Haymarket Hub Metro Station | Newcastle | 4fl | Completed

[bigchrisfgb]

The real good thing about the building, is it gives more room next to the South Africa memorial, and add's another entrance (well a few). All of which should make people more aware of the memorial, and also hopefully take pedestrians off going through to "alleyway" at HSBC, and get people to use the entrance in the direction that they are going, for example Northumberland St for Northumberland St, Haymarket for Haymerket, and Civic Centre for Civic Centre, instead of people just stumbling out and marching their way through crowds of people just to get to the right St.

[AngerOfTheNorth]

Originally Posted by johnnypd

it's a real pastiche isn't it? they've took building methods and ideas and mashed them together uncomfortably. The roof and arch motif is very disjointed and awkward, the window panelling just doesn't fit and would be more suited to a 'box' type building. As you say, the concourse is dark and a little cramped - in contrast the previous building, because it was supporting no floors above, was wide and spacious. Also the little bit of land where the cash machines are located is now like an alleyway.

Agreed. I'm also rather unimpressed by the fairy lights too...

[Irish Blood English Heart]

I have to say it's a bit of a let down. Could've been done so much better. Also does anyone know when they're finally going to get round to the last missing panels from the platforms & escalators? There has been no change for ages!

[toonlad]

^ Day before formal press launch...

[Newcastle Historian]

Originally Posted by jayo

How about some pics of the platforms?

Another 'representation' (in addition to the one provided by TownPlanningNE, earlier) of how the platforms will look. They are nearly, but not yet fully, completed (as has been said above) but should look exactly like this when finished.

[Dan_NUFC]

I was down there last week, and the platforms look a lot better, I have to say. They're a lot brighter and feel more spacious.

[johnnypd]

Would look better without the coloured stripes on the platform roofs imo.

[Irish Blood English Heart]

I think it would've looked better and cleaner if all the colour panels were black instead. Would match the colours of the city (well at least the football team) and would've looked classier and more modern. Those colour panels will age quite badly I think.

[Andrew]

They're going to need to clean the new panels very regularly, they show up the soot from the tunnels loads. Still a massive improvement on the old station though.

[bigchrisfgb]

I was in toon again today, and I noticed that they were putting in seating around the Haymarket Hub. Seating which the base of which seems to be made from marble, with a pattern of a castle at the top, holding the seating in place.

While I was leaving, the also seemed to be jet washing/deep cleaning the area arund the South Africa memorial.

[Talisker]

Another building with a poor quality roof. There just isn't enough attention paid to roof design and materials in recent developments, especially those buildings occupying low lying positions which are looked down upon. I've personally always disliked the roofs of the trinity gardens buildings, but this is even worse.

[BerlinGeordie]

Originally Posted by Talisker

Another building with a poor quality roof. There just isn't enough attention paid to roof design and materials in recent developments, especially those buildings occupying low lying positions which are looked down upon. I've personally always disliked the roofs of the trinity gardens buildings, but this is even worse.

I'm still withholding judgement on the Hub till it's finished - it could be a very lively building, and it does seem perfect for exterior lighting panels, especially of the stock ticker variety. I'm also not sure the metal roof is so poor - if they're planning to shine lights onto it, it might work reasonably well, and the panelling does match that of the glasswork in its own way. While there's something to all the comments about it being a pastiche, funny-looking, and all, it is at least ambitious and unique, and adds a building to Northumberland St with visual interest above the ground floor.

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by BerlinGeordie

I'm still withholding judgement on the Hub till it's finished - it could be a very lively building, and it does seem perfect for exterior lighting panels, especially of the stock ticker variety. I'm also not sure the metal roof is so poor - if they're planning to shine lights onto it, it might work reasonably well, and the panelling does match that of the glasswork in its own way. While there's something to all the comments about it being a pastiche, funny-looking, and all, it is at least ambitious and unique, and adds a building to Northumberland St with visual interest above the ground floor.

erm... but the hub is finished now. It's not going to look any different from the outside now except that if office space and empty shop units gets filled then there'll be a couple more lights on. If they choose to add any extra things like you're describing then that will be extra, not part of the original plans. What you see now is (with the exception of a couple of panels here and there) the completed project, therefore there is no 'withholding judgement till it's finished' anymore, because it is all but finished.

[johnnypd]

does anyone have images of the previous scheme to the one that was built? It looked far better - it wasn't as tall and had a more symmetrical dome with spokes rising out of it. iirc.

[Newcastle Historian]

Originally Posted by Andrew

erm... but the hub is finished now. It's not going to look any different from the outside now except that if office space and empty shop units gets filled then there'll be a couple more lights on. If they choose to add any extra things like you're describing then that will be extra, not part of the original plans. What you see now is (with the exception of a couple of panels here and there) the completed project, therefore there is no 'withholding judgement till it's finished' anymore, because it is all but finished.

As I have said before, I think it is excellent and a unique looking building. A 'mini-icon' of the future, of that I am certain.

Give it time.

[jwmacintyre]

Stunning reflections in this picture though!

[Newcastle Historian]

Originally Posted by jwmacintyre

Stunning reflections in this picture though!

Love that mac, an excellent view of the 'Dirty Angel' . .

I wonder if Haymarket Hub is going to become as famous for it's reflections as the Blackett Street wall of Eldon Square is?

[BerlinGeordie]

Originally Posted by Andrew

erm... but the hub is finished now.

True. I mean when it's in use. It's a big glass building designed for a lot of human throughput (it's a "hub", after all). At present, with a fence around it and not much going on, it looks a bit gloomy. Once it's occupied, lit up, and has lots of activity in it (intentionally visible from outside), it will likely give off a rather different vibe.

[BerlinGeordie]

Originally Posted by johnnypd

Would look better without the coloured stripes on the platform roofs imo.

I'm not so sure - I thought they looked a little silly on the initial renders, but ultimately the tunnels might look a little sterile without them (such as in, say, Liverpool). The orange stripe adds a lot to the escalator shaft.

I'm glad the Calvert font is used for the station signs - it was missing from the very first artists' impressions.

[AngerOfTheNorth]

Originally Posted by BerlinGeordie

True. I mean when it's in use. It's a big glass building designed for a lot of human throughput (it's a "hub", after all). At present, with a fence around it and not much going on, it looks a bit gloomy. Once it's occupied, lit up, and has lots of activity in it (intentionally visible from outside), it will likely give off a rather different vibe.

It is in use mate. The fences are down, the shops are in use, etc etc.

I still agree about the roof, it's poor quality, along with a number of the materials (including, importantly, the glazing). Sadly, it was always going to be this way - the agreement, as far as I can tell, was that in return for the developer providing a new station for the city (for free), they got all of the office and retail space in a prime location. Bearing in mind that the developer was therefore picking up the bill for the build and the council just wanted to get a new station built, no one was going to start getting too picky about the design or the quality of the build - in short, cheap is good.

I do however agree that the monument is afforded more space by this station, which is good. However that tight alleyway besides the Lloyds TSB is horrible and the routes through the station to the escalators feel very dead to me.

I still think that this was a big missed opportunity and really can't see it becoming loved - it doesn't offend by having too strong a character, it offends by having none.