Back when I posted Fugly Houses (follow the link for the full flavor) wherein an entire subdivision in Britishland was ordered to be demolished because of “foundation issues”, I said this about the demolished houses:
“However, I will not offer odds that the rebuilt houses will look any different from their predecessors.”
And sadly, my prophecy has proved to be correct:
Ugh. They look like the cell blocks in a Level 3 penitentiary.
You have to ask the next question, in that in a village that looks like this:
…allowed construction of houses that look like this:
…that question being: “How much was the local planning committee bribed?”
I think we should be told.
From Dubai-on-Thames:
The tallest skyscraper in London that will rival the Shard is set to begin construction next week.
Planning for 1 Undershaft began eight years ago but today City Corporation planning officers have finally recommended it for approval ahead of a committee meeting next Tuesday.
Towering at 74 floors, the architectural masterpiece would be built between other east London landmarks, the Cheesegrater and the Gherkin.
Apparently it’s not quite a done deal:
It will still need final sign off from Mayor Sadiq Khan and the next Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Secretary.
“Levelling Up”? What kind of fucking title is that?
Never a radical Muslim asshole with a stolen airliner when you actually need one, is there?
Here’s one from London that gets me chuckling:
Mansour Namaki wants to link his Grade I-listed Regency villa – which was designed by James Burton in 1828 – to the mews house that also sits on the land.
Fair enough. He owns both properties and the land between them, and it makes good sense to link them rather than have to walk through the garden (in British Weather) just to get from one to the other. But then it all went pear-shaped:
He has hired Gherkin tower designer Ken Shuttleworth to design a ‘striking’ glass walkway that will join the two properties in the Regent’s Park Conservation Area.
Ah yes… the Gherkin:
…a.k.a. the Glass Suppository, which all by itself made London look… uglier.
What did he expect would happen?
Well, this is what would happen:
…so needless to say, the Usual Suspects and Busybodies got involved:
According to the council, the walkway’s ‘sculptural form would be a deliberately striking intervention which would over-compete with the architectural forms of the historic building and would demand attention.’
Richard Simpson, chair of Regent’s Park Conservation Area Advisory Committee said: ‘We asked the council to reject it and they did. Now we are waiting for the appeal decision.
‘It’s a very interesting house historically.
‘This walkway would be a completely inappropriate addition both in terms of its scale, as it is two storeys, and its design. Its exotic curvy glazing which is really quite inappropriate.
‘It’s possible that an application for a walkway could be accepted. We are not saying he can’t as several others have but they should be much more modest. The buildings need to be respected.’
And another:
‘The rules are there for a reason. These houses are Listed and the rest of us have to abide by the restrictions. If Historic England has refused to approve it then they will have valid reasons for doing so.
‘The plans aren’t in keeping with the architecture. If he wants to build something modern he shouldn’t have bought a Listed home – they are very strict in the conservation area about what can and can’t be changed.’
And I agree. This bullshit is all about “Well I bought something so I can do anything I want with it” is typical rich-man’s solipsim and arrogance.
Anyway, that glass tunnel looks like something a pervert would use to insert a rat up someone’s anus.
The only good thing I can say about this silly man is that his wife would look really good in a Regency-era ballgown.
No permit needed for those.
Here’s an interesting thought:
Nine UK targets Vladimir Putin would bomb first as hit list is discovered by spies
Far be it for me to offer this dwarf Russian asshole any support whatsoever, but I could be persuaded to do so if his top 9 included the following (in no specific order, and by their nicknames mostly):
1. The Cheesegrater
2. The Walkie Talkie
3. Tower 42
4. The Shard
5. The Razor
6. The Gherkin
7. Lloyds Tower
Not all are tall skyscrapers…
8. The National Theatre
9. London City Hall
Or, if Vlad has such a thing as a Russian version of a MOAB, he could go for the grand salami:
Words cannot express the horror I feel at how London has allowed itself to become Dubai-On-Thames, ruining the wonderful classical architecture which made it unique among the world’s great cities.
Here’s a piece at Modern Thinker which revisits Modernism:
The forerunners of modernism were a mixture of eccentrics and revolutionaries. They agreed on the break with tradition — and the abominated institutions of the bourgeoisie, including classical architecture. Regrettably, several of the rebellious architects were also willing to renounce their integrity and enter the service of the totalitarians.
Several? Try “almost all” and you’ll be closer to the truth.
Longtime — and maybe even Recent — Readers will know all about my opinion of Modernist architecture (just follow this link if memories need refreshing).
So while the above article is an interesting read, the executive summary is that modernism sucks, sucks green donkey dicks in fact, and is a blight on the landscape everywhere it is perpetrated.
As the title of this post suggests, there is no need to “revisit” modernism, unless it is to be used as a guideline which says, “Not that. Anything but that.”
