Elephant and Castle Redevelopment

[lang rabbie]

Elephant groupies might be interested in this architecture student's study of the Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre - published on his own website - that reads like a love letter to the current building - one section is actually headed "the Joy and Beauty".

It does also contain some fascinating and (mostly accurate) building history.

Unfortunately, he seems to have failed to realise that the current painted cladding wasn't actually part of the original 1960s design, but [according to my copy of Pevsner and Cherry Buildings of England - London South, anyway ] the centre was reclad in 1978 to designs by the Percy Thomas Partnership.

My understanding was that it was at this time that the whole top floor of shopping (now the bowling/bingo) became the vast DHSS staff canteen. The current leisure use is a strange fulfilment of my prophecy from the one time I had lunch there with a former DHSS staffer in 1990 and I said that it looked like Butlins!)

 

[Brixton Hatter]

cheers for that LR, you are officially brilliant i am fascinated

The lower pedestrian terrace is split informally into areas which once contained plantings, seating and small advertisement standards that the architects had included. These were to subtlety warm and to create a more pleasing transition for the hard landscape that divides the shopping centre from the surrounding roads system. Over the course of time these key design features and ‘simple treasures’ have been lost, which in my opinion are fundamentally crucial to the overall feel and look of the shopping centre. This was once considered a pleasant seating and communal space away from the bustle and the dangers of the roads. This space was planned for relaxation and to enjoy the relative tranquillity, which had been so carefully considered by the architects.

Unfortunately the tranquility and qualities that this exterior space once created have sadly evolved into a space that resembles exactly what the architects were trying to escape from; the chaos and severity of the surrounding environment.

food for thought eh

and...

The most striking part of the shopping centre is its steel clad exterior having the ability to change colour from its original dark green to pink and then to bright red. This change has the capacity to cause much emotional and critical interest. I am assuming that the possibility of being painted pink was not part of the concept and execution of the design.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

cheers for that LR, you are officially brilliant i am fascinated

The most striking part of the shopping centre is its steel clad exterior having the ability to change colour from its original dark green to pink and then to bright red. This change has the capacity to cause much emotional and critical interest. I am assuming that the possibility of being painted pink was not part of the concept and execution of the design.

 

[William of Walworth]

Will get back to this later. There's a HUUUUGE other thread about it somewhere well down the London Forumn by now, will find it and link to it ...

 

[PacificOcean]

It was painted red for Comic Realif one year.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

It was painted red for Comic Realif one year.

It still IS red

 

[William of Walworth]

I think yuppified means "a place where you don't get stabbed by the colourful local inhabitants". Personally I'd nuke Elephant & Castle from orbit.

After fully consulting current residents in the area (including ME!), no doubt!

Typical kneejerk reaction.

 

[William of Walworth]

Will get back to this later. There's a HUUUUGE other thread about it somewhere well down the London Forumn by now, will find it and link to it ...

The old thread was started back in 2004, and is not quite as HUUGE as I remembered -- only 3 pages.

But plenty of interesting discussion and stuff.

Southwark Council approve Elephant redevelopment

 

[William of Walworth]

The mega thread (eight pages) relates to the imminent demolition of the Ayelebury Estate not far away -- plenty of interesting discussion about social changes in the area on THAT thread as well.

 

[Skim]

As much as I hate getting lost in the pedestrian subway, I'm really going to miss the psychedelic wall tiling

 

[madshadow]

Does anyone know anyone who was a tenant or a leaseholder on Elephant & Castle estates (ones that were demolished over last 10 years) someone who was moved out / had issues with rehousing / etc... I need some 1st hand information.

Im asking in the name of leaseholders and tenants on estates near Myatt's Fields. New Government scheme is being introduced that, if materialises, will transfer ownership of 250+ homes (200 tenanted and 50 leaseholds) from Lambeth onto new, for profit management organisation, backed by a massive property developer. Some of the people involved were running the Elephant project, so Im hoping to ask Elephant ex-tenants a few questions.....

Thanks!!