Triple Kirks approval sparks controversy
August 19 2011
Architect Halliday Fraser Munro and developer Stewart Milne will knock down the A listed façade on Schoolhill, but retain the landmark steeple, to make way for the seven storey, 72,600sq/ft block.
Despite approval construction work will not commence in the absemce of a pre-let, as Milne’s development director Malcolm Deans said: “With planning consent granted, we will be actively marketing the development and are confident that, with the current lack of office space of this quality and stature, we will secure a high profile pre-let.”
Andrew Goldie, planning convener of Queens Cross Harlow Community Council has labeled the plans as “grossly unsuitable”.
The scheme has already been nominated for a 2011 ‘Pock Mark’ award for worst planning decision.
The blocks mass will be distributed across three visually distinct facades
The rubble strewn wasteground has lain untouched for 30 years
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13 Comments
#1 Posted by st. nicholas on 19 Aug 2011 at 11:37 AM
What an absolute disaster. I hope all involved can sleep easy on their mattresses filled with money.
#2 Posted by macs on 19 Aug 2011 at 13:33 PM
outstandingly bad.
#3 Posted by richard heggie on 19 Aug 2011 at 13:35 PM
"Stewart Milne ate my Church".
Admitting defeat and letting them demolish the whole thing would have been more satisfactory than this bizarre compromise!
Admitting defeat and letting them demolish the whole thing would have been more satisfactory than this bizarre compromise!
#4 Posted by Auntie Nairn on 19 Aug 2011 at 13:54 PM
Ignoring (if you can) the complete lack of response to the spire, the new build elements themselves are hideous. What a complete monstrosity.
#5 Posted by wang on 19 Aug 2011 at 14:16 PM
should have called it student accomodation and everyone would be rejoicing at the wonderful design, seems to be the way of it...
#6 Posted by sg on 19 Aug 2011 at 15:21 PM
this is awful. doesn't respond to the existing church or its immediate context. why do the council let designs like this go ahead, and who designs things like this!!! it's going to be as bad as that horrendous white tower half way up Union Street. No wonder architects get a bad name producing trash like this....
#7 Posted by FW on 19 Aug 2011 at 15:30 PM
Not really outstandingly bad, actually for a commercial development in Aberdeen it's pretty good. Problem is the steeple retention. Richard Heggie is right.
#8 Posted by woww on 19 Aug 2011 at 15:54 PM
this seriously is awfull, even for aberdeen's standards.. is there any way the city could stoop any lower? i suppose they could build a bypass round it, abolish all cultural projects, relocate the stadium out of town, and build a square over the city centre park.. oh wait..
#9 Posted by mister g on 19 Aug 2011 at 16:02 PM
yet another architectural jobbie in aberdeen!
#10 Posted by Boppin on 19 Aug 2011 at 16:14 PM
In architecture I like contemporary and traditional contrasts; forms including texture if there is a tying thread; a lot of architecture achieves this. However first reaction is shock.
#11 Posted by a.n on 23 Aug 2011 at 17:57 PM
can't stress enough how horrid this proposal is.. sg is right to compare it to the carbunkle further up union street, funnily enough by the same developer and architect.. only aberdeen would tollertate such gash..
#12 Posted by ANDREW OGILVIE on 24 Aug 2011 at 10:39 AM
Absolutely terrible,completely out of context with surroundings.How does it tie in with Ian Wood's equally bad proposals for the gardens?
#13 Posted by Horrified Aberdonian... on 24 Aug 2011 at 16:50 PM
Halliday Fraser Munro continue their flawless record of producing buildings utterly devoid of architectural merit. Seriously, I can understand selling ones soul for the corporate dollar but these guys seem to revel in giving architecture a bad name- I wish they would do us all a favour and stop calling themselves architects. They should be ashamed.
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