting the bus to the station on Monday.

Didn't anyone like the pictures ?


They are very arty rob - good find!

Didn't anyone like the pictures ?

Rob, they are great, excellent sky, BWP is becoming a truely imposing edifice. Tower Works looks superb in the foreground.

I saved that exact same pic (the latter one) spooky, but swell capture!

Couple of recent pics from the webcam from last week.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid195/p11c4970d0d42af624a0ce5ede4907578/f1574cd4.jpg


http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid195/p2810e182e0bcdb7820cf21f03b32c31f/f1574cd3.jpg

Nice and arty, quite beautifull really.

Rob the first needs a caption of "god we need more skyscrapers", the second needs a caption of "Is Leeds looking at an alternative transport system?"

Love the first picture..... :drool:

I think both ROB's pictures are stunning !

As to your two possible captions:-

1. We will get more skyscrapers - it takes time however. Let's hope the current architectural (and municipal) craze for them does not subside before Leeds gets its fair share !
2. I asked Leeds City Council and WYPTE whether they had a plan B ready as soon as the governments' disenchantment with trams was made public in 'The Times' two years ago. Needless to say - no !

That camera will also show Clarence House and The Gateway won't it? Unless the view is blocked by BWP...

1. We will get more skyscrapers - it takes time however. Let's hope the current architectural (and municipal) craze for them does not subside before Leeds gets its fair share !


That is a real worry. I remember Simon Armitage talking about the cityscape of Leeds as a mess of half-baked schemes, tested here and then built properly somewhere else. Needless to say, it won't do anything for the skyline if all there is to show for the recent boom in talls is BWP .

That is a real worry. I remember Simon Armitage talking about the cityscape of Leeds as a mess of half-baked schemes, tested here and then built properly somewhere else. Needless to say, it won't do anything for the skyline if all there is to show for the recent boom in talls is BWP .

You are a chirpy chap di Livio.

You are a chirpy chap di Livio.


Chirpy - but maybe realistic ! Though I don't think the craze for high rises that I referred to will subside THAT quickly. :)

You are a chirpy chap di Livio.

It depends on how much caffeine I've had.

:fiddle: or :banana2:

I think both ROB's pictures are stunning !


Err, they are both from the BBC website under their webcams. Just a point of catching them at the right time.

Err, they are both from the BBC website under their webcams. Just a point of catching them at the right time.

Well in that case your power of selection is to be commended. :)

Time for a few more pics, I think. The weather was so good today, it would have been a sin not to go snapping.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/16%20Nov%202005/P1010178.jpg


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/16%20Nov%202005/P1010181.jpg


This one's looking into what will be the atrium:
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/16%20Nov%202005/P1010186.jpg


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/16%20Nov%202005/P1010188.jpg


The cladding definitely not looking like plastic:
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/16%20Nov%202005/P1010187.jpg
Looking great,,cheers for the pics mate

I drove past BWP this morning and had a good opportunity for a spy on progress whilst the lights were red. Plenty of cladding has gone up on the Globe Road facade, with the window openings now visible. Sadly it was too dark at 7.00 for me to comment on whether the cladding looks plastic or not. Roll on spring!

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/16%20Nov%202005/P1010187.jpg

Is it me or is it leaning to the right?!!

Is it me or is it leaning to the right?!!

It's you

I was amazed to see so much cladding up already. Can't wait to see it all finished. :)

bwp from Horsforth.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v737/jenajuk/cityd.jpg
.. sorry the sky is not all arty or even remotely, in any way, at all, beautiful.

Welcome back Molly.

I only live in Yeadon and I can't think of anywhere in Horsforth where you can possible get a view of BWP from there. The guys were really cracking on with the cladding work today when I drove past.

It looks quite amazing, and really dominates the view from Beeston Hill.
It's a nice site to see when arriving by train :)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/leeds/content/webcams/bridgewater_place_webcam.shtml

can some body in the know tell me what is going down at BWP. i remember sum1 a while back saying the tower was going to be steel framed, is this starting there looks to be a lot of activity from the webcam? o and the floor plates seem to have broken thru the horizon!!

treid to add the webcaam link but it dint work . o well

I noticed that! It will probably start to speed up now, because it was a similar point where the core sped up! I think April 2006 is on for completion of the main building (so not open because of fitting out) then again maybe not.

BridgewaterPlace Webcam (http://www.bbc.co.uk/leeds/content/webcams/bridgewater_place_webcam.shtml)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/leeds/content/webcams/bridgewater_place_webcam.shtml

can some body in the know tell me what is going down at BWP. i remember sum1 a while back saying the tower was going to be steel framed, is this starting there looks to be a lot of activity from the webcam? o and the floor plates seem to have broken thru the horizon!!

Hmm, I'm certainly no expert on construction, but I doubt they would switch from concrete floorplates to steel half way up the building. Doesn't make much sense. As I've said before the tower will fly up around the core, primarily because it is a relatively small area and footprint, and hence the new floors won't take anywhere near as long as the main bulk of the commercial low-rise element.

It is going to be all reinforced concrete construction. The only steel frame may be a tiny bit at the top for the service rooms, though this is unlikely.

Given that there's little being reported at the moment (either that or everyone's partying), here's a morsel. The first glass has been put into place at BWP. Drive past and you'll probably miss it. But cross the road and stand with your back to the Asda building and you'll see it at ground floor level.

I drove past today, and didn't see the glass - spent all the time driving down Hunslet road looking in my mirrors admiring the progress - a wonder I didn't hit someone.

Nice to see more stone cladding on - the window spaces for the commercial floors look interesting.

