What if Leeds had been bombed as much as some other cities have been over the last 100 years? How different would it have been.
The What If... thread
What if any of the following had occured and how different would Leeds either posively or negatively
1. Quarry Hill flats had still existed. Could this have been gentrified or would it be similar Park Hill in Sheffield that is liked be some but hated by others?
2. Norman Fosters 1994 plan for Criterion Place was built. Would this have meant that Leeds could have been faster in developing and could we have seen Ian Simpsons designs for this Criterion Place in a different location?
3. The Leeds Shopping Plaza and Trinity Arcades were never built. Surely this would have given Leeds a much more historic shopping environment?
How many other 'What Ifs' could there be and would your reaction be if any of these were had occurred instead of the reality?
1. Quarry Hill flats had still existed. Could this have been gentrified or would it be similar Park Hill in Sheffield that is liked be some but hated by others?
2. Norman Fosters 1994 plan for Criterion Place was built. Would this have meant that Leeds could have been faster in developing and could we have seen Ian Simpsons designs for this Criterion Place in a different location?
3. The Leeds Shopping Plaza and Trinity Arcades were never built. Surely this would have given Leeds a much more historic shopping environment?
How many other 'What Ifs' could there be and would your reaction be if any of these were had occurred instead of the reality?
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
Guess if Leeds was seriously bombed in World War 2 then perhaps it would have standard 60s fare such as bus stations, roundabouts and concrete and maybe instead of Briggate we could have seen an Arndale Centre type development right in the middle of Leeds. Perhaps it would have been like the Merrion Centre but much more extensive and guess it would have made Leeds maligned nationally for its architecture perhaps like Birmingham was prior to it's regeneration in the 1990s.
Stig282 said:What if Leeds had been bombed as much as some other cities have been over the last 100 years? How different would it have been.
The post-war planners did what the Luftwaffe didn't, demolished some of the finest buildings in our city. The same is true of most cities in this country.
That said for a truly apolyptic vision of what happens when a combination of bombing and mis-guided planning achieves go to Coventry. Absolutely awful!
Norman Foster's plan for Criterion was no Gherkin. It consisted of a few smart looking mid-rises, that's all. Although they need to get a bl**dy move on with Ian Simpson's Criterion, I don't think it has massively slowed down the development of the city.
The construction of the Bond Street Centre and West Riding House entailed the demolition of some very nice Victorian buildings on Albion Street, and a few on Bond Street (the Co-Op, the music hall, the Yorkshire Post offices, the stock exchange, etc), Fred2 will have actually seen these buildings in the flesh, wow! Architectural vandalism was also a problem for Park Row, Infirmary Street, East Parade. Trinity Street however, was never anything to write home about.
WW2 or not, the planners had a real go at destroying the historic core, and I've no doubt people would have a much better impression of Leeds had these buildings not been flattened. Prince Charles included Leeds in a book he wrote in the 1980s, commenting that the city had 'suffered terribly' due to comprehensive re-development schemes. However, it's worth mentioning that since the '60s the Civic Trust has managed to save the Kirkgate Market, Midland Bank (junction of Boar Lane and City Square), the Bank of England, and (thanks to the re-development company mercifully going bust) the entire south side of Thomas Ambler's Boar Lane.
The construction of the Bond Street Centre and West Riding House entailed the demolition of some very nice Victorian buildings on Albion Street, and a few on Bond Street (the Co-Op, the music hall, the Yorkshire Post offices, the stock exchange, etc), Fred2 will have actually seen these buildings in the flesh, wow! Architectural vandalism was also a problem for Park Row, Infirmary Street, East Parade. Trinity Street however, was never anything to write home about.
WW2 or not, the planners had a real go at destroying the historic core, and I've no doubt people would have a much better impression of Leeds had these buildings not been flattened. Prince Charles included Leeds in a book he wrote in the 1980s, commenting that the city had 'suffered terribly' due to comprehensive re-development schemes. However, it's worth mentioning that since the '60s the Civic Trust has managed to save the Kirkgate Market, Midland Bank (junction of Boar Lane and City Square), the Bank of England, and (thanks to the re-development company mercifully going bust) the entire south side of Thomas Ambler's Boar Lane.
Are there any renders anywhere of Fosters plan for Criterion Place? All I remember seeing is some 60/70metre tall building on a map of Leeds City Centre for a proposed Royal London Insurance development (which I don't know was actually Fosters plan or not).
My 'What If' would be 'What if I'd have been born and brought up in Newcastle (as nearly happened) or London, and would I be better off for never having known the city of Leeds!?
Talisker got a rendering of the development from an imaging company called Door54/64, but it was taken out of circulation shortly after. I'd imagine Foster and Parts have some images, but sadly not on their website.Val Verde said:Are there any renders anywhere of Fosters plan for Criterion Place? All I remember seeing is some 60/70metre tall building on a map of Leeds City Centre for a proposed Royal London Insurance development (which I don't know was actually Fosters plan or not).
I liked the design at the time, it was a series of mid rise rectangular blocks clad in glass with a steel trim. It looked like it was from the same school as City Point, currently being constructed at the junction between King Street and Quebec Street.
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
- This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
SkyscraperCity Forum
A forum community dedicated to skyscrapers, towers, highrises, construction, and city planning enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about structures, styles, reviews, scale, transportation, skylines, architecture, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Top Contributors this Month
View All
Katarzyna DJ
6920 Replies
calatravavx
3070 Replies
Srdjan Adamovic
1672 Replies
Recommended Communities
