Walkie Talkie tower, Fenchurch St crackles into life

[editor]

The ground breaking ceremony took place yesterday, and completion of this very odd looking creation is planned for early 2014.

What do you think urban? A beauty? Or a beast?

More info: http://www.urban75.org/blog/walkie-talkie-tower-fenchurch-st-crackles-into-life/

 

[jakejb79]

I like it.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I like it. Simple but kind of elegant. Much nicer than those bronze coloured ones you posted up the other day.

 

[scifisam]

I think it'll fit quite well with the other buildings around it.

 

[boohoo]

Yuck!

 

[editor]

I can GUARANTEE that the sky garden won't look as wonderful as it does in those artist renders!

 

[Crispy]

Fucking minging. Hideous. The worst skyscraper in london. I wish death on its designer.

 

[Crispy]

Do a thread on 122 leadenhall next. That's back under construction after a few years on hold and it's a BEAUTY.

 

[boohoo]

I'd really rather like a stop to these sky scrapers. I'm just not sure how much we will enjoy them in 50 years time.

 

[editor]

Have to say it looks really horrid and oppressive in this render. It looks like it's bullying the smaller buildings around it!

 

[lang rabbie]

The beast must die!

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Have to say it looks really horrid and oppressive in this render. It looks like it's bullying the smaller buildings around it!

oh, it looks really dumpy there. It looks like it's overweight when you see the others round it. I may have to change my mind about it. I thought it was skinnier and taller than it is in that picture

 

[Crispy]

That image goes some way towards showing how wrong this building is. The other ones under construction are all clustered together and make a group that culminates in the Pinnacle tower (no. 8 Minerva is cancelled and replaced with a low rise). But this one sits way off to the side, close to the river where it will utterly ruin the view from the south bank. I really really hate it. Hate it,

 

[clicker]

Looks good in the very top picture.....but looks top heavy and cumbersome in the last picture.....agree with Crispy, it looks like it just couldnt be arsed getting up close and chummy with the others and is sulking on the sidelines.

And I love the view from the South Bank.....how very dare it blight that.

 

[Crispy]

Oh fuck off you dumpy, overbearing twat.

 

[editor]

The more I see it, the less I like it. What's the fugly thing next to the OXO Tower?

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Bet you a pound to a pinch of shit that the garden on top isn't open to the public for long. Same with the top floors of the Shard.

 

[Dan U]

The more I see it, the less I like it. What's the fugly thing next to the OXO Tower?

I assume its the Coin Street development thats been on the cards for years (and often features in Private Eye!)

re: the thread subject, i don't like it at all. it's completely out of context with its immediate setting and also with the other big buildings either up or springing up around the area.

As another skyscraper derail, i went up the Eureka Tower over Christmas in Melbourne. It's got a fantastic viewing area on the top floor - open to the public but for a charge. We didn't have the time or the balls to go in it's star attraction which is basically is a glass cube which comes out of the side of the 88th floor!

http://www.eurekaskydeck.com.au/the-edge.asp

 

[IMR]

Bet you a pound to a pinch of shit that the garden on top isn't open to the public for long. Same with the top floors of the Shard.

^ this

'Security' reasons will be invoked, surprise surprise.

 

[Crispy]

The more I see it, the less I like it. What's the fugly thing next to the OXO Tower?

Mirax-Beetham tower, now cancelled. The site's for sale.

Unless you mean the square one just to the right? That's the ITV studios/Television Centre. Built in 1970

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

They really are going all out to fuck up the skyline of London at the moment

 

[Crispy]

Bet you a pound to a pinch of shit that the garden on top isn't open to the public for long. Same with the top floors of the Shard.

Nah, Empire state, Rockerfeller, Chrysler towers are all still open to the public. The Shard (and Pinnacle, which will actually be at a higher level) viewing areas will be paid tourist attractions, and aren't the right size for useful lets, so they'll be open for ever IMO. The public garden though, that's supposed to be free access (although there's private dining and a restaurant up there too, so it's not exactly profitless floor space). Future looks a bit darker for that. I'll go and look up the planning conditions and see how onerous they are.

 

[Crispy]

There is a long and exhaustive list of planning conditions for this building, but preservation of free access to the roof garden is not one of them.

On the plus side, the building will incorporate a minimum of 400 cycle parking spaces, and showers/changing with them, for the life of the building.

 

[quimcunx]

Have to say it looks really horrid and oppressive in this render.

As I said on another thread it reminds me of the monster in bugs bunny looming menacingly, but not comedically unfortunately.

 

[Belushi]

I like all the other skyscrapers that have gone up or been proposed in recent years but really dont like the look of this monstrosity.

 

[gabi]

i think, like the london2012 logo, it will grow on me. on first sight tho, its a fucking disgrace (i said that about the logo too tho)

 

[Crispy]

The logo, though, will be done and dusted by 2013. This thing will loom over the river for 30 years at least

 

[kyser_soze]

I'd really rather like a stop to these sky scrapers. I'm just not sure how much we will enjoy them in 50 years time.

There's every chance they won't be there, given the way commercial space in London gets developed, or indeed may well crash & burn.

 

[editor]

It's kind of sad that many grand Georgian/Victorian commercial buildings are continuing to serve hundreds of years after completion, whereas a lot of the modern stuff isn't expected to hang around for more than 30-50 years.

 

[Crispy]

It's kind of sad that many grand Georgian/Victorian commercial buildings are continuing to serve hundreds of years after completion, whereas a lot of the modern stuff isn't expected to hang around for more than 30-50 years.

Oh this will be designed for a longer life, but in commercial terms, that's as soon as we can hope for it to be knocked down.