Built environment discussion

[yorksrob]

One thing that does upset it me is the seemingly endless sprawl of bland "Barratt Boxes" (other housebuilders are available); it just seems that none of the "architects" have any imagination these days.

Even in the past we had the endless sprawl of terraced houses - although some have some architectural flourishes.

 

[GusB]

Even in the past we had the endless sprawl of terraced houses - although some have some architectural flourishes.

I realise that we've had loads of similar-looking terraced houses, etc., but they don't seem quite so stark. It's probably because the new ones around here all seem to be white and haven't been weathered enough yet.

 

[yorksrob]

I realise that we've had loads of similar-looking terraced houses, etc., but they don't seem quite so stark. It's probably because the new ones around here all seem to be white and haven't been weathered enough yet.

Is that white painted pebbledash ? I always think that looks quite attractive against a hilly landscape such as Cumbria etc.

 

[PTR 444]

Probably the most appropriate thread for this. On the same day that a fire ravages Ayr Station for the second time, the owners of another historic building have declared that it will be left as a ruin, with only the exterior walls and windows being restored:

Country house which caught fire in 2015 is to remain a ruin

Clandon Park, an 18th century mansion, was left a charred shell after a fire in 2015 in what was widely regarded as the greatest disaster in the history of the Trust.

www.dailymail.co.uk

• Clandon Park, an 18th century mansion, was left a charred shell after fire in 2015

A scion of the family that gifted one of the country's grandest houses to the National Trusthas accused the charity of betraying an agreement to preserve it.
It now wants to preserve Clandon, the ancient seat of the Earls of Onslow, as a ruin with its external walls and windows restored but nearly all of its interior 'thoughtfully conserved in its fire-damaged state'.

The Trust says this will offer people 'a unique "X-ray" view of how country houses were made'.

But Constance Watson, whose grandmother Lady Teresa Waugh - daughter of the 6th Earl - lived at the mansion near Guildford, Surrey, as a child, has branded the plan a 'blatant betrayal.'
Miss Watson, a journalist, said: 'A member of the Onslow family - my ancestors - gave the mansion to the National Trust by Deed of Gift in 1956, along with an endowment of £40,500 (approximately £1.3 million in today's money).

'The deed recited that the donor 'is desirous of presenting [Clandon] to the Trust for preservation' under the National Trust Acts of 1907 and 1937. They dictate that the Trust will secure the 'permanent preservation' of buildings and land in its care.'

Restore Trust, a protest group of National Trust members, believes the Trust's plan is the latest example of it failing in its values and has raised a motion ahead of the Trust's annual general meeting in November calling for a full restoration of Clandon's interior.

Following the fire, the Trust initially said it hoped to rebuild the Grade-I listed mansion near Guildford in Surrey. It says its approach has 'evolved in response to expert assessment.'

Its revised plans, first announced last year, also include what it calls 'sensitively designed walkways and platforms' that will make the 'dramatic fire-damaged spaces' inside Clandon 'fully accessible', and a new roof with public terraces and roof lights which will it says will give 'breath-taking views' into the house and across surrounding countryside

Miss Watson, great-grand-daughter of satirical writer Evelyn Waugh, said the Trust's plan amounts to turning Clandon into 'some sort of avant-garde visitor experience'.

She added: 'The current plans are a blatant betrayal of the Deed of Gift, intended to preserve the architectural gem for the nation in perpetuity. If Clandon is not safe, where is?'

 

[Strathclyder]

Growing up in Clydebank and in close proximity to Glasgow, I've not really got a favourite architectural style, although I do have a fondness for the various tenaments in the West and East Ends and the South Side, to say nothing of the likes of Kelvingrove Art Galleries, Glasgow University's Gilbert Scott Building, the City Chambers, Glasgow Central etc.

I also have to say that I quite admire some brutalist buildings, although I realise that it's a style that is very much "marmite"!

I'm in the same boat. I quite admire some brutalist buildings extant and demolished, but I do realize it's possibly the most divisive architectural style there is.