IS THAT CLADDING WE CAN SEE ON THE CURVED PART OF THE TOWER THAT I CAN SEE VIA THE WEB CAM? NE1 GOT NE RECENT PICS ? WHY CANT THIS THREAD BE LIKE HE MANC BEEFHAM THREAD WERE PEOPLE POST PICS ALL THE TIME. I NEED TO KNOW WHATS GOIN ON. THATS MY MOAN OF THE DAY BTW!!

Bit slow putting this article up but anyway!
From official site.

Construction for the main supporting tower of Leeds' tallest building, Bridgewater Place, has reached its peak at a staggering 105 metres from ground level. This significant milestone means that the external facade of the stunning mixed use development will unfold in a matter of months leading to completion as early as July 2006.

Bridgewater Place, which affords incredible views across the city landscape from its site South of the river, can now be seen from every gateway into Leeds and already dominates the skyline with the core of what will be an iconic landmark.

Chris Gilman, Director or Landmark Development Projects which is the joint developer with St James Securities, met on site with Project Director John Spencer of Bovis Lend Lease. Together they climbed to the peak to take in views before the works hoist was finally dismantled.

Located on Water Lane to the south of Neville Street Bridge and in heart of Leeds' new corporate district, Bridgewater Place is the city’s biggest mixed-use single-phase development covering 400,000 sq. ft of accommodation. The ambitious scheme incorporates 230,000 sq. ft of state of the art office accommodation (of which 125,000 sq ft is already pre-let to international law firm Eversheds), 10,000 sq. ft. of leisure and retail space and underground parking for some 400 vehicles.

A stunning glass atrium connects three main areas of accommodation and features an impressive suspended skywalk at level eight. The atrium was an integral part of the design process that seeks to allow through access and provide flexible function space for all users.

The main tower at Bridgewater Place will also house 200 luxury residential apartments from floors ten to 32. The apartments are being delivered by the developers jointly with renowned city living specialist, K W Linfoot Plc, and have unsurprisingly sold from plan with just a handful remaining.

The remaining commercial space at Bridgewater Place is still available in sites from 6,000 sq. ft. For details contact agents DTZ, Hill Woolhouse or Jones Lang La Salle.

Ends

Is anyone else getting asked for a username and password when trying to look at the BWP webcam this evening?

No... but I got one trying to look at it via BBC Leeds a few weeks ago...

cladding is going on onto side of the main tower, it is the same as the stone blocks already going on the podium block. I can't wait until they add the metal cladding on the front of the tower.

http://bridgewaterlive.aql.com/bridgewater.jpg

is that a piece of cladding gone up there?

[IMGhttp://www.bridgewaterplaceleeds.com/flash/holding.htm[/IMG]

a square piece?

For a building only 105m, it's amazing just how far away the core's visible from. I'll try and get a few shots over the next week once uni work is done with, as it's quite lovely to see it peeping up from Burley Road.

what floor is it up to now?

what floor is it up to now?

Depends where you're looking from. The front block is up to its full height of 8 storeys. The rear block is up to 8 storeys at the southern end and they're working on the 12th storey around the tallest core.

http://bridgewaterlive.aql.com/bridgewater.jpg

is that a piece of cladding gone up there?

[IMGhttp://www.bridgewaterplaceleeds.com/flash/holding.htm[/IMG]

a square piece?



I'll be driving down Globe road this evening, I'll let you know unless someone else does.

thanks guys, will be home my self soon so i will be able to check everything out for my self!

Can't say I noticed any when I was in town yesterday, didn't really look though. I still think it looks taller on the webcam than close up. Certainly visible on the skyline though, should look more definite when the body builds up. Skyline should start to look a bit different next year! The final cladded thing in the sun will look great...

If your refering to the little silver spec on the bottom left of the pic (on BWP) then yes, I beleive it is (unless Im seeing things when I walk past it!)

there is no cladding of the silver variety (aluminium i believe) as of yet. all the cladding so far is the reconstituted portland-stone-esque stuff. it has some nice detailing on it if you get up close. the atrium will be a sight to behold when it's all finished and make no mistake.

i'm thinking of getting a fujifilm F10 to go with my XD card (amazon you arses)...as i live in the centre of leeds, work in the centre of leeds and generally do lots of walking around the city i really ought to document the place with a digicam...i'll probably make it a new years reso to go digipic mad!

Magic - I just got bought a digital camera finally. I'll join you in your new years resolution and get some pictures up on the board.

Yes it's awful not having lots of pics to look at....I thought maybe the webcam was beginning to make people lazy.

We could have been taking some but alwas do something daft like go out to take lots of pics but forget to bring the camera.


:cheers:

But the webcam does give a good view of it, particlarly of its height! In the background you can and will be able to see Clarence House, The Gateway, CP...etc

BWP does look much taller on the webcam than when ya actually close up too it, can remember thinking that it didn't actually look that tall last time a saw it a few weeks ago.

Coming down Kirkstall Road though it looks pretty tall!

Its true! I noticed that too, and said here before... It will probably look taller when it becomes more of a building than just the core. West Riding House close up towers over Albion Place so... yeah. Looks tall from most places really- you can see it quite clearly from the M1.

I'm on a training course in Leeds today and tomorrow - sat on the port side of the train to check out Whitehall Road this morning, will try starboard tomorrow for a good look at BP :)

lol you could have just sat starboard on the way home lol... unless it was dark. I was in today too :) Yet more christmas shopping - people keep giving me presents and I haven't got anything for them!

No, he needed to sit port again as the train would be going the other way!

There are some more shots of BWP here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tpreece01/search/tags:bwp/).

No, it's not as tall as i was expecting either, but i find that quite encouraging given my fears about the potentially overbearing impact of Criterion and West Whatever-it's-called-now.

Bring them on, i say.

Yeah whatever lol. Unless he was getting on a different train out the other side of the station...

Was passing through Leeds this lunchtime so thought I’d do my bit. The tower is starting to pull away from the podium and more of the cladding has been added.

