Squire and Partners in Lambeth

[urbanspaceman]

Yes, you're right. We should hush and be grateful. And if they manage to jump a few hoops and not have to go through the same kind of scrutiny as everyone else, well, that's fine because they doing up a building nicely for themselves.
PS I don't think they're creating 300 jobs in Brixton. I suspect most of their vacancies are already filled by their existing staff.

I'm not going to get into the sort of angels-on-a-pinhead pissing match that I keep deprecating. But I did say "bring 300 jobs to Brixton", not "create" and indeed they are. They are bringing (i.e. transferring) the jobs from Kings Cross to Brixton.

 

[editor]

I'm not going to get into the sort of angels-on-a-pinhead pissing match that I keep deprecating. But I did say "bring 300 jobs to Brixton", not "create" and indeed they are. They are bringing (i.e. transferring) the jobs from Kings Cross to Brixton.

But you made it sound like the arrival of a fresh batch of well-heeled young professionals into Brixton is something to celebrate. Why is that a good thing?

 

[SpamMisery]

And the money they spend in local shops

 

[alex_]

And the money they spend in local shops

I expect quite a lot of small business owners are pretty pleased about this.

Alex

 

[urbanspaceman]

But you made it sound like the arrival of a fresh batch of well-heeled young professionals into Brixton is something to celebrate. Why is that a good thing?

"Fresh batch" - what a dehumanising way of talking about your fellow human beings. Let's try it on for size with some other identifiable groups: "fresh batch of migrants", "fresh batch of ….". Ah, but I can't go further or I'd be banned.
"Young". Are they young ? Would it be different if they were middle-aged ?
"well-heeled". As far I as know architecture isn't particularly well-paid, until you reach partner level. Would it be better if the new arrivals were poor ?

BTW, I do celebrate more commercial activity in Brixton. It's good for shops and restaurants and generates business rates.

 

[3Zeros]

C'mon Editor. Don't you know you can ignore the negatives of gentrification and forget any questions you may have regarding a developer's relationship with the local council if you just consider how pretty the buildings will be and how much money will be spent in the shops?

 

[editor]

"Fresh batch" - what a dehumanising way of talking about your fellow human beings. Let's try it on for size with some other identifiable groups: "fresh batch of migrants", "fresh batch of ….". Ah, but I can't go further or I'd be banned.
"Young". Are they young ? Would it be different if they were middle-aged ?
"well-heeled". As far I as know architecture isn't particularly well-paid, until you reach partner level. Would it be better if the new arrivals were poor ?

BTW, I do celebrate more commercial activity in Brixton. It's good for shops and restaurants and generates business rates.

"Migrants"?" WTF? That's some really deceitful twisting and projection there. I thought you were above that kind of thing.

And I'm afraid I don't share your enthusiasm for 300 well-off professionals making it their new workplace. I don't imagine they'll be making much use of the traditional businesses that cater to the less well off, with their spending power contributing to the demand for yet more trendy foodie restaurants that are unaffordable to many. No doubt some of their big workforce will want to move here too, and I can't imagine that'll have a positive impact on local rents.

And despite the guff on their website, I don't see them adding a lot to the area's "unique creative community and vibrancy" in any way at all. Perhaps you could help me out there?

 

[alex_]

C'mon Editor. Don't you know you can ignore the negatives of gentrification and forget any questions you may have regarding a developer's relationship with the local council if you just consider how pretty the buildings will be and how much money will be spent in the shops?

I suspect that Lambeth are keen on them due to the >500k of business rates I reckon they'll be paying every year.

Alex

 

[djdando]

Some businesses just have no shame: not only do they bring 300 jobs to Brixton and execute a high-quality refurbishment of a significant building, but now - the gall of it - they go and plant a tree. Yes, plant a tree. I think the sheer effrontery of the act speaks for itself.

And they had the temerity to arrange at short notice to have a minor road closed for a few hours on a Bank Holiday. Is there no end to their depravities ? As Ed's picture suggests, can you imagine how deep the corruption goes ? We should appoint a special prosecutor - and the first thing to investigate, as happy shopper suggests, is the extent of injury, losses, distress and trauma suffered by Urbanites - so speak up everyone.

Hahaha. Well said. Such a bunch of nosey NIMBYs this lot.

 

[djdando]

It was so inconvenient when I had to dismount my bike and walk past the crane. Fortunately I just about squeezed through but wow it was tight

 

[sparkybird]

I used to work in an architects office and i was young..... But that was about all....

 

[ricbake]

The Council fees for an "Emergency Road Closure" are about one third of those applied for in the proper timescale.
If you want a street closure for a play day or street party forget it if you don't get your application in time - for everyone else applying for any form of Street Licence scaffold, skip, hoarding or crane the rules are the rules - "no exceptions"

Squire and Partners have a position with the Council that apparently gives them exceptional status

April the 1st isn't a Bank Holiday. Squire and Partners are an existing business moving office, not a job creation scheme

The disruption to Ferndale Rd, Bellefields Rd and Stockwell Ave over the past year has become a pain for people using the streets and those neighbouring the project. Every delivery driver will get a parking ticket around there a bunch of their contractors seem to have impunity. The crane operation was a step further.
Stockwell Ave is a busy cycle and pedestrian route, even on a Saturday morning there is a steady stream of cycle commuters and numerous pedestrians. Last Saturday for 7 hours without notice they reduced the public highway to a narrow corridor hardly wide enough to allow pedestrians to pass each other let alone cyclists or mothers with buggies and shopping. They stopped even that use for some periods closing the road completely for what was a vanity project.

