Eddy Rhead's Comments
Comment on: BDP's £700m Tithebarn scheme canned as John Lewis pulls out
John Lewis clearly didnt think it was a good idea.
Comment on: 'Massive missed opportunity': Government slashes solar panel funding
"I want the coalition to be the greenest government ever" David Cameron May 2010
Comment on: It's a wrap: FAT finishes 260m-long facade for the BBC
Emperor's New Clothes
Comment on: D5 completes £2.4m Milton Keynes rugby pavilion
Lovely stuff. Restrained and classy. Nice palette of materials.
Comment on: Aedas latest practice to take on Euston station
‘self-funding, quick-win packages’ Translation: 'cheap and ill thought out'
Comment on: Donald Trump clubhouse scheme by Acanthus revealed
£750m on the scheme. £3.75 on the render.
Comment on: 'I'm looking for an architect,' says Tesco chief
Cynical attempt to get a troublesome scheme through planning as opposed to a real commitment to decent architecture.
Comment on: Danish practice wins 'Next generation of pylon' contest
Each design has its own merits so wouldnt it be a nice idea to perhaps have a range of designs which reflect the landscape that they go in? Or different geographical regions having their own designs?
Comment on: Allies and Morrison's contentious Winchester plans resurrected
‘It is a good scheme and Allies and Morrison has done a pretty good job.' Hardly a ringing endorsement of both the scheme or the architecture is it? If the developer cant even be bothered to talk it up then it doesn't bode well does it?
Comment on: Lego unveils Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House
What are these people trying to do to me!?!
Comment on: Fresh hope for Bradford's 'big hole'
If the render above, showing the proposed scheme, is anything to go by i think Bradford would be better off sticking with the hole for the time being.
Comment on: Work completes on Sheffield homes by FAT and AA Architects
Definition of Grove - 'a small wood, orchard or group of trees.' Not 'endless and ugly hard paving devoid of any greenery soon to be covered by parked cars'. As far as the houses go - gimmicky and dishonest masquerading as "well designed and striking".
Comment on: Release of Prince Charles' planning letters blocked
So it "could appear to undermine his political neutrality" could it? He obviously doesnt have political neutrality because he is clearly trying to use his influence to dictate policy. Its politics with a small 'p' but politics none the less.
Comment on: Revealed: latest images of Aedas' Robin Hood Gardens replacement
Generic. At best.
Comment on: Rioters could be kicked out of social housing, says Pickles
Making desperate and angry people that little bit more desperate and angry. That won't have any negative consequences. Will it?
Comment on: Free schools: 21 meetings for Gove and Murdoch empire
Does anyone else find the comment ‘We would be open to discussions with anyone regarding free schools.’ a bit chilling? Or is it just me?
Comment on: In pictures: AS+GG to design world’s tallest tower
I thought we were done with this kind of lunacy?
Comment on: AJ Buildings Library now open to all AJ subscribers
Absolutely love the library. However, and i hate to be Peter Pedant, but Castleford Bridge by McDowell and Benedetti has ended up in a place called Wakeford and not where it should be - in Wakefield.
Comment on: Robert Adam completes Northampton mental health facility
I am lost for words (which is *very* rare for me).
Comment on: Kevin McCloud’s housing to be rolled out
I like the bike racks though!
Comment on: Kevin McCloud’s housing to be rolled out
As with my moan on the Future Townhouse project - this scheme continues the modern malaise of car parking right up hard to the front of the house. No chance for an attractive front garden and a reduced chance for interaction with neighbours. It encourages the seamless transition from your mobile metal box straight into your static brick box. Why cant there be a distinct and physical separation between home and car or have we become so attached to our cars we feel the need to keep them close at hand like a pampered child?
Comment on: Introduction: The Essence of Engineering
Where can i get a copy of this booklet?
Comment on: Dutch stars Mecanoo lined up for new Manchester arts venue
A depressing waste of money at a time when Manchester apparently hasnt got any.
Comment on: BDP's £700m Tithebarn scheme canned as John Lewis pulls out
Is there anyone, outside of Preston City Council, who still thinks this is a good idea?
Comment on: Father and son team wins future townhouse contest
I lament the loss of the front garden in this country. People are now clearly too traumatised in having to walk more than 2 metres from their cars to their front doors. God forbid one should have to talk to ones neighbours in the process.
Comment on: Mayor overturns Camden and approves Make’s Saatchi & Saatchi scheme
Are there any buildings in London that Make arent doing?