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/1660/19jv.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/9263/21xt.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/6670/30qe1.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/9797/46jz.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/4894/50qj.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/8260/63qa.jpg

thank you . you just made havin to sign 500 christmas cards eem worth while to return to y desk and find these!!!

Hey great pics! Wow it's really shot up since I was last in town! It's suddenly taking shape too. Thanks. :)

Fantastic photo's. BWP seems to look bigger depending on the angle you are looking at it from. Coming in on the train from the East it really stands out and looks huge. Coming on from the west, however, it seems to look not quite so tall.

Lovely set of pictures there, Larven. I particularly like the first one as it shows off the curve of the building beautifully.

Today I discovered, by the way, that you can see the tower from the top of Roundhay Road, at the traffic lights by the Oakwood Clock.

Noticed there's glass in the ground floor yesterday.

You can get a good view of the skyline in general from the top of Broad Lane in
Bramley btw.

Those are indeed fantastic photos Larven.

The difference in floor height between the office and residential elements is very noticeable. By my reckoning they've still around 17 floors still to form.

The cladding is starting to look good, and it will be interesting to see how it looks when the glass is inserted.

Looking forward to seeing the glass roof of the atrium. Will be a excellence space.

This one was taken on Sunday at about 3.40pm


http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/2005_1219test0007.jpg

Cheers, Jimbo. I'll continue to save the webcam images every now and again. I'll do another animation in a few months.

Done anything with this Daveylad?

Has anybody posted the website before - haven't seen it so far I dont think so here it is:
www.bridgewaterplaceleeds.com

It has a fancy flash site with lots of great images

Done anything with this Daveylad?

I did a new animation but it's 650kb in size. If I reduce the size or quality it looks very poor.

Can you post a link?

It's on not on t'internet it's on my hard drive at the moment. I'll sort something out in the near future.

This is the progress up to the beginning of December.

BTW, the 1st image I saved was on December 24th 2004. :cheers: (thirsty work)

http://www.freeimghost.us/uploads/c902a63500.gif

champion - that will look great when the resi floors go in!

champion - that will look great when the resi floors go in!

damn right, that's a top effort Daveylad2! Its a superb way of documenting the development, though crazy to think that it taken virtually a full year to put up just over half the concrete structure. The resi floors will fly up though.

This weeks Building magazine had this snippet, but sadly I don't have access. If anyone else has see if you can open it. Confirms that it is behind schedule though, however quite what bad weather has hit Leeds over an aggregate period of 4 months must have escaped most of us!

Bad weather delays Bovis tower
Building | 16 December, 2005
Contractor Bovis Lend Lease is to claim an extension of time for “extreme weather conditions” after the £80m Bridgewater Place tower in Leeds fell four months behind schedule.

Four months!
Even on a project this big thats quite bad isn't it?

Actually, looking back at some recent Government projects (to name no names) it probably isn't.

Four months behind is very bad, I only hope the developers have got Bovis stitched in the contract for substatial damages. I assume they will have as that is normally the case in a contract of this size. The weather cannot be an excuse (although probably is one of the few exceptions that will opt them out of damages), I guess they are refering to the slightly windy weather we had on and off...like we have a some point every single year !

Four months behind is very bad, I only hope the developers have got Bovis stitched in the contract for substatial damages.

On the Contrary, Bovis will probably be seeking extras. Delays of this sort are usually due to a lack of, or wrong information supplied by the design team.

Wasn't there a problem with a concrete firm going bust ? That must be a let out for Bovis.

On the Contrary, Bovis will probably be seeking extras. Delays of this sort are usually due to a lack of, or wrong information supplied by the design team.

I'm sure Bovis will be seeking extras, but I can't see how they claim exceptional weather or any other exceptional circumstances.

It's alright Rob, I didn't realise the concrete sub-contractors had gone bust as fred points out. That would explain most of a 4 month delay. Can't comment on the inclement weather as I am over here in sunny stoke.

A few distance shots of Bridgewater Place taken on Tuesday, a rather changeable day of sunshine and heavy drizzling cloud. First two are taken from the top of Kirkgate Market carpark with the second also counterpointing with Broderick's wonderful ovoid Corn Exchange (I got the Pevsner architecture guide for Xmas...... can you tell).
http://img310.imageshack.us/img310/6189/img05299ik.jpg

http://img310.imageshack.us/img310/7913/img05286km.jpg

This was taken from the Whitehall Road temporary carparks with two of the Tower Works towers and the main rain line in the foreground.
http://img310.imageshack.us/img310/637/img05489uw.jpg

Jimbo's been busy - more from probably my only two hrs of time to myself in the entire 4 days I was home - parentals eh!
BWP from the Leeds / Liverpool canal path with Tower Works on right
http://img429.imageshack.us/img429/1292/img05466bf.jpg

No explanation necessary
http://img429.imageshack.us/img429/8859/img05437le.jpg

From the riverside path outside Sovereign House (KPMG)
http://img310.imageshack.us/img310/4023/img05407xu.jpg

Yonder atrium, with cladding starting to cover the structure
http://img310.imageshack.us/img310/2239/img05412qq.jpg

From Dock Street - love the perfect framing of the tower by the relatively tight, constricted and cobbled Dock Street. Magic must get a cracking view on his way to work......
http://img310.imageshack.us/img310/8215/img05397hk.jpg

You got some cracking shots there, Jimbo. I like the way you managed to include the open fields towards Morley in the first couple of pics. A nice bit of counterpoint, as Pevsner would no doubt say!

What did you think of the cladding? As I recall, you were a bit apprehensive about it looking plasticky.

It looks huge compared to everything else, whats that blobbish building in the 2nd photo (first set) in the foreground shot though?

