Shard / London Bridge Tower | Southwark | 309m | 72 fl

[ismail]

I thin the problem we have in this country, is that the older generation ( 50+) seem to think that we should make London in to some kind of museum, and can't stand the thought of progress, they seen to have been mentally disturbed by the mistakes of the 50 and 60's council tower blocks, and think that every high rise building will look like them.
And of course twats like prince Charles don't help.

[potto]

Originally Posted by dom

I swear the Guardian and many of the respondants on CiF live in some kind of parallel communistic universe where no-one needs to work, those who do get exactly the same pay never mind how much they work or how intelligent they are. There is so much lame arsed, defeatist, complaining, jealous bile emanating from that website.

It would be actually nice to find an article solely looking at the aesthetic of tall buildings and in what way they can or can not contribute. Imagine if every book or passage about the architecture of famous old buildings suddenly lurched us into the dark gloomy cynical world of politics, sociology and religion no one would want to look at a church again! If the press were to bring that debate round to a more sensible angle ie the aesthetic angle which is where most of the public arguements seem to be during planning phases then we might actually get to see a bit more logical arguements and evolution of the design process.

[The Shard Baby]

Originally Posted by Supertall Robbo

My pictures of today


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DSC02707 by robinsonhome, on Flickr

More can be found on my flickr photostream

And i got 2 videos coming soon

Push bush!

(you've got to see Harry Hill's TV Burp to understand it)

[potto]

Originally Posted by ismail

I thin the problem we have in this country, is that the older generation ( 50+) seem to think that we should make London in to some kind of museum, and can't stand the thought of progress, they seen to have been mentally disturbed by the mistakes of the 50 and 60's council tower blocks, and think that every high rise building will look like them.
And of course twats like prince Charles don't help.

definitely. Both sides made terrible mistakes and we seem to be doomed to be shackled forever. I think the Shard is the first shining light. It that important.

[potto]

Originally Posted by El_Greco

Apart from curves theres nothing else, one thing I like about winter time is the fantastic light.

Post card concept is good. I dont mind most of the buildings in that view but that 80s office in front of Southwark Cathedral has always grated with me. Another one of those stupid brick office buildings pretending it was something else with all the grace of an Elephant ballerina.

Imagine that same postcard with Southwark Cathedral more exposed

[spiny_norman]

Taken this afternoon with my iPhone 4...

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IMG_0697 by pjamescowie, on Flickr

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IMG_0699 by pjamescowie, on Flickr

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IMG_0702 by pjamescowie, on Flickr

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IMG_0704 by pjamescowie, on Flickr

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IMG_0714 by pjamescowie, on Flickr

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IMG_0716 by pjamescowie, on Flickr

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IMG_0733 by pjamescowie, on Flickr

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IMG_0740 by pjamescowie, on Flickr

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IMG_0744 by pjamescowie, on Flickr

Lots of baby shards bottom of view
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IMG_0776 by pjamescowie, on Flickr

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IMG_0784 by pjamescowie, on Flickr

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IMG_0786 by pjamescowie, on Flickr

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IMG_0788 by pjamescowie, on Flickr

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IMG_0790 by pjamescowie, on Flickr

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IMG_0792 by pjamescowie, on Flickr

Shard menaced by city dragon:
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IMG_0800 by pjamescowie, on Flickr

[El_Greco]

Originally Posted by ismail

I thin the problem we have in this country, is that the older generation ( 50+) seem to think that we should make London in to some kind of museum, and can't stand the thought of progress, they seen to have been mentally disturbed by the mistakes of the 50 and 60's council tower blocks, and think that every high rise building will look like them.
And of course twats like prince Charles don't help.

Most highrises do look shite though ; Strata, Willis, Nido (Kings Cross and Spitalfields), countless other recently built resis/offices. It should always be about aesthetics and not height or cost.

As for museum, theres nothing wrong with them. Id rather have museum with handful beautiful and well designed modern buildings/towers here and there, than an ugly concrete mess with smashed streets and awful contrasts. Unfortunately markets always trump the aesthetics and that is wrong, especially these days when cost is the king, when the less you spend the better.

In 19th century market was producing this sort of thing, today this would be considered waste of time and money.

[Snowy]

Originally Posted by potto

definitely. Both sides made terrible mistakes and we seem to be doomed to be shackled forever. I think the Shard is the first shining light. It that important.

I'm fairly optimistic about the future as far as tall buildings go, I just think it's generally those aged 50 and above who seem to have such a big issue with skyscrapers. Once this generation start losing their power and influence, I believe there will be far less opposition to tall buildings. I just hope that our children and children's children respect our old buildings as much as I think they will embrace the future and high-rise living. That is one thing that does concern me. I'm not sure that today's iPod generation particularly cares about Georgian or Victorian buildings, they seem far more impressed with the skyscrapers of Sydney or Hong Kong........BUT I would be delighted if they proved this 30-something cynic wrong!

