Jump to content

Boris's Tower On The Olympic Park


Mr Tickle

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 599
  • Created
  • Last Reply
we think the design is not yet resolved in sufficient detail to receive planning approval.

I think cabe say that quit often.

Maybe they do, but do the projects which they say that about go ahead without any design changes, as you're - scarily - advocting should be the case for this tower?! They certainly didn't say that for any other project in the Park, most of which they were quite positive about. This review is seriously not good.

Three choices:

1. Resolve the design issues quickly and get it built before 2012. The ideal choice as far as those who want the tower are concerned.

2. Resolve the design issues but don't get it built by 2012. Not ideal but no harm done. It'll become part of the legacy and a monument to the Games. The watching world won't miss what's not there. For those who like the tower it's the cherry on top of the cake, not the cake itself.

3. Don't resolve the design issues, use your Mayoral powers to push it through planning nonetheless, and hope it all works out for the best, but risk putting a cat turd on top of said cake and ruining the whole flavour.

The question is (for those who like the design), what will be worse during the Games - no Orbit tower, or a severely rushed and compromised tower? It's quite obviously the latter and I can't possibly share your confidence that ignoring CABE won't result in the worst scenario happening. I'm sorry to say, but the wish is the father of the thought in your last two posts. You don't know it'll be fine, you simply want it to be. There's too many issues for the risk to be taken. It has to go back to the drawing board, no matter how long that takes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It doesn't need it. Whether you like it or not it's an unnecessary addition. But a lot of art is unecessary; that's its nature. The big question is, will this be unecessary and good, or unecessary and bad. If it's rushed through planning it's much more likely to be the latter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It doesn't need it. Whether you like it or not it's an unnecessary addition. But a lot of art is unecessary; that's its nature. The big question is, will this be unecessary and good, or unecessary and bad. If it's rushed through planning it's much more likely to be the latter.

Umm okay, so then remind me why that weird mayor of London thinks the Olympic Park needs this? Is this an ego thing for him or what?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is this an ego thing for him or what?

His predecessor, Ken Livingstone, was the person who won the Olympic bid and got the big build underway. So it is at least partially an ego thing for Boris, yes. There's no doubt about that. Wholly? Possibly, though I'd hope not. Boris' next move will answer that for us.

The idea of having a viewing tower/artwork in the middle of the park isn't a bad one at all though. It will draw tourists, add some height to the area, add some more interest, give the park a second-wind after the Olympics have gone away. It could, done well, prove to be a masterstroke. It's not needed, but that doesn't mean it can't be good. And since it's 100% privately financed the whole idea of a viewing tower sounds like a win-win situation.

BUT....if you're going to do something like this, it needs to be done properly. The context needs to be considered, so does the detail. And that means thinking about how it will look against the cauldron tower, how the practicalities like piping, queuing, cladding etc will work, how it will fit into its built surroundings. The CABE report is glaringly clear that not enough of this sort of thinking has been done. If Boris want to prove to us that this is more than a massage to his ego, and that he's willing to make this project into something special (as it could be if done properly) he needs to take the review into account and take his time over building this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You never really liked the Orbit tower any way ,your warming to it but still trying to grasp this cabe report as a reason not to build it before the Olympics ,

I actually believe cabe are corrupt, in the passed they have given there blessing to scheme’s so bad that they never got built,

Of course the cauldron has to be taken in to consideration, I imagine it will be a cabe approved minimalist banality, we don’t need a viewing platform that follows suit .

The Orbit tower adds none corporate creativity to the Olympic park and a genuinely original land mark for London.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not grasping at anything. The report couldn't be clearer. By simply dismissing the organisation which wrote it and advocating ignoring it rather than looking at what it actually says, you're the one grasping for something, anything to convince us the deficiencies in this project are not a problem.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am not coming to this thread without my personal biases. I am pro-London and anti-tower (at least anti-THIS tower). If the Tower cannot be completed in a timely manner with sufficient attention paid to the unresolved details, it should not be built at all. I realize that many details can change during construction, but it does sound as though this project is lacking in forethought. An unattractive, poorly thought-through tower that is not particularly visitor-friendly would not help London in any way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

in the passed they have given there blessing to scheme’s so bad that they never got built

Examples please.

Boris is set to approve the Orbit at the next planning meeting and dismiss CABE's concerns according to my City Hall spy. He is desperate to be there for the beginning of construction around 24th September when Labour choose their 2012 Mayoral candidate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Moronic, but thanks for the info. Just a matter of keeping our fingers crossed then, since we're apparently going to ignore the experts and build it hoping "it'll be alright on the night".

Once again, let me say I didn't vote for the guy. :rolleyes:

And to think, Spurs have had to redo, and resubmit their plans for a new stadium twice because of (compared with this) relativley minor concerns from CABE and similar groups. I've no problem with that whatsoever as it's all part of the process and will result in a better scheme. But it seems rather odd that the Mayor wants every tiny detail of our stadium plans resolved but completely ignores the same group of government architectural advisors when they say "we think the design is not yet resolved in sufficient detail to receive planning approval" about his own baby. Hmmmmmmmm......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Moronic, but thanks for the info. Just a matter of keeping our fingers crossed then, since we're apparently going to ignore the experts and build it hoping "it'll be alright on the night".