From Dock Street - love the perfect framing of the tower by the relatively tight, constricted and cobbled Dock Street. Magic must get a cracking view on his way to work......
http://img284.imageshack.us/img284/1701/ds8oa.jpg
Ah yes, the new "Riverside Village..."

Walked along there on thursday, there were some dodgy looking men huddled outside Brewery Wharf... You weren't one of them were you... ¬_¬

Are u refering to the Corn Exchange Inquisitor57??? i think you must be, it has been converted into a collection of niche shops for some time. And a favourate for goths to hang around at.

Nice place u got there M-R

Ah yes, the new "Riverside Village..."

Nice apartment in Simpsons Fold magicrealist.

I have been hearing alot about this new "Riverside Village".

Do you have any more information about what it is and what it involves?

Nice apartment in Simpsons Fold magicrealist.

I have been hearing alot about this new "Riverside Village".

Do you have any more information about what it is and what it involves?
it's one of those evolving names that may or may not catch on. someone in simpsons is behind it, which i believe takes in all the dwellings and offices along the river from clarence dock up to leeds bridge.

a bit like west point being part of the "west end" - bah!

Heres a little pic a took of BWP on New Years Eve :cheers:

http://members.lycos.co.uk/skyfitsleeds/hpbimg/31-12-05_1627.jpg

I've not seen a better vantage point than where I got this shot from.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v429/Kesaph/a8bfcaca.jpg

Awesome picture Stig, from Blue perchance?

Shows how big the Hindle Valves site is as well, just crying out for something of 30 storeys plus!

It looks like a passing giant has left their iPod propped against the front of the Halifax building in that photo!

That's certainly a big Nano!!

Just shows how hooooge the atrium will be, can't wait to see it in the flesh.

Nice photo of BWP.

I also couldn’t help my eye wandering past BWP and admiring how pretty south Leeds looks in the January murk!

Was talking to someone today - commercial completion is aimed for Oct/Nov 2006. Hand over will then occur for KWL to fit out the shells of the resi tower, completion late07/early08...

Check the pic above... are the top 2 floors (denoted by red columns) the beginnings of the residential floors? IIRC you can now only see No 13 upwards of the painted floor numbers on the lift shaft.

From photos posted on the forum the 'red floors' are new since Aviator posted this 16/11:
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/16%20Nov%202005/P1010178.jpg

but we have them on this taken by larven 16/12:
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/1660/19jv.jpg

The red columns are due to cardboard shutters being used to speed up construction, these will stripped off to leave square columns. Columns are generally circular in office areas and square in the resi areas.

The lowest level of residential accommodation is level 11. Construction is currently at level 13.

You learn something new every day!
Thanks

BWP is back in full production after the Christmas break, they have just started falsework decking for the forteenth floor this morning.

What's the W for?

Are there about 10 people building this?

It's taking ages, how come?

err...W=water...

There are a few reasons why its going a bit slow listed earlier in the thread. Builders are also wel lknown for having long breaks. It's not going that slowly though, it's because lots is happening lower down, such as cladding rather than adding on more floors.

Does anyone know of a completion date for this project...? Are there any of the apartments on the curved part still available..? If not I guess they may come available on completion or the run up to it.. Anyone got any ideas of prices of the apartments on the curved part may be on completion...?? as I feel they will be the executive ones... It is going to be a great building for some lucky people to live in.... :runaway:

err...W=water...

BWP = Bridgewater Water Place? :?

BWP = Bridgewater Water Place? :?

Charlie, we've all abbreviated it to BWP for many moons as a convenient acronym even though it is not grammatically correct. Any reason for making such a pedantic point now?

Charlie, we've all abbreviated it to BWP for many moons as a convenient acronym even though it is not grammatically correct. Any reason for making such a pedantic point now?

Sheer bloody-mindedness.

Sheer bloody-mindedness.

TBH, I'm glad people refer to it as BWP, it stops me getting it confused with British Petroleum.

Does anyone know of a completion date for this project...? Are there any of the apartments on the curved part still available..? If not I guess they may come available on completion or the run up to it.. Anyone got any ideas of prices of the apartments on the curved part may be on completion...?? as I feel they will be the executive ones... It is going to be a great building for some lucky people to live in.... :runaway:
Morgans I believe are marketing the apts: http://www.cityliving.co.uk/

Office element is late 2006 (first 10 floors). Upper 20, well, prob not before mid to late 2007 before they are released for occupation.

Don't know whether anyone has noticed but - as the new resi floors are going up, you can see how the 'rear' of the tower will taper as it goes up the floors.
There are now 3 resi floors in place.

Yeah I mentioned it briefly in the official leeds thread. After a slow start, good progress is being made now with the smaller residential floorplates.

Ah the webcam is working again. Good excuse for me not to do any work.....

Took a wander down this morning (sorry no pics as i dont yet have a memory card for my new camera) and it looks like some supports have been put in place for the footbridges at the narrower end of the atrium (By the pub). Also, the glazing is progressing well on the office section.

This is the progress up to the beginning of December.

BTW, the 1st image I saved was on December 24th 2004. :cheers: (thirsty work)

http://www.freeimghost.us/uploads/c902a63500.gif

Hey, daveylad2, what software did you use to make that animated GIF? I fancy making one of my own...

Hey, daveylad2, what software did you use to make that animated GIF? I fancy making one of my own...

It's called easy GIF animator. If you Google it you should be able to download it from somewhere. You get 20 free uses before you have to register it.

Nice one - thanks for the tip!

http://members.lycos.co.uk/xapbpoh/photos/bwp06jan.JPG

http://members.lycos.co.uk/xapbpoh/photos/bwp06jan.JPG

top banana, the cladding is starting to creep around the sites of the office block. Bulking out impressively. Still seems to be taking an age to get the tower floor up though.

