Elizabeth House development (aka 'Three Sisters'), York Road

Originally posted in the Tabard Square topic:
Author: James Hatts
Date: 22 Dec 03 12:48

Interesting piece about skycrapers planned at Waterloo...

http://www.emporis.info/en/nc/ne/?id=101010

One of the many previous architectural competitions for the South Bank included a plan by a star (Spanish?) architect for two enormous tower blocks next to Waterloo station - one round and one square in plan - which he called the Romeo and Juliet towers.

Anyone else remember any details of this?

I've been digging around for more details on this Waterloo skyscraper business.

Apparently it was the cover story in last week's Building Design magazine.

As for the York Road proposals, the minutes of this English Heritage advisory group meeting are interesting: click here - PDF document

P&O Developments have launched their plans for the Elizabeth House site in York Road today

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/9010417

I am trying to get hold of the press release and computer-generated images from P&O, so watch this site for more news.

London Today's lunchtime bulletin showed an aerial view of the new "sail-like" building, and from the brief glimpse I got I wasn't impressed.






Edited 1 times. Last edit at 12 July 2004 6.47pm by James Hatts.

Here's the 33-storey "sail-shaped building" as shown on London Today:

From the Standard story:

"The drab [1960s] building obstructs views of the fine Portland stone arch that commemorates-London railway men who gave their lives in both world wars."

Methinks the Standard has fallen for P&O's propaganda.

The view of Victory arch is blocked by other railway lines and the botched roadworks installed when the Eurostar terminal was constructed. However drab it is, the Tower building doesn't block that particular view.

Are P&O planning to move the Arch as part of the scheme???

Rowan Moore criticises the scheme in today's Standard:
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/entertainment/art/articles/9434057






Edited 1 times. Last edit at 12 July 2004 6.47pm by James Hatts.

Hurrah for Rowan Moore -

"So here's the deal: a footbridge, a relocated road, and a big conservatory, at a cost of trashing city views for the rest of our lifetimes. This is to say nothing of the vast shadow the tower will cast, the massive wall it will erect between Waterloo and the river, the blank walls it will create at street level, and a block of affordable housing - included in the scheme as a sop to the Mayor - that would stand completely surrounded by traffic."
...
Londoners are being sold a pup"

I wholeheartedly agree

It looks horrible an elegant sail is the last thing that comes to mind


You will probably be able to see it from St. James's park

Who is the architect that criticized it.

And what sort of work has he done

See http://www.icon-magazine.co.uk/issues/june/rowan.htm for some general info; and

http://www.archinform.net/arch/4561.htm?ID=FbhzZwK9GasUFOAl for a bibilography.




Edited 1 times. Last edit at 12 July 2004 6.48pm by James Hatts.