Little boxes...

[Nemesis]

On the subject of the current proposed messing up of Bath:

http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=163061&command=displayContent&sourceNode=163044&contentPK=15847910&moduleName=InternalSearch&formname=sidebarsearch


Wonderful!

 

[L1zzy]

I loved this - its great to think there are 'individuals out there still capable of Independent thought - love it!

 

[Nemesis]

And it has been announced that, following a great fuss, mega news reporting, and SAVE's application to list (EH has recommended, it's now with the Sec of State to decide):

DYSON TO KEEP HISTORIC FRONT


11:15 - 07 November 2006

Entrepreneur James Dyson has revealed new plans for his design school in Bath - and they include the facade of the former Stothert & Pitt factory.The billionaire and his team of architects today released revised images of the multi-million pound Dyson School of Design Innovation to The Bath Chronicle.

And, following calls from local residents and heritage groups, they include saving the front of the Thomas Fuller-designed building.

He said the changes meant it was unlikely the school would meet its opening date of September 2008 - causing a minimum delay of 12 months to meet the start of the next school year - and the scheme was now likely to cost more than the predicted £25m.

The team said it had taken on board local criticism, as well as

advice from English Heritage, and created a completely new scheme saving the Newark Works factory facade and reshaping the riverside view with a glass-fronted crescent.

A Milanese arcade-style covered walkway would be formed by the facade and the design school, which is in the shape of an opened fan overlooking the River Avon.

Saving the facade was ruled out of the original design because of demands placed by the Environment Agency that the whole site be raised by two metres to prevent flooding.

But the new plan combats this with the pavement placed at ground level behind the facade, and the main building still being raised behind a large wall.

Talks are ongoing to finalise the details of how the facade will look, and whether the current arched windows will be opened out into archways or left as they are.

Mr Dyson, whose education department The Dyson Foundation is part-funding the school, said: "The building itself is not retained for a number of reasons.

"As well as the need to raise it two metres, it has been changed and messed around over the years and we do not think it's worth keeping."

From Lower Bristol Road, the glass building will be hidden by the facade.

The new scheme has been created following talks between the Dyson team, the Bath Preservation Trust and English Heritage, which had recommended that the 1857 element of the site be listed.

Mr Dyson said: "We want everyone to be enthusiastic about what we are doing.

"I hope the new design gives Bath a beautiful, modern building.

"Maybe what we originally did was not modern enough. Now the glass ties in with Georgian Bath as well as the modernity of the glass.

"We do really like the fact we have now retained the facade and hope it makes people happy.

"We are talking to various people about the finance, as the foundation would rather spend money on educating people, not buildings.

"There are funds available for this kind of thing."

Chair of the Bath Preservation Trust (BPT), Edward Bayntun-Coward, has been in on the latest round of talks.

He said: "The BPT is delighted with James Dyson's decision to retain the facade of Fuller's Newark Works building.

"The new glass building, with its curved facade, is far more in keeping with the traditional shapes of Bath, notably the crescents."

a.mansell@bathchron.co.uk


Odd as they insisted that it couldn't be done at first! And Chris Eyre is reprted as sying EH wouldn't recommend listing, he knew that as he was pon an EH panel...

 

[Nemesis]

Here's the original thread:

http://periodpropertyshop.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=6548

 

[Nemesis]

And today's update:


DYSON PLAN: NOW THEY ALL LIKE IT



11:15 - 09 November 2006
The new plans for the Dyson School of Design Innovation have been welcomed by the former scheme's critics and supporters alike.

Bath MP Don Foster has long been negotiating to bring the specialist design and engineering centre to the city and said he was delighted it seemed to be making good progress.

Meanwhile, Adam Wilkinson, from SAVE Britain's Heritage, was among the campaigners for the Newark Works building to be listed and said he was pleased its importance had now been recognised.

Calls to save the Thomas Fuller-designed former Stothert and Pitt factory began almost as soon as billionaire entrepreneur James Dyson announced his plans for the school, in the city where his own career was launched more than 30 years ago.

Until now, all hopes had been scuppered because of the Dyson team's assertions that the school's ground floor must be two metres higher than the current street level of the South Quays site, off Lower Bristol Road, due to restrictions demanded by the Environment Agency to prevent flooding.

But, as reported in Tuesday's Chronicle, the scheme has been revamped from a rectangular glass and concrete structure to an all glass, fan-shaped building, fronted on one side by the Newark Works facade.

Mr Foster revealed last month that talks involving the Dyson Foundation, architects Wilkinson Eyre, English Heritage and the Bath Preservation Trust, were taking place to try and save the Victorian facade.

And speaking yesterday he said: "I'm delighted a compromise solution now appears to be on the table, which may enable us to retain the building and have the academy.

"Obviously, there are a number of hurdles we still need to get over in planning and ensuring we can still fit Bath Spa University's plans for a new building into the site.

"There's a real possibility now of a solution which, although it would mean a delay in opening the school, could solve everybody's concerns and that's a price worth paying."

SAVE is a national organisation which campaigns for historic buildings under threat of demolition to be protected.

It was among those supporting calls for the factory to be listed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Mr Wilkinson, the organisation's secretary general, said: "This is a welcome start, which we accept with caution.

"It's pleasing that the remarkable work of Thomas Fuller has been recognised.

"We do still strongly believe the building needs listing and would like to understand more about how the new plan would work." a.mansell@bathchron.co.uk


http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=163490&command=displayContent&sourceNode=163316&contentPK=15896488&folderPk=89126&pNodeId=163047

 

[Nemesis]

http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=163061&command=displayContent&sourceNode=163044&contentPK=15947735&moduleName=InternalSearch&formname=sidebarsearch


And:

http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=163061&command=displayContent&sourceNode=163044&contentPK=15909345&moduleName=InternalSearch&formname=sidebarsearch


I agree! It's horrible!