Official Leeds thread 3

[di Livio]

Yes, but it's nice to see them again all the same.

In my impatience for an art cinema to open in Leeds, I uncovered these images of Portland Gate

I'm still not sure if an art cinema is part of this proposal. it would be madness not to have one in this location, between the city centre and the universities.

[Da Bomb]

More car parking lost close to the centre. This is becoming a major issue for Leeds and needs to be addressed immediately!!!!

[magicrealist]

Is the Dry Dock poking it's bow somewhere there on the right?

Imagine the pitch...yeah, I'm gonna take an old barge and put on top of a traffic island in the middle of leeds, and then I'm gonna turn it into a pub. Still, right next to Leeds Met - if you build it they will come...to get pissed!

[homesweethome]

think a building like this is a lot more suitable to that site than a grotty open air car park! has this scheme been proposed or in planning?

[MikeinLeeds]

Originally Posted by homesweethome

think a building like this is a lot more suitable to that site than a grotty open air car park! has this scheme been proposed or in planning?

Like the Warehouse Hill scheme, this is another Taylor Woodrow project on which there appears to be no movement whatsoever. The cinema element of the plan fell by the wayside ages ago as no funding could be found. I think that part of the site was marketed again a year or so ago, but no news on who bought it.

[Smoggie_Si]

Originally Posted by homesweethome

think a building like this is a lot more suitable to that site than a grotty open air car park! has this scheme been proposed or in planning?

I agree but the point is that car parking space in Leeds is becoming more and more limited. All the Whitehall Road car parks have gone or are going, Portland will be going, likewise the one by the Round Foundary. These were also some of the more affordable car parks for people who work in the centre and have to drive in. There are few new car parking spaces being created to replace them and the ones that are are in exorbitantly priced multistories.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to see a reduction in the number of cars in Leeds City Centre but given the dire state of the public transport system, there is little alternative for many people but to drive. Given the number of spaces disappearing, there needs to be thought given to creating affordable parking on the periphery of the city centre otherwise key workers will be unable to afford to park and this will harm the economy and Leeds' prospects for growth.

[homesweethome]

smoggie si- point taken bout the car parking issue but a site like this directly behind the civic hall, one of leeds most recognisable and prestigous buildings deserves to be more than a car park . imeanwhat impression does this give to visitors, this is prime land! but yeah car parking is a big issue quarry hill is also a an example.

mike in leeds- i posted this a few weeks back but i was driving past the site and saw a group of workers and two small drilling rigs towards the top end of the car park. not sure how relevent it all is to this proposal. but could be some sort of move ment

also does any one know what they are doin to those terraces directly accross the road to this site?

[mike68]

They where taking core samples on this site on Sunday, so there is some movement!

[Leeds No.1]

smoggie, the public transport in Leeds isn't reall the best, infact its not very good for a city of its size, but still, it doesnt stop people using it. You living in Horsforth means you can easily get a train into the city centre, or a bus if you wanted.

[jimbo]

Originally Posted by di Livio

Yes, but it's nice to see them again all the same.

In my impatience for an art cinema to open in Leeds, I uncovered these images of Portland Gate

I'm still not sure if an art cinema is part of this proposal. it would be madness not to have one in this location, between the city centre and the universities.

Cheers for those, almost had forgotten what it looked like. I remember this being mentioned about a year and a half ago when the council chose these designs as part of a design competition (similar in scope to CP with three contestants). Since then there hasn't been a sniff except to say that there hasn't been any planning permission submitted and the potential cinema operator wanted a 3 screeen art house in that block wrapped around the Walkabout building, but they then pulled out citing financial feasibility. Heaven knows why, its in Studentland on the main student arterial route into town. The main block is supposed to be Leeds Met teaching space, residential units and retail/foodoutlets. Its a cracking location and hopefully if built won't impact on the Civic Hall (presume that's why there is a stepped feature away from the Civic Hall to lessen the impact).

Agree about parking, most excellent location for anyone coming down from North Leeds and when I did loads of shows at the Civic Theatre with Leeds youth Opera there was always sufficient space. People should use the Woodhouse MSCP instead, its always empty at weekends, not that that helps for weekday commuters.

[Skopie]

Originally Posted by eddyk

You lot seen these?

Are they new renderings, look alot nicer and curvier than previous renders?

[jimbo]

you need to compare them, or at least look at the BWP 2 thread. the first rendering was the original with a very curved office block at the side of tower, the second image is the actual design u/c with a very blocky lowrise office element. That said, the curved tower front (described by morestoreythan I think his name is) as a 'female skyscraper' which I think is quite apt

[jimbo]

+ the 'crown of thorns' around the top bit has disappeared if you compare the two.

[Skopie]

Silly me for not looknig closely Glad the crown of thorns bit has gone, although I much preferred the curvy office section of the original render.

[Smoggie_Si]

Originally Posted by Skopie

I much preferred the curvy office section of the original render.

Me too. I love the curvy organic look of the tower, but the blocky office section looks like a tacked on afterthought.

LN1, I could indeed get the train in from Horsforth were I not to live over 2 miles from the station! The bus route is pretty good, to be fair, but I prefer to ride in along the canal tow path, even though I end up covered in mud as my mountain bike appears to have a magnetic attraction towards puddles!

Is the height of this thing measured to the top ceiling, or the top of that pole?

[Da Bomb]

The office section does look tacky and doesn't seem to fit the overall scheme as the original one did. Why on earth did they scrap that office design?

[magicrealist]

Originally Posted by Da Bomb

The office section does look tacky and doesn't seem to fit the overall scheme as the original one did. Why on earth did they scrap that office design?

I disagree. The original was overdesigned - far too many swoops of the architect's pen. Also, the use of aluminium cladding for the 10 storey office element was overkill. If you look at the website http://www.bridgewaterplaceleeds.com/ and click on Specification, it is telling that the cladding is described as "contrasting natural stone".

Although we all like curves (!) they have to lead somewhere and the eye is drawn all over the place on the original. Much better to have the simplicity of the roadside 10 storey set against the dramatic backdrop of the tower.

I'm sure an architect could describe the changes in more formal terms, but IMHO they did the right thing toning it down

[homesweethome]

i agree with magic. we know it for the 30 storey tower not the office element at the bottom we would nt want a swooshing curved building at the bottom to detract from the part we are all interested in the tower, or mini scraper!

[Smoggie_Si]

Originally Posted by magicrealist

I disagree. The original was overdesigned - far too many swoops of the architect's pen. Also, the use of aluminium cladding for the 10 storey office element was overkill. If you look at the website http://www.bridgewaterplaceleeds.com/ and click on Specification, it is telling that the cladding is described as "contrasting natural stone".

Although we all like curves (!) they have to lead somewhere and the eye is drawn all over the place on the original. Much better to have the simplicity of the roadside 10 storey set against the dramatic backdrop of the tower.

I'm sure an architect could describe the changes in more formal terms, but IMHO they did the right thing toning it down

I agree that the curvy original was OTT and a simpler more elegant solution would complement the tower better, but I still think that the blocky solution looks like a tacked on after thought. I'll be interested to see it in real life though, maybe I'm being unfair.

It certainly sound promising being natural stone cladding, the picture makes it look like grey plastic panels as seen in their full splendour on the hideous Green Flag building on the right of the picture.