Once again, let me say I didn't vote for the guy. :rolleyes:

And to think, Spurs have had to redo, and resubmit their plans for a new stadium twice because of (compared with this) relativley minor concerns from CABE and similar groups. I've no problem with that whatsoever as it's all part of the process and will result in a better scheme. But it seems rather odd that the Mayor wants every tiny detail of our stadium plans resolved but completely ignores the same group of government architectural advisors when they say "we think the design is not yet resolved in sufficient detail to receive planning approval" about his own baby. Hmmmmmmmm......

well - the guy is an arse - so there is no surprise there - just hope that he does see sense and take on board their comments?!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Given the go-ahead yesterday.

so boris will go to the ball after all!

have mixed emotions about this - half of me like the tower (it's brave it's striking it's daring) the other half is less keen (it's clunky - lacks elegence) - will reserve judgement till it is built!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

so boris will go to the ball after all!

have mixed emotions about this - half of me like the tower (it's brave it's striking it's daring) the other half is less keen (it's clunky - lacks elegence) - will reserve judgement till it is built!

I’m so pleased it will be interesting to see the design changes that have been made, after visiting the visitor centre the other day I feel it needs this sculpture more than ever, it’s a very industrial area I feel this reflects that ,wishy-washy gestures wont cut the mustard at that end of the park.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Moronic decision. It's clearly nowhere near ready and if this wasn't the Mayor's pet project wouldn't get the go ahead with this many faults. :angry:

i tend to agree - it has the feeling that "it'll be alright on the night" and it's all about boris's ego - well we wait in trepidation!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The sculpture isn’t a statue of Boris,

When Ken Livingston was the Mayor I came across much the same reaction to Olympic projects .The Olympics aren’t actually owned by by either of these people, and this sculpture will have been chosen by a panel,

It will be built right in front of the Visitor centre. so it will be very exciting.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The sculpture isn’t a statue of Boris,

When Ken Livingston was the Mayor I came across much the same reaction to Olympic projects .The Olympics aren’t actually owned by by either of these people, and this sculpture will have been chosen by a panel,

It will be built right in front of the Visitor centre. so it will be very exciting.

yes - ojk - that's your opinion - whereas my opinion is that this is a vanity project from boris and he is rushing it through - when there are serious reservations from CABE about the quality of the build.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

yes - ojk - that's your opinion - whereas my opinion is that this is a vanity project from boris and he is rushing it through - when there are serious reservations from CABE about the quality of the build.

Why are you assuming that Cabes comments haven’t been addressed,

I’m assuming they probably have.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why are you assuming that Cabes comments haven’t been addressed,

I’m assuming they probably have.

CABE's comments form part of the decision process regarding planning permission, along with local documentation, comments from EH and other planning bodies. That's how it works.

Now the structure has been given permission, the developer can address CABEs concerns or decide not to. They no longer are part of the process and do not have to give their opinions on any further design changes.

The fact they had GRAVE concerns the structure as we have seen so far will be SEVERELY compromised by the needed addition of sewage pipes, lift structure and other elements missing from the planning application, the fact these can be added willy-nilly by the developer is putting a lot of faith in them that they will do a good job.

The only hope is they do address CABEs comments and produce a good job doing so. They would have had to, in the proper manner as they should have when they submitted the planning application, if the tower had been denied permission citing further planning detail needed.

The fact this has been rushed through with such lack of basic utilities is a worrying trend, and smacks of higher echelons moving the process for their own gain. There is nothing wrong with this per se, but to do so without stating the need for further design work is ridiculous.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

CABE's comments form part of the decision process regarding planning permission, along with local documentation, comments from EH and other planning bodies. That's how it works.

Now the structure has been given permission, the developer can address CABEs concerns or decide not to. They no longer are part of the process and do not have to give their opinions on any further design changes.

The fact they had GRAVE concerns the structure as we have seen so far will be SEVERELY compromised by the needed addition of sewage pipes, lift structure and other elements missing from the planning application, the fact these can be added willy-nilly by the developer is putting a lot of faith in them that they will do a good job.

The only hope is they do address CABEs comments and produce a good job doing so. They would have had to, in the proper manner as they should have when they submitted the planning application, if the tower had been denied permission citing further planning detail needed.

The fact this has been rushed through with such lack of basic utilities is a worrying trend, and smacks of higher echelons moving the process for their own gain. There is nothing wrong with this per se, but to do so without stating the need for further design work is ridiculous.

exactly - and therein lies the potential problem - boris is up for re-election and needs something to be remembered by as it has been a pretty ineffectual time in office so far (IMO) !!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I visited the visitor centre I noticed that while the venues are ahead of schedule so we will be able to technically stage the Olympics there was little sign that Stratford town centre was on the up, there is a massive amount of work to make sure when visitors step outside the park the area around is befitting of international attention the Olympics will bring this is going to be a massive job. the Orbit tower will be close to the entrance to the park and is a really important creative statement we cant afford to delay as there is so much work to do else where, the leA valley is a massive project I hope two years is long enough to get it all ready.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...