I don't understand why anyone believes it necessary to defend the idea that they should be entitled to this level of privilege.

 

[lefteri]

But you made it sound like the arrival of a fresh batch of well-heeled young professionals into Brixton is something to celebrate. Why is that a good thing?

To be honest they won't be that well-heeled, architecture is a notoriously badly paid profession, certainly at junior levels

It could be worse, they could be accountants or lawyers

But I agree it'll barely create a single job that didn't exist before

And squire's are bland commercial architects, no relation to any previous creative scene in brixton

 

[alex_]

The Council fees for an "Emergency Road Closure" are about one third of those applied for in the proper timescale.

If you want a street closure for a play day or street party forget it if you don't get your application in time - for everyone else applying for any form of Street Licence scaffold, skip, hoarding or crane the rules are the rules - "no exceptions"

Squire and Partners have a position with the Council that apparently gives them exceptional status

That emergency road closures cost less than regular ones is outrageous.

Bending over backwards to help a large new employer to the borough because they are going to pay a cash strapped council a boatload of business rates and bring people into brixton to spend money with local traders. I'd say they were worth making an effort for.

Alex

 

[SpamMisery]

The effect on Ferndale has hadly been excessive. I use that stretch of road several times a day and I can t hink of one occasion (in how many months?) when I had to cross the road to the pavement on the other side because the path was blocked. Anyone would think you lot would prefer the building was left part empty.

 

[CH1]

The effect on Ferndale has hadly been excessive. I use that stretch of road several times a day and I can t hink of one occasion (in how many months?) when I had to cross the road to the pavement on the other side because the path was blocked. Anyone would think you lot would prefer the building was left part empty.

Yes - they dealt with this professionally. And the men they had to direct the pedestrians looked as though they could pick you up and carry you across the road if you had any doubts!

 

[ricbake]

Another very impressive turn around for a permission for Squire and Partners

They did ask for this one with 17 days notice rather than just 17 hours like the last one.
At least it gave the Council time to publish this one on their website

Don't remember seeing any other advanced notice

 

[ricbake]

The dome unveiled

https://goo.gl/photos/dMRaSJtVWxq2zwbH6

 

[CH1]

The dome unveiled
https://goo.gl/photos/dMRaSJtVWxq2zwbH6

Not that impressed. I think the clockwork mechanism above the master bed above Wahaca really turns me on. Couldn't Squire and Partners have emulated that - and more?

You'll have to take my word for it but you can watch the cog wheels going round above your head in the top floor flat - assuming you've nothing better to do!

 

[editor]

Not that impressed. I think the clockwork mechanism above the master bed above Wahaca really turns me on. Couldn't Squire and Partners have emulated that - and more?

You'll have to take my word for it but you can watch the cog wheels going round above your head in the top floor flat - assuming you've nothing better to do!

Sadly, the innards fro that clock disappeared years ago - I've been up in the tower and there was just a few bits of metal left

 

[editor]

Another pic of that funky dome.

 

[CH1]

Sadly, the innards fro that clock disappeared years ago - I've been up in the tower and there was just a few bits of metal left

Maybe I need to take one of my tablets - but I could swear there were a couple of axles and gear wheels there in 2014.

 

[editor]

Maybe I need to take one of my tablets - but I could swear there were a couple of axles and gear wheels there in 2014.

I saw a few bits and pieces but no real gubbins. The people that squatted it years ago were keen to get the clock going but they realised it was too far gone.

 

[ricbake]

The transformation of Toplin House

https://goo.gl/photos/yK1YBFfSENW8ujbQA

 

[CH1]

The transformation of Toplin House

https://goo.gl/photos/yK1YBFfSENW8ujbQA

I don't like the look of the new dome from that perspective. Why on earth did they do that - and why did the council give permission.

Did the council give permission?

 

[SpamMisery]

What's wrong with it? I think it looks alright.

 

[ricbake]

I don't like the look of the new dome from that perspective. Why on earth did they do that - and why did the council give permission.

Did the council give permission?

What's wrong with it? I think it looks alright.

I did read through the original planning application but it was a huge and complicated set of documents and plans. I didn't remember seeing anything referring to this at the time. Learnt about it while discussing last years Design Trail plans. It was included in the original planning application but not so you would notice....

 

[CH1]

What's wrong with it? I think it looks alright.

I think you probably liked the "creatures" on Dr Who tonight then.

 

[SpamMisery]

You'll have to show me. I dont watch Dr Who

 

[SpamMisery]

I did read through the original planning application but it was a huge and complicated set of documents and plans. I didn't remember seeing anything referring to this at the time. Learnt about it while discussing last years Design Trail plans. It was included in the original planning application but not so you would notice....

View attachment 107840

What's inside the dome?