[tomb123]

Originally Posted by ismail

I thin the problem we have in this country, is that the older generation ( 50+) seem to think that we should make London in to some kind of museum, and can't stand the thought of progress, they seen to have been mentally disturbed by the mistakes of the 50 and 60's council tower blocks, and think that every high rise building will look like them.
And of course twats like prince Charles don't help.

Exactly. If I was in power, I'd just direct a tactical air strike at the headquarters of English Heritage.

Well, probably nothing that bad, but seriously, the number of times I've heard people say "it's just not how London should be..."

It's EXACTLY how London should be. London, for thousands of years, has existed primarily to make money, trade, invent, sell, manufacture, meet, record, watch, be made famous, build and buy. Do they really think that when someone built the Leadenhall Market or the original Stock Exchange, some slovenly jobsworth with a moustache and a clipboard came out of the woodwork and said;

"You can't build that there, it might obstruct peoples' view of... this ancient fire hydrant."

If London needs a skyscraper, London will have one. It's what it's always done. It's not a god damn museum.

[Snowy]

Originally Posted by potto

Post card concept is good. I dont mind most of the buildings in that view but that 80s office in front of Southwark Cathedral has always grated with me. Another one of those stupid brick office buildings pretending it was something else with all the grace of an Elephant ballerina.

Imagine that same postcard with Southwark Cathedral more exposed

Agreed, that building is a real blight! I would love for this building to be demolished and for it to be replaced by nothing more than grass and trees, in order for Southwark Cathedral to be exposed for all to see, as well as improving the public realm.............and pigs might fly! Still, we can dream!

[adschi]

very nice pictures spiny_norman and welcome

[mouldss@hotmail.co.u]

why can't we have a museum and new buildings its simple keep what we have and enhance with the new making a truly unique city not one that follows the crowd I am form the younger generation

[El_Greco]

Originally Posted by tomb123

It's what it's always done. It's not a god damn museum.

Yeah and the poor have always been exploited, the death penalty lived for thousands of years etc etc. Guess what?! Civilisation advances, what was acceptable in the past is not or should not be acceptable today. Simple.

London does not need skyscrapers, they are just vanity projects and nothing more.

Im not anti-skyscraper, but skyscrapers should never be built just for the sake of it, markets should never trump heritage. Its all about the aesthetics and not views of people who drool and wank over anything tall.

[london lad]

Whoah someones ranting again.

Why shouldn't skyscrapers be built? Arn't they just another form of building? Why discriminate against one form of building in a city of over 1,000 sq km.

[Forb Noj]

Originally Posted by ismail

I thin the problem we have in this country, is that the older generation ( 50+) seem to think that we should make London in to some kind of museum, and can't stand the thought of progress, they seen to have been mentally disturbed by the mistakes of the 50 and 60's council tower blocks, and think that every high rise building will look like them.
And of course twats like prince Charles don't help.

Hey steady on Ismail. I'm 55 and I love all types of architecture so long as it has some merit. I think what is happening to London shows that it is an organic and vibrant City. Please don't be ageist As for Price Charles he is not only archaic in his thinking but ill-informed on many aspects he speaks out about.

Whilst I am on here why is there a big gap in the steelwork?

Cannonbie Rd has wonderful views of the City and CW. I used it earlier this year over an over agian to train for my Lands End to John O'Groats charity cycle ride and the reward every time of the views over the I got to the top was worth it. I kept wishing I had taken a camera.

Exciting times!

[El_Greco]

Originally Posted by london lad

Whoah someones ranting again.

Why shouldn't skyscrapers be built? Arn't they just another form of building? Why discriminate against one form of building in a city of over 1,000 sq km.

Youre making stuff up again. I didnt say they shouldnt be built, I said they shouldnt be built just for the sake of it and that aesthetics should come before market needs. Get it?

Some on here throw around 'London aint museum' nonsense way too often and with no thought. Museums are great, museums have beauty and unless youre a philistine, beauty is good. This is why The Shard is great - its elegant and its beautiful. While graceless, ugly stump that is Nido and similar stuff is rightly hated.

[tomb123]

But on the basis that there are no greenfield sites anywhere in central London, anything new to be built requires something else to be knocked down.
My point is that if, for the last 2000 years, London had been treated like it was stuck in a time warp, as some would have it, then it would be no different to how it was after the Fire of London or the Blitz.
London needs more office space because rents are too high, and there is money to be made (or there certainly will be by the time they're built). Why should anyone stand in the way of this?

[El_Greco]

Theres plenty of 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s mistakes. Take your pick and bring on the wrecking ball. Theres no shortage of derelict land either! Leave the heritage alone.

[mouldss@hotmail.co.u]

you can build on top of some old buidings there is no excuses

[Edvvc]

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Wednesday by Hans Pfaal, on Flickr