Walkie-Talkie obscenity

www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/architecture-design-blog/2015/sep/02/walkie-talkie-london-wins-carbuncle-cup-worst-building-of-year

It has singed shopfronts, melted cars and caused great gusts of wind to sweep pedestrians off their feet. Now the Walkie Talkie tower, the bulbous comedy villain of London’s skyline, has been bestowed with the Carbuncle Cup by Building Design (BD) magazine for the worst building of the year.

It looms thuggishly over its low-rise neighbours like a broad-shouldered banker in a cheap pinstriped suit.

From further east, its silhouette is reminiscent of a sanitary towel, flapping behind Tower Bridge. The headquarters of the Royal Institute of Town Planners stands two streets away. “It’s a daily reminder,” sighs one employee, “never to let such a planning disaster ever happen again.”

It is a challenge finding anyone who has something positive to say about this building,” says Carbuncle Cup jury chair and BD editor Thomas Lane. “The result is Londoners now have to suffer views of this bloated carbuncle crashing into London’s historic skyline like an unwelcome guest at a party from miles away.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b069x6fx

Barbara Weiss: "The city is at serious risk of losing forever its unique and distinctive character. We are at a watershed moment in the history of London. If we do not put an end to all the reckless experimentation, if we do not take action, there will very soon be no turning back...."

"The tall buildings sprouting up all over London are the result of inept planning and haphazard urban design. Many of them are being built in highly inappropriate and sensitive locations, dwarfing the city's historic landmarks and blighting low-rise surroundings for miles, introducing a toxic mix of commercialism and bling that is already greatly compromising the reserved and unique beauty of our capital...."

"While the incongruiry of scale of these new buildings is offensive, there is also the great regret that the architectural quality is so depressingly low. The gratuitous licorice-allsorts shapes reflect developers' and architects' obsession with iconic buildings, as they shout out 'look at me' at the top of their voices. Even materials used, often glass and steel, are inappropriate in London, belonging to cities with different backgrounds and identities...."

"It is outrageous that Londoners have not been given a choice in the matter...."

"It is time for London to wake up and say no."

www.skylinecampaign.org/about

Londoners back limit on skyscrapers as fears for capital’s skyline grow.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/aug/27/londoners-back-skyscraper-limit-skyline

The Ruin of London
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QcbsedsGdA

from Aldgate