Hondo's plans for a huge tower on Pope's Road, Brixton and the Brixton Project

[editor]

Big plans proposed for Brixton with buildings that magically fade into the sky

Major vibrancy-creating redevelopment proposed for Pope’s Road in Brixton – and Hondo’s half-arsed consultation

 

[sleaterkinney]

Nice use of Jamaican flags.

 

[sleaterkinney]

There's more in the Brixton bugle, a 50-50 split between shops and restaurants and open til 12 for market row and brixton village.

 

[editor]

My April Fools just gave them ideas

Brixton Village to turn into a vibrant, late night ‘Club Hub’ with music pods, VIP rooms and artisan cocktail bars

 

[Ms T]

I read this as hendo’s plans....

 

[Throbbing Angel]

I read this as hendo’s plans....

Same here

 

[editor]

Kind of surprised there's so little comment here given the enormity of the plans...

 

[Gramsci]

I will go and have a look tomorrow.

This looks to me like obvious case of gentrification.

 

[Gramsci]

My April Fools just gave them ideas

Brixton Village to turn into a vibrant, late night ‘Club Hub’ with music pods, VIP rooms and artisan cocktail bars

Hardly surprising as your April Fool was so close to reality that people thought it was true.

Don't blame them.

This is gentrification.

 

[shakespearegirl]

The plans are so vague it’s hard to make comments.. was there any details about how high they are planning on going? Certainly going to have a major impact on central Brixton

 

[editor]

The plans are so vague it’s hard to make comments.. was there any details about how high they are planning on going? Certainly going to have a major impact on central Brixton

It's so fucking dishonest to just have the buildings fading into the sky. How can you express an opinion when you've only been given a glimpse of what's being proposed.

Meanwhile some fucking idiot called Devvon has declared Buzz "institutional racist" because we didn't warm to the design.

Sad to see the institutional racism on this site – denigrating the work of one of this country’s leading BAME architects, Sir David Adjaye. Perhaps the author of this piece is actually a Home Office employee during the day, and sees this as an opportunity to push the “hostile environment” agenda?

Whatever, the good news is that the article has alerted me to the consultation, and so I have submitted a comment in support of Sir David.

 

[maomao]

some fucking idiot called Devvon has declared Buzz "institutional racist" because we didn't warm to the design

At least that means Brixton Buzz is now an institution.

 

[shakespearegirl]

It's so fucking dishonest to just have the buildings fading into the sky. How can you express an opinion when you've only been given a glimpse of what's being proposed.

Meanwhile some fucking idiot called Devvon has declared Buzz "institutional racist" because we didn't warm to the design.

What a fucking twat!

 

[Nivag]

It's so fucking dishonest to just have the buildings fading into the sky. How can you express an opinion when you've only been given a glimpse of what's being proposed.

Meanwhile some fucking idiot called Devvon has declared Buzz "institutional racist" because we didn't warm to the design.

I wonder if the IP address matches Sir David's office?
My money is on the researcher with a similar name
Adjaye Associates

 

[CH1]

I wonder if the IP address matches Sir David's office?
My money is on the researcher with a similar name
Adjaye Associates

What is your point exactly?
The website you have linked to is Sir David Adjaye's company.
Moreover if you download the pdf file linked to by Brixton Buzz the section headed "Design Team" has a picture of Adjaye's National Museum of African American Culture Washington DC heading up that section.

I have a slight sympathy for Devvon's point. I can't think of any Brixton Buzz article concerning a black architect. Moreover the late Zaha Hadid - Evelyn Grace Academy - seemed to attract massive approval.

In view of the current furore I rather wish I'd gone to the consultation instead of Sainsbury's!

 

[Gramsci]

The plans are so vague it’s hard to make comments.. was there any details about how high they are planning on going? Certainly going to have a major impact on central Brixton

I had a look at the boards.

Its two blocks. From what I can see the one furthest away from Popes road will be lower. Due to issue of blocking sunlight and overlooking on the new flats on CHL.

The block nearest Pope's road, the photo of it that does not show its height, looks to me where they are going to try to stick a big tower.

That's why they concentrate on discussing all the community benefits for ground level extension of market.

They are going to make the project work profit wise by getting planning for as high a tower as they can.

This consultation exercise is a softening up exercise.

Reading the boards from the public exhibition its all about how Hondo are (like Squires) doing a lot for the community. The architect they have employed is black and so wants development that builds on Brixton diversity.

So (and this reminds me of Squires) Hondo aren't stupid.

Noticed they say this land is not in the Brixton conservation area.

 

[CH1]

I had a look at the boards.

Its two blocks. From what I can see the one furthest away from Popes road will be lower. Due to issue of blocking sunlight and overlooking on the new flats on CHL.

Did you pick up any mention of flats? The pdf only seems to talk of offices and a hotel.
Very unusual for a development not to have flats pre-sold off plan in Penang these days.

 

[editor]

I have a slight sympathy for Devvon's point. I can't think of any Brixton Buzz article concerning a black architect.

That's because the article wasn't about the architect but about the vague plans that had been submitted.

To imply there's some sort of racism going on because I didn't like the 'fading into the sky' ugly blocks is both ridiculous and insulting. I have no sympathy for his baseless slurs at all.

This is not pleasing or attractive architecture. It looks like something cheap and bleak from the 70s.

 

[editor]

I had a look at the boards.

Its two blocks. From what I can see the one furthest away from Popes road will be lower. Due to issue of blocking sunlight and overlooking on the new flats on CHL.

The block nearest Pope's road, the photo of it that does not show its height, looks to me where they are going to try to stick a big tower.