Some cheeky windows appearing at the bottom left corner and on the Globe Rd side too!

http://members.lycos.co.uk/xapbpoh/photos/bwp06jan.JPG

okay, the lift holes in the core are facing outwards and from this point I've realised I'm not sure what they are going to exit out on to. Surely the bit directly in front of each of the lift holes will be on top of the glass atrium? Seems a bit strange to me. Am sure all will become clearer in time, but anyone else see what I mean?

Could it be a glass elevator stuck on the outside (facing in), 'the Gateway' is having the outside lifts aswell. (Good for viewing the city!)

Could it be a glass elevator stuck on the outside (facing in), 'the Gateway' is having the outside lifts aswell. (Good for viewing the city!)

You might be right there. A bit like the ones in No1 City Square I think....

Nice!

Could be- wouldn't bet on it though. Don't the holes go straight through, in other words, the lifts actually face inwards. I don't know though...

If you look at the aerial render on the bwp website you can see the lift shaft going along the edge of the tower.

okay, the lift holes in the core are facing outwards and from this point I've realised I'm not sure what they are going to exit out on to. Surely the bit directly in front of each of the lift holes will be on top of the glass atrium? Seems a bit strange to me. Am sure all will become clearer in time, but anyone else see what I mean?

The holes that are visible in the core aren't 'lift holes' !

They are the entrance doorways to the lift lobbies, inside the lift lobbies (inside the core) are three doorways on each floor for triple lift shafts on the south side and entrances to a staircase on the north side. On a bright day, if you look through the visible door ways when a low light is shining in there, you can see the lift door openings inside.

Ok changed my mind. Infact I'm almost certain you're right. I've just been on the BWP site, and it says there will be scenic lifts, and looking at the floorplans, it shows the lifts right where they should be for this, so on second thoughts, I think they are. That should be good!

Some shots from this last week of Bridgewater Place; looking at them makes me realise they're already out of date. For example, most of the cladding on the Victoria Road facade is now in place.


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/26%20Jan%202006/P1010004.jpg


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/26%20Jan%202006/P1010026.jpg


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/26%20Jan%202006/P1010031.jpg


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/26%20Jan%202006/P1010029.jpg


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/26%20Jan%202006/P1010014.jpg


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/26%20Jan%202006/P1010051.jpg

Nice pictures.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/26%20Jan%202006/P1010051.jpg

Crikey. I know where Woody's next film should be set.

http://www.gothamist.com/attachments/tien%20mao/2005_10_swoody.jpg

Hot on the heels of Aviator, I took advantage of Saturday's sunshine. A few more of BWP. The cladding is creeping around the building, although the tower is only up to the 15th storey. So halfway for the infrastructure to climb.
http://img489.imageshack.us/img489/1238/img06043yn.jpg

http://img489.imageshack.us/img489/3533/img06061vj.jpg

http://img489.imageshack.us/img489/984/img06247wm.jpg

http://img489.imageshack.us/img489/9606/img06267cn.jpg

We're not quite up to the volume Beetham Manchester thread (or even close), but trying to get a few more regular photos might get us on to a 2nd thread. Yikes - what a thought.

Imagine how geeky we'll get if Venture Tower and Criterion Place ever see the light of day. Might need another 512mb memory card.

The doorways on the east elevation of the core lead out into storage areas located up the side of the tower. This structure is formed in steelwork, which can be seen advancing up the side of the core. It is currently at level 5.

The smaller openings to the north of the doorway are for the installation of automatic opening vents which are require to ventilate the escape stair which is located in the NE corner of the core.

The core contains 3 lifts. There are two scenic lifts in the atrium which serve the east office block. They are glass backed cars which run in a glass enclosure up the front of the east office core. If you look into the atrium from the north end you can see the location currently full of scaffolding and sand coloured steelwork.

Are those lifts the ones down the bottom (the furthest lifts from the core?). So there are 3 lifts in the core that aren't scenic? I'm confuzzled!

3 lifts in the main core serving the residential apartments.

4 lifts in the east office core 2 of which are scenic.

5 lifts in the west office core

1 disabled lift serving ground and 1st only.

13 lifts in total

ooh OK, thanks! You involved in this then or just done your research?

Is it true that the main tower has metal cladding? I'm really looking forward to seeing that go up, should be a nice change from stone or glass.

Yep, aluminium according to the bwp website.

Cool, should look really nice. I'm not too sure about the cladding thats gone up so far, although the parts where the glass has already been installed look pretty good.

I like the stone cladding, but I think it's the aluminium that will make or break it. Hopefully it'll look sharp and modern. I'm sure whatever happens though, it will be dazzling when it's sunny!

Well...it's a long mother int' it!

Lookin' good...brilliant pics.

Ok, so another sunny day in Leeds. I thought i'd make the most of it and get some more pictures of BWP. I didn't manage to take pictures of anything else because I couldn't be bothered to get my lazy bum out of the car.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/bwp_feb.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/bwp_feb_w.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/bwp_feb_y.jpg

Love that first pic, I wonder when theyll start on the actual tower.

The red columns are the resi floors which is what the tower consists of. They're onto the 5th of those now.

Tweakwed the webcam this afernoon whilst I was killing time at work lol!

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/Steelcityrise/bridgewaterframe.jpg

Nice job! Now all you need to do is roll the clock forward about 20 years and we'll all be convinced!

Could be a slight incongruity between the large stripe of white stone and the aluminium panelling. Or am i just worrying uneccessarily?

http://www.leedscivictrust.org.uk/images/bridgewater4.jpg

And has anyone else noticed that Jan Fletcher, she of City One fame, is actually very attactive (see Leeds Live It Love It brochure).

The floors are going up fast now.
They are now well on with decking out for the 17th floor.

