LONDON | Projects & Construction

[Mr Bricks]

Originally Posted by Citrus-Fruit

There are alot of obsticles to clear in the UK before you can build, not to mention most inner city sites are already occupied by other buildings which means demolision alone takes 12 or so months.


Not all of the world has massive open space like you Mr Dubai

Isn´t Canary Wharf quite a wasteland? There doesn´t seem to be any buildings preventing skyscrapers from being built directly.

Btw, the spots where Leadenhall, Minerva and Bishopsgate will we built on, are they cleared or are there buildings there that have to be demolished first? If there are, shouldn´t they have started demolishing them already?

[London]

^ was....a waste land. As for the city, the sites for the projects listen have current buildings on the sites

[Newcastle Guy]

www.bdonline.co.uk

Simpson told to rework skyscraper


Architect Ian Simpson has been sent back to the drawing board over his £500 million skyscraper proposed for London's South Bank, amid growing objections to the scheme.

Southwark council said this week that Simpson had effectively been asked to design a new scheme for 1 Blackfriars Road because of concerns about the public space at the base of the iconic 68-storey tower.

It also emerged that the neighbouring local authority, Lambeth, had joined Westminster in objecting to the plan, despite broad support from Cabe.

Simpson gave a bullish response, predicting Southwark would approve the scheme, and said a deal with an unnamed hotel operator to occupy the tower would shortly be announced.

Southwark design and conservation manager Julie Greer said the designs were being amended because of concerns over the overhanging part of the tower between Blackfriars Road and Stamford Street.

"It will effectively be a new scheme," she said. "You see that overhang arrangement with hotels but for a [largely] residential scheme, you just can't do that. That part of the scheme is being taken away… the architects are being very co-operative."

Greer added that the new designs were also intended to improve public realm links between Simpson's tower and two neighbouring projects - Kings Reach Tower, being remodelled by Make, and Wilkinson Eyre's 35-storey office tower also on Blackfriars Road.

Both Southwark and Lambeth believe Blackfriars Bridge is not an ideal area for tall buildings, and would rather develop them in Elephant & Castle and Waterloo respectively.

Simpson said the new design changes would improve his tower and insisted there was scope for such a development in that location.

"We are very positive about the scheme at the moment although we have got lots of work to do in describing the effect of the building on the skyline," he said.

"We think it will have a positive effect on the skyline and is in an ideal place. If a building is elegant, it can stand on its own.



This is really good news as the only thing that let it down IMO Was the way it stuck out.

[Sinjin P.]

Nice thread and nice projects for London!

[DarJoLe]

Originally Posted by SuomiPoika

Btw, the spots where Leadenhall, Minerva and Bishopsgate will we built on, are they cleared or are there buildings there that have to be demolished first? If there are, shouldn´t they have started demolishing them already?

There are buildings currently there. Most of these still have tenants which have leases which aren't finished yet. The only current building on site that is empty is the Minerva site, which is a derelict 4 story building. But Minerva haven't got the cash to build their tower yet so can't start it.

I think the thing with London's projects is they get released far early than a lot of others around the world. We are planning for towers that won't start construction until around 2008/9, as the planning process in the UK takes a long time, and involves a lot of people. Which, as much as the UK forumers (and myself) complain about, it is a good thing, as it prevents a lot of awful architectural mistakes happening.

[Jack Rabbit Slim]

Originally Posted by newcastle kid

www.bdonline.co.uk

Simpson told to rework skyscraper


Architect Ian Simpson has been sent back to the drawing board over his £500 million skyscraper proposed for London's South Bank, amid growing objections to the scheme.

Southwark council said this week that Simpson had effectively been asked to design a new scheme for 1 Blackfriars Road because of concerns about the public space at the base of the iconic 68-storey tower.

It also emerged that the neighbouring local authority, Lambeth, had joined Westminster in objecting to the plan, despite broad support from Cabe.

Simpson gave a bullish response, predicting Southwark would approve the scheme, and said a deal with an unnamed hotel operator to occupy the tower would shortly be announced.

Southwark design and conservation manager Julie Greer said the designs were being amended because of concerns over the overhanging part of the tower between Blackfriars Road and Stamford Street.

"It will effectively be a new scheme," she said. "You see that overhang arrangement with hotels but for a [largely] residential scheme, you just can't do that. That part of the scheme is being taken away… the architects are being very co-operative."