Comment on: Third of student architects bankrolled by parents
There was a rather depressing survey recently pointing out that 60% of current charting British pop artists had some sort of private education. Its probably a lazy comparison but we can we presume that architecture will now only be the preserve of the rich and not the talented and British architecture will become as bland as our pop music now is?
Comment on: Reed: Government says there are too many architects
Last time we had a Conservative government im sure there was a perception that we had too many ship builders, coal miners, steel workers, etc etc If this lot have their way we will, in future, have to rely on imports of architects because the profession will have been driven into the ground.
Comment on: Plans submitted for £1bn Scottish 'Poundbury'
Im presuming from the drawings above that cars (and people for that matter) will not be inhabiting this village?
Comment on: RIBA Award Winners 2011 – Leisure
I think its safe to say that the northwest, across all the categories, has been a pretty barren place in the last couple of years. I suspect the north / south divide is only going to widen in the coming years too. Depressing.
Comment on: Update: a history of wind problems in Leeds
Isnt there a case for corporate manslaughter if problems were identified and not acted upon. Who would be responsible though? The architects for not identifying the problem at design stage or the owners for not acting on an obvious problem? I would hope the poor family of the man killed would seek answers even if Leeds City Council and the HSE dont.
Comment on: Why the Broadgate listing is both undeserved and unfair
Spot on Christine. A 'reactive' listing is sometimes good if it is a low key building in 'the provinces' that has slipped below the EH radar and is threatened. Broadgate is a very high profile set of buildings which, if needed be, could have come under scrutiny and considered for listing at any time in the recent past. To list it now seems almost spiteful and undermines the integrity of the listing process. EH should expend more energy on systematic analysis of worthy buildings across the land instead of hurriedly diverting resources to a high profile listing at the 11th hour.
Comment on: Tom Bloxham on Localism and the role of the architect
To be fair Wayne (and dont get me wrong i am not a card carrying member of the Urban Splash fan club) Urban Splash only work within the framework of a funding system. You cant blame US for working that system to their advantage - they are not a charity. I think the real problem was that various agencies - be they local councils or central government relied too much on developers to take regeneration forward and gave them too much slack in return for not unsubstantial amounts of public money. You cant blame US from walking away from schemes when the money doesnt add up. US do what they do and on the whole they leave a positive legacy and the mistakes they have made - big ones like at Park Hill and small ones like the wall at The Midland - are more the fault of toothless planning departments and English Heritage. I can think of a lot worse developers than Urban Splash which isnt say much i know but on balance i think its unfair to be so critical of them.
Comment on: City slams office-to-residential conversions consultation
"The quality and quantity of office space available in the Square Mile is carefully planned many years in advance," Is it? Surely the property market ultimately dictates what does and doesnt get built in the Square Mile? Is there a strategic long term plan for the Square Mile? Im not being facetious i am genuinely interested to know what form this plan takes, how carefully planned it is and how strictly it is adhered to.
Comment on: Baking with BDP
I tempted to say that if they had done a cake version of Preston Bus Station it would have been demolished in no time. But i wont.
Comment on: Tweet it in the family
Its funny cos its true.
Comment on: Hemingway drops Broadgate/Shuttleworth clanger on Newsnight
Bless his cotton socks. He has always been a bit of a blagger our Wayne. Can also make a point of pedantry in that the Renault Distribution Centre is probably better described as Hi-Tech than Post Modern and whilst i dont know Truro Law Courts very well, i dont remember it having that many 'flashy shapes and bold colours'. Im guessing Wayne may have just typed 'british + 80s + architecture' into Google a few minutes before going on air for his 'research'.
Comment on: MBLA opens stainless steel-clad health centre
The bits of the old hospital ruin what is otherwise a great looking building. Whats the point? The interiors look superb though - MBLA do colour so well.
Comment on: Approval for camouflaged house in Bristol
Anyone else left with the feeling "Whats the point?" The natural cynic in my just sees this as an attempt to placate planners and instead of an interesting architectural statement it ends up just being a gimmick and a compromise. Seems an awful lot of space given over to car parking too. I'd be inclined to loose a car and gain more accommodation but then again i have more sense than money.