 

[AM9]

Housing estates built lately are far far far more varied and ’architected’ than anything for decades, both within an estate and by region (see all the ones out West clad in local style stone)!
But that’s not difficult compared to Victorian terraces, endless 30’s semis, council estates, the awful small windowed small 80’s estates and pastiche mock Georgian executive estates

Up until recent decades, residential building design and its juxtaposition with the space around it was generally slowly evolving, often for the benefit of the developers involved. I lived in Essex in the first half of the '70s where the "Barratt boxes" were rapidly spreading across the county. They were basically the same in many counties.
In 1973, Essex County Council published its first Residential Design Guide, which sought to address the impact of both building and open space design on social life in what was becoming higher density developments. Then along came the oil crisis which needed addressing in domestic buildings, particularly in respect of (then) single glazed picture windows and relatively poor insulation standards. Before I left the county, the first major development that took the design guides rules was completed in Billericay, namely the Norsey Farm estate. Even today this estate stll stands out as one where issues such as overlooking between closely spaced properties and discreet vehicular access are compatible with current expectations. The design guide (update) is still very much in use and has been emulated by other local authorities and even national guidance. Many of the changes in estate design across the UK can be traced back to this forward thinking move by the ECC.
For those interested, the design guide can be seen at essexdesignguide.co.uk

 

[J-2739]

This is loooong overdue, but this building has been declared the best in Britain this year. Stirling Prize winner.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-67105475

The John Morden Centre, a retirement day care facility in London, has won the UK's leading architecture award.
The building in Blackheath was praised by the Royal Institute of British Architects Stirling Prize 2023 jury for its use of sustainable materials.
Designed by Mæ, the Riba judges said it set an example of how to "raise the bar of quality in social healthcare".
It beat five rival contenders including A House for Artists and the University of Warwick's Faculty of Arts.
The other finalists, in full, were:

• A House for Artists, Barking (Apparata Architects)
• Central Somers Town Community Facilities and Housing, Camden (Adam Khan Architects)
• Lavender Hill Courtyard Housing, Clapham (Sergison Bates architects)
• Courtauld Connects - The Courtauld Institute of Art (Witherford Watson Mann Architects)
• University of Warwick - Faculty of Arts (Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios)

The six buildings explored addressing a specific social problem, such as rising wealth disparities and housing shortages.
Riba president Muyiwa Oki said: "These six remarkable buildings offer thoughtful, creative responses to the really complex challenges we're facing today.
"Whether it's tackling loneliness, building communities or preserving our heritage, these projects lay out bold blueprints for purposeful architecture."

 

[Mogster]

Huge numbers of high rise building projects in Manchester (Manchatten….) for the last few years. Unfortunately mostly we seem to get anonymous oblong boxes. There is one massive round one now near the Mancunian Way which is a move in the right direction at least.

What’s needed are a few projects with creative design to create a distinctive skyline. Although I suppose creative = expensive…

 

[J-2739]

Huge numbers of high rise building projects in Manchester (Manchatten….) for the last few years. Unfortunately mostly we seem to get anonymous oblong boxes. There is one massive round one now near the Mancunian Way which is a move in the right direction at least.

What’s needed are a few projects with creative design to create a distinctive skyline. Although I suppose creative = expensive…

Most of these are actually being designed by a single architecture firm, so it is little surprise that the skyline is looking a bit sterile.

 

[sprunt]

You might like Poundbury in Dorset, then.

Poundbury is awful. In isolation, most of the buildings are fine but the way all the different styles of building have just been plonked down next to each other with no thought for their context makes it just look like an architectural Disneyland. And the central square that's a massive car park is horrible.

 

[3141]

Last week I went by train the Barking Riverside. The station building is OK. The residential buildings constructed so far are not places where I'd wish to live. Pictures attached. If you google Barking Riverside you can find the masterplan showing what the completed development is expected to look like.

 

[Yew]

As I am from Preston and used the bus station from the 1st day it opened. I quite like it - brutalist as it may be!

I'm a big fan of Brutalist where it is a building that discards aesthetic considerations for functional ones, by all accounts the Trellik tower has lots of thoughtful features that make the apartments very livable. However lots of budget blocks are driven more by cost considerations than by human factors.