That's why they concentrate on discussing all the community benefits for ground level extension of market.

They are going to make the project work profit wise by getting planning for as high a tower as they can.

This consultation exercise is a softening up exercise.

Reading the boards from the public exhibition its all about how Hondo are (like Squires) doing a lot for the community. The architect they have employed is black and so wants development that builds on Brixton diversity.

So (and this reminds me of Squires) Hondo aren't stupid.

Noticed they say this land is not in the Brixton conservation area.

Could be up to 15 storeys. It's plain deceitful not to give any information about the height when 'consulting' the public.

Brixton Central Masterplan looks to extend Brixton Village and build a 15 storey residential block

 

[CH1]

That's because the article wasn't about the architect but about the vague plans that had been submitted.

To imply there's some sort of racism going on because I didn't like the 'fading into the sky' ugly blocks is both ridiculous and insulting. I have no sympathy for his baseless slurs at all.

This is not pleasing or attractive architecture. It looks like something cheap and bleak from the 70s.

I think he's batting for his team. Proud that a prestige black architect is doing the job.
Personally I'm not wild about overdeveloping central Brixton, but to me the mock-up seems inoffensive in design terms.

 

[CH1]

Could be up to 15 storeys. It's plain deceitful not to give any information about the height when 'consulting' the public.

Brixton Central Masterplan looks to extend Brixton Village and build a 15 storey residential block

It hasn't got to masterplan grossness yet - presumably because the really big residential tower is at the back of the Pop Brixton site.
BTW I can't see the Rec or International House on your photo from the council's masterplan

 

[editor]

I think he's batting for his team. Proud that a prestige black architect is doing the job.
Personally I'm not wild about overdeveloping central Brixton, but to me the mock-up seems inoffensive in design terms.

What team? The article makes no mention of the architect, let alone his colour. It's an unforgivable slur.

 

[shakespearegirl]

How on earth is the article rasist? Or any objections to the development rasist?

 

[CH1]

What team? The article makes no mention of the architect, let alone his colour. It's an unforgivable slur.

I'm talking about Devvon the poster's emotional reaction.
I was trying to say that he seems to feel that David Adjaye's firm working on a development in Brixton is a positive thing.
He, Devvon, is perhaps fed up with black people being only Brixton Topcats, boxers, rappers etc, and welcomes a black-led architects doing the work.
I imagine he, Devvon, complained about institutional racism because he perceived a wall of negativity about the scheme in the article.
He didn't realise that whoever the architect was would have met the same response.

 

[Gramsci]

Brixton Central Masterplan looks to extend Brixton Village and build a 15 storey residential block

I see my concerns quoted in that article from 2014 are worth reading again.

 

[organicpanda]

I went on Saturday and talked to the architect there, when questioned about the height of the buildings he replied that it hadn't been decided as they were still in consultation with the council (who look like they'll be dusting off their masterplan to go with this development) reading between the lines they will go as high as they are allowed. Asked about flats (cutting edge apartments) confirmed that there were no plans for any, we'll see. He did play the bame card when I asked about how this was going to encourage locals to feel part of the way developments like this continue to change the character and accessibility of Brixton. didn't talk to any Hondo people as I'd had enough p.r. speak by then

 

[Gramsci]

I went on Saturday but it closed at 2pm. So missed it.

I would have been thought they could have done all day on Saturday.

Also not tucked away upstairs.

 

[Gramsci]

I took part in the early Brixton Masterplan consultations. Encouraged to do so in order to make sure development of Brixton worked for all.

Looking at how developers are using the Masterplan makes me wish I hadn't taken part in it.

Its now being used by developers to support there schemes.

It looks to me that the main players in Brixton now are Squires, Hondo, Network rail and Lexadon.

The Council is relegated to an impotent bystander.

This isn't democracy. Its , at local level, the replacement of democracy by small group of powerful business. Who will develop Brixton as they see fit.

Its like a return to the nineteenth century when people depended on good will philanthropy of the rich.

And now there will be insinuations that those who are critical are prejudiced. Even if they don't see it themselves.

 

[Gramsci]

Here is what Sir architect says. From the consultation boards


"ADJAYE ASSOCIATES
Adjaye Associates believes that architecture presents
opportunities for transformation – materially, conceptually
and sociologically.
Driven by the desire to enrich and improve daily life, the
practice’s buildings are designed to meet the diverse needs of
the communities they serve.
Adjaye’s vision is one that promotes multiple interpretations
of the civic experience. The approach to urban development
is driven by the human-scaled complexities of urban living in
parallel with the driving forces of topography, geography and
climate.
The celebration of difference that lies at the heart of the
practice’s architecture feeds into all its projects – whether
school and university campuses, re-developed urban quarters
or entirely new cities."

In his own words:


"This project fits into a
narrative that is incredibly
important to me, making
civic and social spaces that
are about bringing in diverse
constituents both locally and
from the city and its visitors.
A socially constructed
architecture that can edify
the community. When
taking on this project, I could
see the incredible
opportunity it had to elevate
the experience and give
back to the community.”
- Sir David Adjaye, OBE, on Pope’s Road

So this isn't a case of the architect as just hired hand.

So I can see criticism of this could be seen to be verging on being racist. That is a possible line that could be taken. I don't agree with it. But its looking like that could happen.

 

[editor]

So I can see criticism of this could be seen to be verging on being racist. That is a possible line that could be taken. I don't agree with it. But its looking like that could happen.

The colour of the company boss is absolutely irrelevant: bad design is bad design and to try and label anyone who finds fault with it as being 'racist' is ridiculous and divisive, and it's an argument I'm not going to tolerate.