Comment on: Join the debate: dissecting the draft National Planning Policy Framework
I dont know about ‘most important planning document since the Town and Country Planning Act of 1947’ - it seems to be just pulling together lots of other polices and, despite my natural instinct to oppose everything this government do, i found myself agreeing (in principle) with much of what it says. The biggest alarm bell was these awful sounding Neighbourhood Forums. Whilst seeking to simplify the planning process these sounds like a great opportunity to put more obstacles in the way of development as applications ping pong between these local groups and local authorities. The idea of the Neighbourhood Forums granting planning permissions fills me with dread! There is real potential for small minded but articulate and vocal 'neighbourhoods' to cherry pick what they decide is acceptable development on their doorstep whilst less engaged or organised communities get all sorts of rubbish dumped on them.
Comment on: We should spot threatened libraries earlier, rather than spot-list late
In the past thematic studies have been an excellent way of identifying vulnerable buildings which in turn has led to listings. The work done by EH on cinemas and pubs are two thematic studies that spring to mind. I would suggest libraries be next on the list - if EH have the funds and/ or the will to do so that is.
Comment on: Rogers to make Shanghai debut with high-rise housing
The 'concept sketches' do not instil me with much confidence that these will be anything but fancy, expensive tower blocks.
Comment on: Velodrome for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, by Hopkins Architects
This looks to be a really wonderful building. As a Mancunian and a cyclist i have to say im rather jealous of this building - architecturally speaking it puts our own rather mundane velodrome to shame . What i can say is that this sort of facility has a real and positive impact on both participation in cycling and the quality of the cyclists we produce in this country. Our finest cyclists have all admitted that having the Manchester velodrome has improved them as athletes and improved the sport of cycling. This marvellous building can only strengthen Britain's position in the cycling world.
Comment on: Reaction: Profession responds to Shuttleworth's Broadgate scheme
I think Mr Shuttleworth needs to take a crash course in humility. His assertion that his gimmicky and rather average building is a 'sea change' is conceited and deluded whilst his apparently untrue comments about Peter Foggo are bordering on offensive.
Comment on: Queens Court, Milton Keynes, by Allies and Morrison
Looks as good , if not better, than it did in 1973. Well deserved listing and a seemingly good job by A & M.
Comment on: Government could drop s106 sweeteners
Pathetic. Sorry i cant offer a more articulate response than that but this is one of the lamest 'ideas' this bunch of fools have come up with yet. And thats saying something!
Comment on: Brighton Council's in-house team completes playgroup 'pavilion'
Probably be closed down in 6 months time because of spending cuts.
Comment on: Roof Structure: Velodrome for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, by Hopkins Architects
We have some very very talented people working in this country. A wonderful building.
Comment on: Manchester Bridge is safe insists Hodder
There seems to have been an ongoing policy of neglect on this bridge - with no one seemingly taking responsibility for its maintenance. Im just wondering if decent housekeeping over its short life would have prevented this? I doubt it would have reached this point if the bridge had been in the care of a private owner.
Comment on: Demolition threat to Arup Associates' 'Ski-jump' canopy
'Streets in the sky' eh? Havent we been here before? Those visualisations could be straight out of the 'Traffic in Towns' Buchanan report from 1963. Bad idea then - bad idea now. Quite apart from the idiocy of destroying this magnificent structure.
Comment on: Architects call for Gove’s resignation
I can think of several more reasons to get rid of him too.
Comment on: LDN Architects bags Piece Hall prize
Oh great - a water feature that will never work.
Comment on: ASL opens doors to Widnes MyPlace centre
I actually helped to get the Health Centre listed so this is very heartening for me to not only see its reuse and restoration but also a really good bit of new architecture to complement it.
Comment on: Prince of Wales’ ‘Knockroon’ scheme wins planning
In what way is this a sustainable development?
Comment on: Make's Olympic Handball arena nears completion
Hugely underwhelming.
Comment on: Rogers' off Oxley Park as Taylor Wimpey proposes traditional finale
A leopard, it seems, cannot change its spots.
Comment on: Terry Farrell’s reworked eco-town approved
Although there are small concessions within the layout of this development to prioritise pedestrians over cars - this type of housing will still appeal to people who own cars and its geographical position and an apparent lack of any meaningful public transport means its 'eco' credentials are bogus.
Comment on: Robert Adam bags planning for Jersey Dairy site
God help us.
Comment on: WHAT_architecture unwraps Lego-clad school
That is a beautiful thing.
Comment on: Heatherwick’s pavilion rods up for sale
Erm? Anyone know how to read Cantonese?
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