Past contentious proposals for London

[Jamandell (d69)]

Originally Posted by DarJoLe

Diana, Princess Of Wales Memorial Bridge
FAT (Fashion, Architecture Taste)
Bankside, 1997

This pedestrian 'living' bridge was a forerunner to Foster's Millennium Bridge we have today. Concepted as part of a linear park linking the South Bank with St Pauls, the bridge would be grassed with trees and flowerbeds at random intervals. The lyrics to Elton John's Candle In The Wind, a tribute re-recorded for Diana's funeral, would be engraved on each side of the bridge.

http://www.ngca.co.uk/imagelib/FAT%2072.jpg

Very interesting and nice proposal. And I suppose I am one of the few people out there today who still likes Diana, lol. But, in retrospect of past and future generations, having all this just for a Princess that dies, seems a bit much. Especially with the Elton John lyrics along the side. Perhaps more appropriate if it were the Elizabeth II bridge any time in the future.

[henry]

Yes Calatrava's building is a bit ugly at the base, but I could have lived with that if we got the spire, which would have suited Wren's London well.

[Newcastle Guy]

Originally Posted by Jamandell (d69)

Very interesting and nice proposal. And I suppose I am one of the few people out there today who still likes Diana, lol. But, in retrospect of past and future generations, having all this just for a Princess that dies, seems a bit much. Especially with the Elton John lyrics along the side. Perhaps more appropriate if it were the Elizabeth II bridge any time in the future.

I still like Diana, ALOT of people do!

[Mr Bricks]

A good list of proposals, some truly fantastic! What I´d like to see is a huge plan to redevelop the north bank and /or build a nice square infront of St Paul´s Cathedral.

[Manuel]

Very interesting thread! I didnt know about the Future systems entry for Trafalgar Square!

[BenL]

Back in 1998 there was a Daniel Libeskind proposal for a 100,000 square foot extension to the V&A known as "The Spiral". OK - so everything he does looks very similar but I would love something by him in London, having visited the Jewish Museum in Berlin and the Imperial War Museum North. Real shame I think. See: http://www.daniel-libeskind.com/projects/pro.html?ID=1

Another recent proposal that has fallen through is the Colombus Tower. This 1 million square foot 239m skyscraper for the Isle of Dogs would have added some real height and slightly more interesting architecture to the Canary Wharf cluster with a second pinnacle. As I'm sure most members know, it fell through a year or two ago due to the principle backer dying. It was due for completion next year. See: http://www.skyscrapernews.com/columbus.htm

[Newcastle Guy]

I think we will still get something like that there one day

[DarJoLe]

Originally Posted by Jamandell (d69)

Perhaps more appropriate if it were the Elizabeth II bridge any time in the future.

She already has her own bridge down the river in Dartford.

[Zedferret]

I jump in with my first post...the old favorite, London Millenium Tower

It would of been spectacular but DIFA is better I think.

[Newcastle Guy]

Originally Posted by zedferrett

It would of been spectacular but DIFA is better it think.

I agree, I love Difa. Even her bigger side, still so unique.

Welcome to the forums!

[Wild@Heart]

Originally Posted by BenL

Back in 1998 there was a Daniel Libeskind proposal for a 100,000 square foot extension to the V&A known as "The Spiral". OK - so everything he does looks very similar but I would love something by him in London

London has a Libeskind already - the Graduate Centre for London Metropolitan University on Holloway Road.



Not as big (nor public, mind) as the two you mentioned but a Libeskind nonetheless.

My addition to this thread has to be the Wilkinson Eyre proposal for Crystal Palace. When I visited WE studios at their open day earlier this year, they confirmed the project was officially dead in the water.



http://www.virtualnorwood.com/locali...arkglass.shtml

Such a shame. The current proposal is to build a quarter-size replica of the 19th Century Crystal Palace and will get my opposition at every turn. The WE project would've been fantastic and I just hope another project will come along to rival it!

[Wild@Heart]

Great thread by the way.

[potto]

Originally Posted by BenL

Back in 1998 there was a Daniel Libeskind proposal for a 100,000 square foot extension to the V&A known as "The Spiral". OK - so everything he does looks very similar but I would love something by him in London, having visited the Jewish Museum in Berlin and the Imperial War Museum North. Real shame I think. See: http://www.daniel-libeskind.com/projects/pro.html?ID=1


[CENTER]

Ah yes but more frustratingly the V&A should and could have been his first major work in this style thus it would have been the trend setter!

[DarJoLe]

Piccadilly Circus Redevelopment
William Noel Moffett
West End, 1959

Devised by William Noel Moffett (1912-94), the sculpture of Eros would be raised on a platform in the centre of an outdoor shopping mall. A very typical scheme from the 1950s modernist era, the only recognisable piece of the existing West End is in the far distance.

(Sorry about the crap quality but it needs to be large to see the sheer horror of the proposal)

[potto]

shudder looks like the plans for covent garden and oxford street! Oh thank goodness for the limitations of the purse!

[potto]

post war plans for the Britsh Library, at the end of a huge vista smashing through holborn end of bloomsbury reaching up to British Museum, I think this would have been worth the destruction of a rather unsure piece of London, certainly better than the location the library ended up in!




A couple of crazy central London airports proposed in the 30s/40s!

Kings X


Liverpool St



The New Corporation of London tower rising behind the Guidhall, proposed in 1944, think it works well just not sure about the views of St Pauls!



St Georges Circus, huge park in South London, possibly where Elephant and Castle is? Lots of destruction, but in hindsight we got the destruction but nothing worth while to replace it, which is what this park would have given



My biggest bugbear! Hammersmith council declined this beauty by Richard Rogers, ok it completely dominates the church and was probably viewed as fucking scary, but I defy anyone to visit Hammersmith today and not weep, after all the investment pumped in to compare what we ended up with and what we could have had!

[Zenith]

and the Hungerford bridge would be replaced with a pedestrian bridge and a couple of (i think) residential towers rising out of the Thames. Which would have been very exciting and futuristic.

Thank god it wasnt. I love Hungerford bridge for all the reasons others dont, or close their eyes to. The weighty industrial bridge, so strong, so British and so handsome..combined with the fantastic walkways.

And as for the Diana bridge, what an icon of hysteria that would have been. Crass, corny and utterly indicative of our times. A simple and elegant memorial is all that is needed....and I dont mean a channel of running water.

The blob, I would have blown up personally....and as for the proposed changes to the West end...i would have blown myself up personally.

[wjfox]

Originally Posted by DarJoLe

Piccadilly Circus Redevelopment
William Noel Moffett
West End, 1959

Christ almighty. The mind boggles.

[Zenith]

I would have personally hunted him down and burnt down his house....in fact I might still do

[clarky]

1000ft crystal palace

Whitehall palace

Palace of westminster
http://collage.cityoflondon.gov.uk/c...7478&sp=X&sp=2