Don't think this has been posted before.

"Lend Lease managing director Greg Clarke said that the company had been forced to make provisions on its recently-completed $300 million contract for phase one of BBC Broadcasting House in London due to the complexity of the design and defaulting sub-contractors.

It also made provisions on the $140 million Bridgewater Place project in Leeds after nine weeks of high winds prevented crane operations and sub-contractor defaults"

Don't think this has been posted before.

"Lend Lease managing director Greg Clarke said that the company had been forced to make provisions on its recently-completed $300 million contract for phase one of BBC Broadcasting House in London due to the complexity of the design and defaulting sub-contractors.

It also made provisions on the $140 million Bridgewater Place project in Leeds after nine weeks of high winds prevented crane operations and sub-contractor defaults"

yes, that was in Construction News this week - I think we all knew about the defaulting subcontractors (concrete formwork for superstructure), but still miffed about these high winds!

sorry to be dumn as i cant be arsed to read through the entire thread but has the topping out ceremony happened yet....?

sorry to be dumn as i cant be arsed to read through the entire thread but has the topping out ceremony happened yet....?

You lazy arse. :)
No it hasn't.

oh come on, would u read 19 pages of this to find out one question?

so wat do u yorkshire residents think of this tower....im thinking now its starting to go up, its massing looks so much better!

oh come on, would u read 19 pages of this to find out one question?


Or alternatively look up a few posts to see that the tower is at least 15 floors away from topping out. :)

yes, but how long is a piece of string mr chris????

well i have my answer now lol

I'm not so sure, there might have been a small ceremony when the core topped out (which is the highest point of the structure). that happened some months ago.

Yes there was a ceremony when the core topped out- they had a little meeting with champagne and stuff. A while ago as Rob says.

.......so wat do u yorkshire residents think of this tower....im thinking now its starting to go up, its massing looks so much better!


Well, this Yorkshire resident likes it a lot. I thought the contrast between the boxiness of the front block and the rather 1930s curves of the tower might have been a bit uncomfortable but I think it's resolving itself.


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/22%20Feb%202006/P1010084.jpg


I also like the way the building has made its mark on the city's skyline.


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/22%20Feb%202006/P1010101.jpg

i always thought it was wierd that the builders seem to build the entire core of this building before working on the floors. i remember going past on the train a number of times and thinking how wierd it was

Well, the site was certainly a hive of activity this morning. Lots going on.
Most of the glazing on the ground floor on the office side is done, and the window frames are in place on the second floor as well.
The 17th floor seems to be complete, though whether the concrete has been poured on the decking yet it's hard to say.
A few of the walkways across the atrium at the narrow end are in place.
They've started to clad the bottom part of the tower (where the cladding is still stone).

Somewhat out of date but interesting nonetheless. (Leeds Cityscape)


http://www.leeds-cityscape.co.uk/photos/16-02-2006/b/DSCF0014.JPG


http://www.leeds-cityscape.co.uk/photos/16-02-2006/b/DSCF0003.JPG


http://www.leeds-cityscape.co.uk/photos/16-02-2006/b/300805.JPG

Firstly I can't find who posted the original picture to credit them so my apologies to them, but here are a few pictures of BWP with a couple of months projection between each picture added on just as an idea...

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/bwp_a01.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/bwp_a02.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/bwp_a03.jpg

Firstly I can't find who posted the original picture to credit them so my apologies to them, but here are a few pictures of BWP with a couple of months projection between each picture added on just as an idea...
Wow - good "Photoshopping" there smarty!

Aww it's snowing :cheers:

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/Steelcityrise/snow.jpg

Can't really agree that the spine is particularly spindly but anyway! leedstoday.net

The high life...
Its spindly spine has dominated the Leeds skyline for months...so, when will Bridgewater Place flesh out into the shimmering tower depicted in the brochure? Debbie Leigh finds out
FOR the last two years we have watched it grow...piece by piece...until it reached its 105-metre peak.
Then the external cladding started to climb the central core, adding width and shape to the landmark structure.
Now the city's tallest commercial building, visible from every gateway into Leeds, is just months from opening the doors to its first office workers.
The offices and all external works at Bridgewater Place, Water Lane, should be finished by August. And international law firm Eversheds, to whom half the 230,000 ft of office space has been pre-let, expects to be trading from its new home before Christmas.
The £140m 32-storey building, covering 400,000 sq ft, doesn't just change the city's skyline; its innovative mixed-use style will change the face of city-centre living.
The offices and 201 luxury apartments are brought together by a suspended skywalk across an eight-storey glass atrium, and there are plans for two restaurants, a champagne bar and a newsagent.
Two of the five leisure and retail units are already under offer. A well-known Leeds restaurateur is said to be taking one and Philpotts, an upmarket sandwich shop with branches across the country, is understood to be taking the second.
Chris Gilman, director of Landmark Development Projects, joint developer with St James Securities, said around 2,000 people would eventually live and work in the building.
With its high-profile location in the heart of the new corporate city district, thousands more from nearby businesses are expected to use its facilities.
Mr Gilman said: "We wanted to create an American-style mixed-use building, which hasn't really been done over here - except for perhaps in London.
"Having all these different uses in one building gives a real feeling of vitality.
"Instead of nine to five it's going to be busy between 7am and midnight."
It is seven years since Landmark Development Projects and St James Securities came up with the vision of Bridgewater Place.They bought the site in 2000 and work started in 2004.
It was originally meant to be 24 storeys, but because it occupied what Leeds City Council labelled a "prestige development site," the authority encouraged the developers to think really big and create a true landmark building - so they added another eight floors.
The external work had been scheduled for completion next month. Work inside the apartments is expected to start in August and continue for around a year.
Mr Gilman said: "It has been a much harder and more difficult process than I had imagined, but I'm very proud of it.
"The end result will be something people drive past for years. I'm sure I will think, 'it was amazing to be involved in that'."
Stephen Hopkins, managing partner of Eversheds, said: "When it came to choosing new premises, Bridgewater Place was the number-one choice.
"Its iconic status as the region's tallest building, state-of-the-art design, quality of internal space and gateway location were all winning attributes."
The remaining office space is still available from 9,000 sq ft.
Apartments on floors 10 to 30 range from £100,000 "crash pads" - small flats aimed at first-time buyers or professionals needing somewhere to "crash" during the week - to £250,000 two-bedroom apartments.
They are being delivered in partnership with city-living specialist K.W. Linfoot and have all already been sold.
l Later this week the YEP will bring you the first pictures inside Bridgewater Place.
debbie.leigh@ypn.co.uk

