O/T idle thoughts on Leeds architecture

[eric olthwaite]

Couple of things arising from yesterday's visit:

- What the fuck is that absurd skyscraper monstrosity in the city centre? - you can see it before you turn west on the M621. Looks like a kitsch 1960's James Bond type villain's lair. Daft round drum thing at the top and godawful naff green lighting at night.

- I parked just to the north of the M621 by the footbridge. What's the deal with all the boarded-up 'Recreation' back-to-backs? Are they being cleared for development by LCC, or is it just that they have so little value no-one wants to live round there any more?

[the flying pig]

no idea what you mean really. bridgewater place? not sure it has green lights tho? i suppose i'm one of those people who more or less ignores 'architecture'.

[thechubbyone]

Bridgewater place isn't exactly worth of being the most noticeable building in Leeds, but compared to a lot of the new build flats - all now worth about 50% of what they initially sold for - it's akin to the Eiffel Tower.

There is a round looking building going up near bridgewater place that looks quite good so far, although it's pretty well covered in scaffolding at the moment.

As someone in the business what do you reckon to this?

I really like it, although I know a few people that reckon it's an eye sore. That picture doesn't really do it justice.

[thechubbyone]

few more pics....

[Phil LUFC]

You mean this Eric:


I happen to quite like it....

[Blackwhite]

few more pics....

Made me think of




Can't say I like it to be honest.

[SimonB]

You mean this Eric:


I happen to quite like it....

Have to admit I quite like it too. Although its main use to me is that the Grove Inn pub, my favorite pub in Leeds, is rignt next to it

Cant stand the one Chubby put pictures up of though, looks right ugly

[thechubbyone]

Made me think of...

Can't say I like it to be honest.

You do have a point, but I can't help but find it interesting looking. It certainly makes a change from the standard big block of flats with pointlessly small balconies that Leeds has a million of.

Should probably add that I do really like the look of dilapidated buildings of all kinds. In Chile I went to a place called Humberstone that was abandoned in the 60s after the nitrate(i think)industry collapsed. It sat there unused for 40 years until someone decided they could charge tourists to look at it and it's now a world heritage site. Anyway..... that's all a rusty mess and I thought it looked amazing. All a matter of taste I suppose......

[Blackwhite]

By the by, I do not recommend you Google image search 'rusty' with the safefilter off at work.

Oh, and avoid 'Grandma' too.

[Krumpli]

By the by, I do not recommend you Google image search 'rusty' with the safefilter off at work.

"Bottlebank" was once an eye-opener, but they seem to have sorted that one out now.

[Phil LUFC]

By the by, I do not recommend you Google image search 'rusty' with the safefilter off at work.

Oh, and avoid 'Grandma' too.

I didn't even know there was a safefilter setting for google images - thats certainly made things more interesting!

[Blackwhite]

"Bottlebank" was once an eye-opener, but they seem to have sorted that one out now.

I'm trying to find a way of turning off the filter on a collague's machine while she's away (she keeps locking it) and then tell her there's a fantastic new comicbook character looks just like her, called TubGirl.

[Krumpli]

I'm trying to find a way of turning off the filter on a collague's machine while she's away (she keeps locking it) and then tell her there's a fantastic new comicbook character looks just like her, called TubGirl.

Thanks for that, she'd make quite a water feature for the garden.

[Blackwhite]

Just by the roses

[SimonB]

[Dods]

You should tell her of the new social networking site, Lemonparty.

http://www.davidc.net/~david/lemonparty.jpg

[Blackwhite]

Nice idea Dods, can see her going for that but it lacks the mindbleach-requiring effects only a gallon of half-digested korma sauce to the fizzog will confer.


Having said that though, she's not very liberated, so maybe... maybe...

[thechubbyone]

Honestly, Eric starts a nice innocent thread about architecture and within an hour or two it descends into women shitting in their own mouths. Only on square ball eh?!

[Phil LUFC]

I'm trying to find a way of turning off the filter on a collague's machine while she's away (she keeps locking it) and then tell her there's a fantastic new comicbook character looks just like her, called TubGirl.

Thanks for that, she'd make quite a water feature for the garden.

Love the way they've pixelated her cunt to make sure the image can't be considered offensive to anyone like!

[eric olthwaite]

You mean this Eric:


I happen to quite like it....

That's it - Bridgewater Place. Narrowly missed out on being voted UK's ugliest building of 2008 in a building mag, apparently.

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=3123978

Hate it. Don't dislike Chubbs one of itself but where is it?

Thing is - and I'm the last person to be an out and out conservationist - there's a lot to like about Leeds as a city architecturally: the Headrow; Town Hall; Civic Hall etc. It's very difficult to chuck tall buildings into that kind of an area without making a right cock of it. There needs to be some sort of strategy to make sure they all work together.