Spurred on

Spurs Stadium: SAVE alternative, Huw Thomas Architects

From Building Design http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=426&storycode=3138130&channel=426&c=1

Heritage outcry over Make’s Spurs stadium

Heritage groups have slammed plans to demolish a set of historic buildings on the site of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club’s new north London stadium, following the unveiling of designs by Make Architects, KSS Group and Martha Schwartz Partners last week.

Save Britain’s Heritage — which this week revealed its own vision for the site by Huw Thomas Architects — described the removal of up to 15 historic buildings, including two grade II listed properties, as “pretty grim”.

Secretary William Palin said: “It is an insult to Tottenham that [Tottenham Hotspur FC] hasn’t bothered to produce anything that relates to the surrounding area.”

The Victorian Society warned that the club had yet to justify the demolition under planning guidance. Conservation adviser Heloise Brown said: “The club’s aim to build a new stadium… and create open spaces can be achieved without knocking down these buildings.”
The scheme includes a 58,000-seat stadium, hotel and 450 homes.

For more see:

http://www.savebritainsheritage.org/

Previous post on this:

http://nemesisrepublic.blogspot.com/2009/02/game-of-two-halves.html

A 'good news' report this week on the listings front is that the Minister has listed a school and a railway station, both twentieth century, which is unusual and hopefully signals a more sensible listing regime for post-1900 buildings:

Architecture minister Follett lists two 20th Century buildings

Barbara Follett lists school and railway station at Grade II.

Pics and report: http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=426&storycode=3138299&channel=426&c=2

It seems English Heritage is at last starting to wake up to the need to protect World Heritage Sites from unsuitable development (too late for Liverpool):

English Heritage (EH) has publicly attacked Allies and Morrison’s proposed high-rise Elizabeth House scheme in central London

EH claims the three-tower development next to Waterloo Station would cause ‘significant harm’ to the Westminster World Heritage site.

A public inquiry into the £1 billion development for P&O on London’s South Bank, which features two office blocks and a residential skyscraper (22, 27 and 39 storeys respectively), kicks off later today (15 April 2009).

According to a statement released to the AJ, EH is expected to tell the planning inspector the proposals, known as the Three Sisters scheme, could ruin the setting of the Palace of Westminster as well as harming views of some of London’s most architecturally and historically significant buildings.

The landmarks threatened, claims EH, include the recently refurbished Grade I-listed Royal Festival Hall the Grade-II* listed County Hall and the Royal National Theatre.

An EH spokesperson said: ‘There is no reason why regeneration need come at the expense of the historic environment of London.

‘English Heritage supports the redevelopment of this site and is not opposed to the inclusion of tall buildings as part of that redevelopment, as long as those buildings do not unacceptably harm the setting of key heritage assets.’

More:http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/5200444.article

Nice comment under that that:

"The planned development is a giant cuckoo in an already overcrowded and unappealing nest. But why make it worse? English Heritage is right. Graham Morrison - you should be ashamed of yourself. You used to care - now you're just taking the money. Richard Lucraft"

Sadly, in Edinburgh, moves are afoot (!) to move important modern sculptures by Paolozzi from the heart of the WHS, according to the Scotsman today:

Giant sculpture could hotfoot it to new home in city

By BRIAN FERGUSON
THE giant foot created by celebrated Scots sculptor Eduardo Paolozzi has had pride of place outside a cathedral in Edinburgh for almost 20 years. But now it is at the centre of a wrangle over whether it should become a new landmark in Paolozzi's native Leith.

Supporters want to see it moved to become the start of a new sculpture trail through the port, which would also feature the other two works of art which sit alongside the "Big Foot" outside St Mary's Roman Catholic Cathedral, in Picardy Place.

The fate of the sculptures are uncertain as their current home is earmarked for a major new hotel development once the area has been overhauled to accommodate the city's trams.The Greener Leith campaign wants the city council, which is responsible for their upkeep, to hand the sculptures over, but the move is being resisted by the authority.

Actually the sculptures aren't at much risk where they are as there will still be public space. So why not commission something new for the start of the sculpture trail?

There are pictures on the Edinphoto website here:

http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/0_street_l/0_street_views_-_leith_walk_001867_paolozzi_foot.htm

And thanks to a friend in Embra I have today been pointed in the direction of another excellent photo website:

http://www.henniker.org.uk/

News that it's going to be Pass the Sickbag time on Friday evenings it seems:

Starting next Friday (24 April), BBC2 9pm. English Heritage.

Documentary series taking a look behind the scenes of the organisation that preserves historic architecture, as Chief Executive Simon Thurley oversees the task of looking after the country's listed buildings.

(That's Thurley, who for his 40th birthday party in 2004 apparently dressed as Charles II...)

Well, sometimes it preserves historic architecture. Will we have a right of reply, showing its many failures also?

It sounds worth watching though:

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/tv_and_radio/article6078470.ece

Nem

Heritage Forum:

http://www.joylandbooks.co.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=11