Bondway Tower - "The Octave" | Vauxhall | 149m | 43 fl | Pro

[fitz44]

http://www.constructionnow.co.uk/ind...AT=News#150441

CALL FOR MORE TRANSPORT CASH IN NINE ELMS

Wandsworth Council is urging its counterparts in Lambeth to seek more money for transport improvements from the developer of the Bondway site in Vauxhall.

Lambeth’s planning committee is due to consider an application by developers London and Regional for a 42-storey tower at the site next to Vauxhall station. The scheme would provide 376 flats and around 5,800 square metres of commercial space including shops, restaurants and offices.

Following consultation with the Mayor the applicant is expected to contribute £790,000 for the transport interchange and £488,000 for Crossrail.

Wandsworth’s planning chairman, Leslie McDonnell said the money was not enough given the pressure the scheme would place on the local transport network: “This is a key site in the Nine Elms Opportunity Area. Wandsworth is working with Lambeth and the Mayor to attract substantial investment to this part of south London.

“It needs more than extra facilities at Vauxhall station. The whole transport infrastructure in this area needs to be looked at including the potential for contributions to a Northern Line extension. It’s also hard to see why a development at Vauxhall should contribute towards Crossrail costs when the regeneration of Nine Elms is so dependent on investment in new transport capacity in the area.”

Wandsworth’s planning applications committee said that if Lambeth were contemplating approving the overall scheme they should seek a much bigger sum from the developer which could be spent exclusively on transport improvements throughout the wider Nine Elms area.

Councillors also said that any scheme should safeguard important views of the borough including Battersea Power Station.

[fitz44]

A couple of (not very good, I've done my best to enhance them) images from the original neighbourhood consultation exhibition - taken by a local blogger on a mobile. But gives an impression of the side view.

[Manuel]

Good find...even details are not clearly visible, it gives a good indication of the massing of the tower...well...it's fat...

[Tony Resta]

I like the fact it's fat, will look a beast when near it.

[potto]

i wish more was made of its citadel look, ie not so flat faced

[NothingBetterToDo]

Normally renders show the best sides of the proposal - they aren't even making the effort here, they know it's a dog and they don't care. It'll be approved because of their crossrail contribution and S106 money.

I would rate this as being far worse even than 20 Fenchurch Street.....Eyesore of the future

[Comdot]

Originally Posted by fitz44

lambeth (make)

salford (broadway malyan):

[Manuel]

Yes Comdot...but the big difference is that Make don't produce crappy architecture as Broadway Malyan...

[fitz44]

Larger render of the east view;

[DarJoLe]

Dracula's castle anyone?

[The Sage]

Despite its fatness I really think the shape is not that bad. The cladding is going to look atrocious though, mark my words.

[Newcastle Guy]

With each render I like this less. They should have just kept the three tallest 'steps'. It is a resi building after all, does it really need to be that fat?

[i_like_concrete]

I don't mind the massing, I think it carries off the bulk well, like a well proportioned fat person.

However there's an awful lot of blank wall space, and the random cladding hasn't done a good job of hiding it.

[henry]

Yeah, I think this needs to go back to the drawing board. Too much of a wall when viewed from the north or south. Its an inelegant response to their brief from MAKE. I don't doubt that some kind of presumed height limit played a part here, but good architects should have found a better solution than this.

[delores]

I wish 'make' and other architectual firms would stop using random cladding, try something new for a change? all it does is make this building look like a cheap lump.

[Langur]

I hate this building. Random cladding is always ugly. There isn't a single exception that I can think of. The whole design of this building is a graceless discordant aesthetic failure.

[NothingBetterToDo]

This is one of the worst proposals for a new building i've ever seen. The fact it even looks terrible in renders is very telling.

Horrendous massing, ugly cladding..i can see absolutely no redeeming features to this at all.

And it will no doubt ease through planning and begin construction in no time at all

[delores]

Unfortunately the area's been blighted with the worst of all residential in London, St Georges Wharf well around this area anyway. What could of been quiet a good residential mixed use district of London with really interesting architecture has ended up a carbuncle of massive proportions that just seems to get worse and worse.

[Yorkshire Boy]

Originally Posted by Langur

I hate this building. Random cladding is always ugly. There isn't a single exception that I can think of. The whole design of this building is a graceless discordant aesthetic failure.

It looks sweet on Manchester's Beetham Tower.

[randolph]

I actually quite like this. It looks rather like a 'sci fi 'city. It has a presence and (somewhat sinister)character. However I too, like other posters, am not convinced by the cladding. I would like to see a better, daytime , render. At the moment I give it the benefit of the doubt but it could so easily go either way. With some refining this could be a good addition to the area.