US Embassy | Wandsworth | Prep

[cnapan]

Originally Posted by The Champ

How do they clean the windows with those kite things on there?

I imagine they'll be cleaned from behind, but what about the kite things themselves?

Some materials - stone, brick, wood, age nicely when left exposed. Some others don't seem to age at all. Others start looking tatty and a little bit shit, especially glass used for structures which nobody intends to clean such as entrance awnings. Our local library has one which is only a few years old but already displays a wonderful collection of general crap from the skies.

I think it would benefit us all hugely if architects included a representation of what the building would look like after 50 years, or what it would look like on a morning like today - grey and wet... If it can cheer us up during such weather, surely it's a nice thing to have around.

[Sesquip]

Originally Posted by cnapan

I did like this image. If you look carefully, in the future, homosexuals from arabia will be able to meet up after a hard day in the office and hug and kiss without having to make use of the taller bushes in the garden.

(Only slightly joking. It's not actually that funny that were this thing to happen in real life in much of the world, the two gentlemen would be getting into serious trouble).

If they are Kuwaiti, then they are greeting each other normally.

[cnapan]

Originally Posted by Sesquip

If they are Kuwaiti, then they are greeting each other normally.

Er.. why do they have do be Kuwaitis for it to be 'normal' for two blokes to hug and kiss?

[Ebeneezer_Goode]

He never said they'd have to be Kuwaitis for it to be normal.

[cnapan]

You're both missing the point. Of course I know that the stock image is uncontroversial because it is taken merely to represent two men exchanging a platonic greeting. I was making a joke about them being gay, but the serious point is that the embrace wouldn't have featured at all had it not been two 'kuwaiti men greeting each other "normally" '.

The point I'm making is that you would be hard pressed to find such architectural drawings featuring two men holding hands or greeting each other as lovers... It's unlikely that even gay westerners would be portrayed in such mockups, which is understandable when so much development is being funded by states with an overtly homophobic worldview.

I'm sorry my point was not better made.

[Ebeneezer_Goode]

Yeah... I was just giving you the benefit of the doubt that you're weren't making a joke about them being gay...

[Loathing]

Frankly I don't understand how you got from "two Arab men greeting each other normally" to "homosexual men often can't express their love openly in the USA".

[cnapan]

Originally Posted by Loathing

Frankly I don't understand how you got from "two Arab men greeting each other normally" to "homosexual men often can't express their love openly in the USA".

Well I didn't mention the USA, but now you mention it, yep, there are large parts of the USA where you'd run serious risks by holding hands let alone kissing!

Luckily, this is a building in London, so the architectural renders shouldn't have any difficulty in showing a couple of blokes kissing 'normally' (i.e. as lovers would).

[Light Parade]

Originally Posted by Swissdave

Meanwhile on the riverside side of the road, Riverlight (which has no thread on SSC, but is large and tall, and probably would have one if it wasn't so remote) has reached over 10 storeys.

Ah yes, Riverlight. Or Rogers-Lite, as perhaps it should have been called.

But those big cranes have been busy for a while - it ought to have a thread.

[LDN_EUROPE]

Hi Light Parade - there is a Riverlight thread here: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showth...0#post98733560

Feel free to contribute, as it is quite a quiet thread at the moment.

[Rational Plan]

http://www.propertyweek.com/ballymor...048199.article

Ballymore is in negotiations with the Netherlands and another, as yet unnamed, country for two new UK embassies in the Nine Elms regeneration area in Wandsworth.

With the new US embassy already under construction at the site, this would create a total of three new embassies at Ballymore’s Embassy Gardens scheme.

The Dutch embassy will be developed next to the £500m US embassy.

The Netherlands is understood to be close to finalising the agreement with Ballymore and an announcement is expected later this month.Ballymore is in negotiations with the Netherlands and another, as yet unnamed, country for two new UK embassies in the Nine Elms regeneration area in Wandsworth.

With the new US embassy already under construction at the site, this would create a total of three new embassies at Ballymore’s Embassy Gardens scheme.

The Dutch embassy will be developed next to the £500m US embassy.

The Netherlands is understood to be close to finalising the agreement with Ballymore and an announcement is expected later this month.

[LDN_EUROPE]

I wonder which country the unnamed one is...?

[DeFiBkIlLeR]

Originally Posted by LDN_EUROPE

I wonder which country the unnamed one is...?

Scotland...?

[Loathing]

If these new embassies are architecturally ambitious (which they can and should be in this area) then we could be seeing a unique cluster of really special architecture in Nine Elms. I'm really excited about this area.

[cnapan]

Originally Posted by DeFiBkIlLeR

Scotland...?

LOL

As a Scot in England, I only hope I'm not having to laugh on the other side of my face in 2 years.

Fingers crossed that the olympics ('team GB triumph') plus Alex Salmond being bitch-slapped by the EU* will stop the narrow-minded nationalists from tearing apart my country.

If we weren't already united, then there would be a very strong case for uniting, given that we share an island!

(* reference to the EU putting paid to Alex Salmond's erroneous claims that the current treaties would cover Scotland once independent)

[LDN_EUROPE]

United we stand... anyway, seriously, I wonder which country it might be. Maybe a country that wants to associate with the States... I can only think of Israel!

[jack_jones]

Originally Posted by LDN_EUROPE

I wonder which country the unnamed one is...?

Iran

But being serious, I'm guessing maybe Israel, Canada or maybe Germany.

[LDN_EUROPE]

Ye, I was thinking Germany, no idea why though. Hope it is, as I imagine they would design a nice building. The Netherlands is my favourite mainland European country, but not sure what their budget will be, compared to the USA and Germany.

[Loathing]

Germany's Embassy is already in a very good location not far from Whitehall. And they're already in a modern, purpose-built building. I don't see any reason they'd move.

Canada doesn't have an Embassy.

It could really be any country. Maybe Italy, since their Embassy is also on Grosvenor Sq., and it's possible their lease might be running out.

[LDN_EUROPE]

What's that Canada House thing next to Trafalgar Square?