looks like the cladding on the main curved bit of the tower is going on...i saw some windows yesterday but as yet, no sight of the "anodised aluminium cladding panels". very soon we will though i guess...

looks like the cladding on the main curved bit of the tower is going on...i saw some windows yesterday but as yet, no sight of the "anodised aluminium cladding panels". very soon we will though i guess...


Mmm, can hardly wait to see that happen. I love the curved part of the tower and rather regret that the curviness of the earlier design got eliminated even if it was less elegant than what we have now. Anyway, in the absence of real news, a few pics I took in the sunshine.


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/2%20March%202006/P1010081.jpg


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/2%20March%202006/P1010083.jpg


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/2%20March%202006/P1010084.jpg


http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a178/apm22/2%20March%202006/P1010085.jpg

Although the pics are only a week old, work has already moved up another floor on the tower and the cladding has been almost all installed Victoria Road front of the building.

Am I the only one who thinks the low-rise element looks worryingly like a multi-storey carpark?

I see what you mean, but wait until the glazing goes in. It'll look lots better then!

Nice pictures aviator. They've been making really good progress over the last few weeks (they need to if they plan on being done externally by August!). Did the YEP ever print those pictures of the inside?

I wouldn't know not being in Leeds at the moment. They're completely useless at updating their website. It's rubbish as it is nevermind not actually showing the relevant day's news!

Yeah I know what you mean. I'm not in Leeds at the moment either so it's hard to keep up with whats going on!

I happened to get the YEP on Friday, and here is a scan of the page.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid202/pb3e3e6e03e9790ff500ac5ee7881fc48/efdd3130.jpg

Hope you can read it. I would challenge their claim that these are the first photos from inside the building. In another Skyscrapercity.com exclusive, we had the first photos from near the top floor, from our own sources !

Looks like you can't read it, it says -

'These are the first photographs taken from inside Leeds's tallest building. Even from the 10th floor-just a third of the way to the top, they offer a panoramic view of the city and beyond.
And when it's finished, residents of Bridgewater Place's luxury top floor apartments will able to see for 25 miles-weather permitting.
Yesterday the YEP was one of the first to tour the 110m tall structure, at the corner of Water Lane and Victoria.
Standing among the concrete slabs, piping and puddles, with a biting wind whipping through its open fploor spaces it was hard to imaginepeople would be trading there before the end of the year.
Chris Gilman, director of Landmark Development Projects, joint develoer with St James Securities, was confident all the external work and the interior of the offices would be complete by September.
Half the 230,000 ft (they meen sq ft) of office accomodation has already been pre-let to international law firm Eversheds, which expects to be working there by Christmas.
The 10th floor of the iconic landmark will be the last level of office space beneath 20 floors of apartments ranging from £100,000 "crash pads" to £250,000 two bedroom homes.
Mr Gilman said: "the 11th floor is the lowest residential accomodation so even there they will still have amazing views."
Glass
The two buildings now in place will eventually be brought together by a magnificent eight storey glass atrium creating the region's largest single venue for commercial and leisure use.
Connecting bridges between the two buildings, across the the atrium, will provide "sky lobbies" with a bird's eye view of the people working and walking beneath.
The £85.5 million freehold sale is the largest private investment in Leeds city centre. When complete 40,000 tonnes of concrete will have been used.

Great pics Aviator.

Thanks for that Rob. Lucky people will be getting the penthouses - 25 mile views!

A nice view of the riverside. I'm convinced Leeds should try to be more of a river city in the next 10 years. And a skyscrapercity, of course.

Without wanting to drift too much ( and I aware this is akin to lighting the bluetouch paper) I recently visited our friends from across the pennines, and was very impressed by the way they are highlighting the quays area. By reclaming what is in essence wasteground, and using good developments, they are transforming the area.

By reclaming what is in essence wasteground, and using good developments, they are transforming the area.

I guess that's what's happening in Leeds as well, although perhaps not on such a large scale. The East end area, round by Trinity One and Clarence Dock, and the west end, Whitehall riverside, are pretty much unrecognisable from how they appeared 10 years ago. BWP and Holbeck Urban village are pushing the city core beyond the North side of the river.

However, the people of Leeds continue to occupy a small, town-like space in the centre, and most people are probably unaware of places like Cross Keys and the Oracle bar unless they happen to work down there. I'd like to see a few more inclusive developments, eg. a concert hall on the Asda site would liven things up a bit (but that's pie in the sky, I know). It would be nice if there was something grand enough to stop outsiders calling the river 'a canal'.

My Dad's a Wearsider, brought up on Newcastle, and is always making disdainful comments about Leeds lacking a focal point like the Quayside, or a genuine river setting. Maybe this is turning into another directionless rant, but I'm hoping a refurbished Temple Mill and a cluster of decent skyscrapers will give Leeds a sexy new town, which could be a decent alternative to flumping along Commercial Street to Boots, whether it's sustainable or not is another matter.