Greer added that the new designs were also intended to improve public realm links between Simpson's tower and two neighbouring projects - Kings Reach Tower, being remodelled by Make, and Wilkinson Eyre's 35-storey office tower also on Blackfriars Road.

Both Southwark and Lambeth believe Blackfriars Bridge is not an ideal area for tall buildings, and would rather develop them in Elephant & Castle and Waterloo respectively.

Simpson said the new design changes would improve his tower and insisted there was scope for such a development in that location.

"We are very positive about the scheme at the moment although we have got lots of work to do in describing the effect of the building on the skyline," he said.

"We think it will have a positive effect on the skyline and is in an ideal place. If a building is elegant, it can stand on its own.



This is really good news as the only thing that let it down IMO Was the way it stuck out.

You see, these guys agree with me! I hope they more-or-less redesign the entire tower because it just doesn't have any flare or passion! The design looks bulky, bland and unimaginative, and its location is prime choice in London, so it needs to look good! Back to the drawing board boys! But, as I said, this is the only London skyscraper I am not thrilled with!

[NEXT_2006]

Originally Posted by Citystyle

London has the best looking towers planned in the world.

no it doesnt Dubai does

[Newcastle Guy]

Originally Posted by NEXT_2006

no it doesnt Dubai does

Dubai towers are tall but not as well designed

[Jack Rabbit Slim]

Yer, my sentimets exactly! They seem to be trying to cover up the rather unspectacular design of the towers by making them exceptionally high to make up for it. It's just my oppinion, but Dubai has a fake look about it, it's all planned and built quickly, without much heart or great consideration into some of the designs, and the effect is it looks...kinda...err...how to describe it....errr....well, I suppose the term might be 'wannabe'...you know? As though it's just for show, to put them on the map and try to create a magnificent scity by building some skyscrapers.. IMO anyway

But enough of Dubai, I don't want this turning into another bloody 'my city is better then yours' thread! Let's keep it clean, let's keep it London!

[Jack Rabbit Slim]

Originally Posted by London

^ was....a waste land. As for the city, the sites for the projects listen have current buildings on the sites

Wow! I always love seeing and hearing about all the regeneration that's gone on at Canary Wharf, once just a derelict wasteland, and now it's the world's largest commercial development with a skyline that's growing better with each passing year!

Can you tell me where abouts (if at all) the Canary Wharf skyscrapers are now located on that first pic. Much appreciated!

[Starscraper]

Canary Wharf is near the top of the picture in one of the loops of the Thames, while London City Airport is in between those two docks near the bottom of the pic.

[Dan1987]

Here is a picture of the initial construction phase of Canary Wharf, with 1 Canada Sq and the small surrounding buildings under construction. I'd date this picture around 1989-1990 time, so it would be another 10 years until 8 and 25 Canada Sq(the HSBC and Citigroup Buildings) started to rise from the ground.

[Newcastle Guy]

It is amazing how much canary wharf has changed

[London]

The focus of each individual picture is focused on the actual master plan of canary wharf:



1) 1805
2) 1960's
3) 1970's
4) 1987
5) 1997
6) 2001
Today:

[Tubeman]

Originally Posted by London

^ was....a waste land. As for the city, the sites for the projects listen have current buildings on the sites

^
This is misleading... The top picture is the London Docks, not the West India Docks (where the Canary Wharf Estate is). You can hardly make out the West India Docks, they are in the distance. The London Docks don't look all that dissimilar to this picture today, there has been very little high-rise development.

[bnmaddict]

I read in "The Wharf" (february 9 2006) that the Columbus tower will probably never get off the ground due to the impact of some tunneling crossrail works under the tower.

Plus, the site owner, Commercial Estate Group is leasing office space in Hertsmere House, which would be demolished to make way for the new tower, on long leases (stretching until 2013).

A leading South Quay-based commercial property specialist say that "the project looks dead in the water"...

Too bad, it would have been by far the most beautifull tower of CW.

[brunob]

sorry off topic, you moved to E14??

[bnmaddict]

Originally Posted by brunob

sorry off topic, you moved to E14??

Yep, I just moved in a flat south of Millwall with direct views of CW!!

[brunob]

nice - welcome to my neighborhood !

[Xander]

^and mine, I live in E14, just near All Saints DLR.