I was reminded of this by a walk around the desolation that is the Olympic building site near Stratford.
There, in shiny yellow, is a delightful public viewing tower, giving views over the site.
The ground floor has a cafe and toilets, the upper floor is mostly a classroom for school trips, and a large viewing balcony.
Disappointingly, the campanile tower is just for services -- water tank and lift shaft machinery.
The aesthetic throughout is simple, durable and rugged, as befits the site and the functions. Oh, and I forgot to mention that in the third photo you can just about see to the right a covered walkway, open all along one side, parallel to the approach to the building. All made from containers.
I have to say, this is one of the jolliest pieces of architecture I've seen in this area, vastly more intelligent and appropriate than most of the hideous blocks of offices, flats and service centres that have infected east London.
I rather hope A. goes ahead with his Grand Projet.
3 comments:
But NOT that colour, for the love of anything you hold dear!
Surprisingly, that colour works very well in this setting (and may in fact do so in any -- see the last photo). This is an industrial site: next door is a major cement plant, at the back are half-a-dozen commuter railway lines and at the front is Europe's biggest single building site. It is not an easy place to build a public facility.
Actually, I think you should see it in the flesh and then decide whether or not some sort of heritage pastel colour would be better.
I also wonder what the "traditional" architects would build here -- some sort of Georgian country park folly, perhaps?
Absolutely! On the case! There will be a bedroom instead of silly classrooms, and you'll be free to stay in there any time you like. There might be some solar panels and photovoltaic ones too so it's energy-independent. Oh so many ideas!!
Post a Comment