Sadly, instead of a gorgeous and innovative design for the Queen Elizabeth national memorial, we will end up with this monstosity by Norman Foster instead, which looks like it would be more at home on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise than St James's Park.
His translucent glass “unity bridge”, inspired by Elizabeth’s wedding tiara, is said to symbolise her as a “unifying force”.
It looks more like the plastic cutlery yoi get with a takeaway packed lunch to me!
Those glass balusters look horribly like the equivalent of a row of magnifying glasses, with potentially uncomfortable consequences on sunny days for those swans (and the legs and feet of anyone who stops to enjoy the view).
ReplyDeleteThink it would never be allowed to happen? I give you this from 2010: ‘Guests at a new hotel in Las Vegas have complained of receiving severe burns from a 'death ray' of sunlight caused by the unique design of the building. Due to the concave shape of the Vdara hotel, the strong Nevada sun reflects off its all-glass front and is concentrated directly onto sections of the swimming pool area below.'
…and this from 2014: ‘A £200million London skyscraper which melted cars by reflecting sunlight has been fitted with shading. The concave design and mirrored glass of 20 Fenchurch Street, which is more commonly known as the Walkie Talkie due to its distinctive shape, had caused the sun to shine powerful, focused rays of light onto the street below.’
(I once met an extremely rich structural engineer whose job consists solely of finding ways to mitigate similar design flaws in the work of household name architects (including two London Olympic venues)).
It looks just like her tiara.
ReplyDeleteThe one she never wore.
And the glass will be manufactured and crafted in UK?
One of those structures where the view is far better when you are in it or on it.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you will be able produce musical notes by stroking the glass pillars with a set finger. Like glass harmonica.
translucent glass “unity bridge” ... ? Goodness me.
ReplyDeleteThe actual merits or otherwise of a glass sided bridge are one thing but it's this pseudo-intellectual, up its own arse bollocks in which the "vision" is hailed that makes my piss itch.
ReplyDelete“To these ends, we have discreetly stretched the boundaries of art and technology with a deliberately gentle intervention".
“Our design will have the minimum impact on the nature and biodiversity of the park and it will be phased to ensure that the precious route across it will never be closed".
“At the heart of our masterplan is a translucent bridge symbolic of her majesty as a unifying force, bringing together nations, countries, the Commonwealth, charities and the armed forces.”
I was not aware that the late queen got her tiaras from Ratner's