I think the Granary Wharf development will be important, as that has the capability to open up a major area of waterside land.

Speaking of Newcastle and concert halls, I recently had the pleasure of visiting the Sage. A fabulous building. It left me wondering how much Leeds could use such a facility. Not only because we are in need of a venue of a similar size (and obviously bigger as well though that should hopefully be sorted by the arena), but also because of the impact that a genuinely world-class piece of architecture has on lifting the feeling of the whole area.
That, combined with the Baltic, show what can be done in a once neglected area. I could talk about the lack of cultural buildings in Leeds at the moment for a long time, but I think that's best left for another time and thread!

because of the impact that a genuinely world-class piece of architecture has on lifting the feeling of the whole area.


Perhaps we need to have more architectural competitions in Leeds, of the sort that yielded Criterion Place (which, if not unique, is certainly iconic). I'm not advocating the building of ephemeral iconic structures, just decent understated design. Something like Edward Cullinan's visitors centre at Fountains Abbey or Basil Spence's Cov cathedral. Sympathetic and stylish in its own right.

http://www.edwardcullinanarchitects.com/projects/cultural/img/e_fountain.jpg

I'd like to say BWP will be afforded the treatment of an iconic building, and again we come back to the issue of media representation (my favourite obsession), it's striking enough to attract more than local attention, and offers a much more go-ahead image of Leeds than Gormley's brick man.

But also the quayside in NewcastleGateshead feels quite deserted sometimes- unless is an event there isn't that much around that area... So it is important to consider that loadsa restaurants and shops might make the area feel alot livlier and better than a major landmark.

It may sound obvious, but development sparks development. The quayside was completely deserted a few years back, but the refurbishment of the Baltic sparked the apartments in that area, and then the Sage a few years later. The more that is built, the more people will use the area. It is probably similar to Clarence Dock. At the moment you can wander round and not see another soul, but in a few years though, when everything is complete, I suspect it will be quite a busy area. The Armouries was a good start, but there is still so much more that can be done.

As someone mentioned, they have started to put the glazing on the curved section of the tower- looks very promising. The metal walkways across the atrium are in place at one end, and you can see the impressive impact they'll have on the atrium space itself.
One slight concern I have about the scheme is the amount of the stone cladding. I quite like the stone, but there are vast areas of it, and it looks slightly flat when viewed from a distance. Its a shame they didnt integrate more of the aluminium cladding into the rest of the tower, rather than limiting it to such a small area.

..........One slight concern I have about the scheme is the amount of the stone cladding. I quite like the stone, but there are vast areas of it, and it looks slightly flat when viewed from a distance. Its a shame they didnt integrate more of the aluminium cladding into the rest of the tower, rather than limiting it to such a small area.

I suppose this comes down to the subtlety (or lack of it) in the design. Seeing the stonework in its current state, I rather agree with you about the feeling of flatness, but I reckon we have to factor in the bronze and the glass, as well as the aluminium. All of these will lift the stonework, and give it depth (just hope I don't have to eat my words when the building's finished).

I do feel, though, that the aluminium gains from being used in quite small quantities rather than plastered all over the building. I also give the developers an award for quality and integrity in that they've used the stone cladding all over the building, rather than only on the most visible facades. Go and take a look at No 1 Park Row, if you want to see how the cheapskate approach looks when brick replaces stone on the less prominent (but still visible) parts of the building.

It seems the pattern on the stonework may have been a sign that the architects were concerned about the possible slab effect of the office element. Possibly the pattern could have been more pronounced, though I suppose it's easy with hindsight. I like the quality of the stone, but I'll reserve any further thoghts until the metal and glass has progressed further.

Is that metal cladding I can see on the webcam?

LIVE PICTURE

http://bridgewaterlive.aql.com/bridgewater.jpg

I had a look at the metal renders today, it's still too early to tell. The metal appeared to have a plastic film over it so you can't quite make out what it will be like. I have to say it's looking more impressive by the day!

Yep, they've really been flying along recently. It seems to grow a floor a week now.

Yep, they've really been flying along recently. It seems to grow a floor a week now.

Well if the Empire State Building in New York could grow by a new storey every week in the 1930's I don't see why a much smaller building in Leeds in the 21st century can't do the same ! :)

First anodised aluminium cladding fixed in place today, curved face of tower level 3 on west side.

Well if the Empire State Building in New York could grow by a new storey every week in the 1930's I don't see why a much smaller building in Leeds in the 21st century can't do the same ! :)
Well, if we're going by comparisons I'd say the progress in the last 6 months or so has been more akin to La Sagrada Familia than the Empire State Building!

Well, if we're going by comparisons I'd say the progress in the last 6 months or so has been more akin to La Sagrada Familia than the Empire State Building!

Certainly, the drying of paint has been more diverting in the last few months.
But I'm not complaining, a lot of stuff in Leeds goes up far too quickly for my liking.

Certainly, the drying of paint has been more diverting in the last few months.
But I'm not complaining, a lot of stuff in Leeds goes up far too quickly for my liking.

In this connection at least speed has nothing to do with quality - or the lack of it.

What goes up far too quickly in Leeds!? Or anywhere in this country!

Here's a pic I ..er..borrowed off the BBC webcam a couple of days ago , when the sun was shining. We can definately see the first of the curved cladding at the lower few floors.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid202/p491e3997f749335621335b11a671fd3b/efbaf353.jpg

We can definately see the first of the curved cladding at the lower few floors.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid202/p491e3997f749335621335b11a671fd3b/efbaf353.jpg

Looks good to me.

I've just completed a finished render based on what we can see.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/bwp_a01.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/bwp_a02.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/bwp_a03.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/SMARTCITY/bwpc.jpg

Lovely :) I'm sure it will look stunning this summer when the sun's reflecting off it!

Nice work.