ARCHIAL, I AM TRYING REALLY HARD NOT TO PUBLISH SO MUCH OF YOUR SHIT. I HAVE NO PARTICULAR AGENDA, I DON'T WANT TO HATE YOU ANY MORE THAN ANY OF THE OTHER SHIT ARCHITECTS IN THIS COUNTRY. BUT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE WHEN YOU KEEP SENDING OUT IMAGES LIKE THIS. THIS IS A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT (DESPITE LOOKING MUCH LIKE A 1980S BUSINESS PARK). IT'S IN A CONSERVATION AREA IN EDINBURGH AND HAS PLANNING PERMISSION.
ARCHIAL'S IDEAS ARE SO PISS WEAK THAT THE DRAWING KIND OF FADES INTO TRANSLUCENCY. THE CAD/SKETCHUP MONKEY WAS PRESUMABLY SIMULATING THE LIMP-WRISTED INABILITY OF ARCHIAL'S DRAFSTMEN TO PUSH DOWN HARD ENOUGH ON THE FUCKING FELT TIP.
THE SITE WAS PREVIOUSLY OCCUPIED BY BALFOUR STEWART HOUSE, A QUITE HANDSOME POMOBRUTALIST RMJM OFFICE BUILDING. THE PERNICIOUS MAX HUTCHINSON, FORMER RIBA PRESIDENT AND BOARD MEMBER OF ARCHIAL, PREPARED THE WAY FOR HIS OWN PRACTICE'S PIECE OF SHIT BY COMING UP WITH A SOPHISTICATEDLY DAMNING ASSESSMENT OF THAT BUILDING. HE CALLED RMJM'S PREVIOUS INCUMBENT AN 'INITIALLY SEDUCTIVE COSMETIC WORK OF ARCHITECTURE, WHICH, SADLY, IS CRITICALLY FLAWED IN EXECUTION'. BY WAY OF A REPLACEMENT, ARCHIAL VOUS PROPOSE A NOT-AT-ALL-SEDUCTIVE WORK OF JERRY BUILDING IN THE DEVELOPER VERNACULAR.
THE DEVELOPMENT ENGAGES WITH THE STREET BY BUILDING A GIANT FUCKING WALL BETWEEN ITSELF AND THE PAVEMENT.
THIS IMAGE BEGGARS BELIEF. REALLY.
THE ONLY THING THAT'S POSSIBLY WORSE, IS THE INITIAL, REJECTED APPLICATION. EVEN A TORY FUCKING COUNCILLOR COULDN'T GIVE THIS PERMISSION:
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YES YES YES!!!! It's crap. (But wasn't Neil Baxter now of the RIAS another who was a hired gun to rubbish the building? I have the docs somewhere...)
ReplyDeleteDo calm down though. The typing with caps lock will be bad for the blood pressure.
ReplyDeleteArchial really are the bland spawn of the devil. Poor Murrayfield. Whatever happened to Gordon Dunlop's defense of Balfour House?
ReplyDeleteOh my god! I thought it was a plan for a business park. This is immoral!!!
ReplyDeleteI would rather live in the RMJM building that !!!!!!!!!!!!!The RMJM design has some softness to it in the rough materials... it is a great design
ReplyDeleteWell, here's the latest
ReplyDeletehttp://www.architecturescotland.co.uk/news/1843/Archials_Balfour_Stewart_House_demolition_approved.html
"Archial stress an understanding of topography and the surrounding conservation area in their approach by retaining an existing stone wall and mature trees."
ReplyDeleteHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahha! Ha!
if most buildings on this blog have got permissions and are being designed by RIBA qualified architects isn't there any legal way of challenging these institutions' validity? framework? process of design assessment?...after all the urban environment is a collective issue and not just restricted to private plots being developed by private developers like these...
ReplyDeleteWork like this reinforces my belief that PII should cover bad design!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to the built reality, because we all know it works out so much better than the perspective images!
I must say, as a newbie to this site. I love reading these posts and agree with most of what is said. Whilst I am not defending the projects, sometimes I do believe it is a bit unfair to slag some of the schemes and practices off without knowing the circumstances and history behind a project. We have all been under pressure by clients, contractors and QS's to significantly cut costs on a project by 'value engineering'. These days with modern procurement methods, these entities have more say in the procurement and outcome of the design of buildings. Also many architectural schemes start off fantastic on the drawing board but become compromised by planners who think they are experts in design and infact make suggestions that, although will appease their elected members, are detrimental to the frustrations of most Architects. In addition, pressure from local nimbies and members of the public who all prefer buildings built before we had a planning system in place don't help champion good design either.
ReplyDeleteDo we ever get an official response on here from the practices who have had the pleasure of their schemes being posted?
http://www.bustler.net/index.php/article/small_animal_hospital_by_archial_architects_named_best_building_in_scotland/
ReplyDeleteSOOOOOO they won buidling of the year for this animal hospital.... They must have a couple of design teams..
See my blogpost here for more about that issue
ReplyDeletehttp://nemesisrepublic.blogspot.com/2009/11/andrew-doolan-award-winners-2009-its.html
A glass box. With a truly horrible afterthought of a roof that looks as though it was designed by a three year old. Replacing a magnificent building. Criminal.
ReplyDeleteYour articles don’t beat around the bushes exact t to the point.
ReplyDeleteGood Relationship With Menus Faciles