London - Full Summary of Projects 20

[Langur]

@Office Dibble
Yes indeed. I'm talking of Southwark itself (+ Elephant and Waterloo) rather than the Borough of Southwark, which stretches all the way out to Dulwich.

[Mr Bricks]

Originally Posted by Langur

Absolutely, yes. Anyone who loves architecture can appreciate a beautiful house. LA has hundreds in any number of styles. There's certainly no city in Europe that can match LA when it comes ot house architecture over the last 100 years.But culture is produced. At no point in Barcelona's history has it ever been even remotely as culturally influential as LA has been for the last 100 years. Picasso left for Paris because of Barcelona's cultural provincialism.

They're nice, but nothing I would show around to promote architecture in any city. Barcelona has, just like London, changed a lot in recent years, from a gritty industrial city to the amazing urban place we see today.

You seem to think that everything is a contest, which is ridiculous. I think American culture overall, which is the most global and dominant culture today, isn't particularly interesting or attractive. I would much rather wander the streets of Barcelona, Berlin or Vienna and appreciate the culture these cities have to offer.

Now I've never been to LA, and I'm not going to say the city is crap, however, when it comes to architecture and urbanity it is not a world city in any way.

[El_Greco]

Originally Posted by PadArch

I actually think it's refreshing to see those family homes in the middle of London.

Oh youve got to be kidding me! That sort of crap has no place in city centre nor inner city...I mean lol -

[tuten]

I can pick out much worse inner city residential areas in places like New York and Paris. Every city has them. Why don't you point your magic Google maps to the belzise park area, about a mile from Camden, to see some more standard London inner city housing.

[El_Greco]

Theres suburban housing in Manhattan and central Paris? As for Belsize Park its just your usual suburb with endless rows of 2-3 storey terraces, some detached houses and post-war dross. Nothing exciting either Im afraid.

[potto]

Originally Posted by tuten

I can pick out much worse inner city residential areas in places like New York and Paris. Every city has them. Why don't you point your magic Google maps to the belzise park area, about a mile from Camden, to see some more standard London inner city housing.

but why bother defending it? It is crap full stop. Built at a time of misunderstanding. There is plenty of it around and plenty of terrible post war estates too. It isnt good enough for London

[flare]

Can anyone name any medium-high density inner London (not Central London, i.e. zone 1-2 but outside Congestion Charge area) residential developments from the period 1970-95 that aren't on the river?

[El_Greco]

Originally Posted by potto

It isnt good enough for London

Which is my whole point.

[flare]

Originally Posted by El_Greco

Theres suburban housing in Manhattan and central Paris? As for Belsize Park its just your usual suburb with endless rows of 2-3 storey terraces, some detached houses and post-war dross. Nothing exciting either Im afraid.

Please point me in the direction of 2 storey terraces in Belsize Park. A handful of 2 storey detached housing maybe.

[El_Greco]

Of course there are 3 storey buildings, even 4, but most of the area is your typical low-lying 2-3 storey London suburb -

[tuten]

Originally Posted by El_Greco

Theres suburban housing in Manhattan and central Paris? As for Belsize Park its just your usual suburb with endless rows of 2-3 storey terraces, some detached houses and post-war dross. Nothing exciting either Im afraid.

Yes, there is.


Not every area needs to be exiting, in fact it is detriment to the fabric of a city to try and make every road unique.

[tuten]

Originally Posted by El_Greco

Of course there are 3 storey buildings, even 4, but most of the area is your typical low-lying 2-3 storey London suburb -

Exactly, most of those are typical (admittedly this area has more good examples Georgian architecture than the rest of London) , much better than the below average housing you first posted.

I'd like to see comparable housing 2-4 miles from central LA, Berlin, Moscow etc.

[potto]

Originally Posted by tuten

Yes, there is.


Not every area needs to be exiting, in fact it is detriment to the fabric of a city to try and make every road unique.

it isn't even about that, there is too much fractured urban grain outside of zone1 and south of the river and it is very detrimental to how people experience a place. Defending everything just because a Highgate village exists or because there is something ugly in some distant city is not particularly useful.

[tuten]

I'm not saying there are no issues with poor urban design in London, the point is that it's not an issue exclusive to London and the pictures El_greco first posted are far from the norm (some of them aren't even that bad).

[El_Greco]

That below average housing happens to be in Central London (unbelievable I know!). You wont find anything of the sort (ie suburban housing) in any other European centre. But all of this has been discussed in two threads already, so.

[tuten]

Yes, all housing in every other European cities is perfect, how silly of me.

[El_Greco]

Congratulations on completely mis-interpreting my post, we are all most proud of you.

[tuten]

Congratulations on taking this thread off topic.

[kerouac1848]

Originally Posted by El_Greco

That below average housing happens to be in Central London (unbelievable I know!). You wont find anything of the sort (ie suburban housing) in any other European centre.

So you'd prefer London to be like Paris where huge estates encircle the tiny official city boundary and which house the bulk of non-whites and poor whites in the region whilst the city itself is left to a load of bourgeoisie snobs and tourists?

Right.

[flare]

Originally Posted by El_Greco

Of course there are 3 storey buildings, even 4, but most of the area is your typical low-lying 2-3 storey London suburb -

Those pictures are not typical of Belsize Park. I'll give you the third picture as being Belsize Park, the frist two more debatable. The second two are detached and part of a small collection of roads with substantial and very expensive detached housing on.

This is typical of Belsize Park:

3-5 storey terraces
http://g.co/maps/wwp5j

~4 storey blocks
http://g.co/maps/nph6w
http://g.co/maps/4xqt4

I agree with what you have said elsewhere in the thread, you don't need to make sprurious comments that most of Belzise Park is 2-3 storey terraces.