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Support for 'bereaved' architects | Support for 'bereaved' architects |
(about 9 hours later) | |
A support group has been set up to help architects through the "trauma" of seeing one of their creations demolished in their own lifetime. | A support group has been set up to help architects through the "trauma" of seeing one of their creations demolished in their own lifetime. |
The Rubble Club aims to draw attention to the number of buildings it believes are being torn down unnecessarily. | The Rubble Club aims to draw attention to the number of buildings it believes are being torn down unnecessarily. |
Among the first architects to sign up were Reiach and Hall, the designers of the canopy over the Forth Road Bridge toll booths. | Among the first architects to sign up were Reiach and Hall, the designers of the canopy over the Forth Road Bridge toll booths. |
It was torn down less than a year later when the tolls were scrapped. | It was torn down less than a year later when the tolls were scrapped. |
Writing on the Rubble Club's website, Neil Gillespie of Reiach and Hall described his disappointment at seeing his creation bite the dust so soon after it was created. | Writing on the Rubble Club's website, Neil Gillespie of Reiach and Hall described his disappointment at seeing his creation bite the dust so soon after it was created. |
People often don't notice architecture until it is gone, and they wake up one morning to find a big hole where there was once a building John GlendayRubble Club | People often don't notice architecture until it is gone, and they wake up one morning to find a big hole where there was once a building John GlendayRubble Club |
He said: "The estuary scene is magnificent with two memorable engineering wonders spanning the Firth. It was a great challenge to add another, albeit wee, addition to this setting. | He said: "The estuary scene is magnificent with two memorable engineering wonders spanning the Firth. It was a great challenge to add another, albeit wee, addition to this setting. |
"We thought very hard about our response. The canopy took the form of a distorted crystal inclined to the rail bridge with more than a nod to the north. We then fought very hard to see it realised well. | "We thought very hard about our response. The canopy took the form of a distorted crystal inclined to the rail bridge with more than a nod to the north. We then fought very hard to see it realised well. |
"Less than a year old, the canopy sadly became a very early and easy casualty of politics through tolls being scrapped by a new SNP administration. | "Less than a year old, the canopy sadly became a very early and easy casualty of politics through tolls being scrapped by a new SNP administration. |
"We are pretty sanguine about what we do as architects - buildings are there to be useful. An unimaginative government felt it was useful to them at that moment that the canopy vanished." | "We are pretty sanguine about what we do as architects - buildings are there to be useful. An unimaginative government felt it was useful to them at that moment that the canopy vanished." |
Manchester-based Hodder Associates, which designed an award-winning swimming pool in Cumbria which is due to be demolished after only five years, has also sought solace in the club. | Manchester-based Hodder Associates, which designed an award-winning swimming pool in Cumbria which is due to be demolished after only five years, has also sought solace in the club. |
Rules of entry | Rules of entry |
The Berners Pool in Grange-over-Sands, a former Roses Design Awards Grant Prix winner, was built after a long-running campaign by locals, but shut after the local council said it was no longer financially viable. | The Berners Pool in Grange-over-Sands, a former Roses Design Awards Grant Prix winner, was built after a long-running campaign by locals, but shut after the local council said it was no longer financially viable. |
Stephen Hodder, director of Hodder Associates, wrote on the swimming pool's Rubble Club website page: "What I mourned was how expendable all that energy was when so many people had given so much." | Stephen Hodder, director of Hodder Associates, wrote on the swimming pool's Rubble Club website page: "What I mourned was how expendable all that energy was when so many people had given so much." |
The former Notre Dame College of Education was demolished in 2007 | The former Notre Dame College of Education was demolished in 2007 |
Other members of the club include the designers of the Chungwha factory, an infamous industrial white elephant built with £10m of taxpayers' money at Eurocentral in Lanarkshire in 1996 before being pulled down within 10 years. | Other members of the club include the designers of the Chungwha factory, an infamous industrial white elephant built with £10m of taxpayers' money at Eurocentral in Lanarkshire in 1996 before being pulled down within 10 years. |
Parts of Notre Dame College of Education, which was latterly known as St Andrew's College, in Bearsden, was demolished in 2007 to make way for the new Bearsden Academy, despite much of it being category A listed. | Parts of Notre Dame College of Education, which was latterly known as St Andrew's College, in Bearsden, was demolished in 2007 to make way for the new Bearsden Academy, despite much of it being category A listed. |
Andy Macmillan, a former architect with designers Gillespie Kidd and Coia, said: "There's no reason why they couldn't convert the existing college which had excellent space and facilities including a swimming pool and gym. | Andy Macmillan, a former architect with designers Gillespie Kidd and Coia, said: "There's no reason why they couldn't convert the existing college which had excellent space and facilities including a swimming pool and gym. |
"It seems to me odd that a building built in decent materials with maple flooring and Oregon pine finishes, should be knocked down. " | "It seems to me odd that a building built in decent materials with maple flooring and Oregon pine finishes, should be knocked down. " |
Rubble Club secretary John Glenday said examples such as these were becoming increasingly prevalent, with high rise flats also being razed across the UK despite the housing shortage. | Rubble Club secretary John Glenday said examples such as these were becoming increasingly prevalent, with high rise flats also being razed across the UK despite the housing shortage. |
Out of fashion | Out of fashion |
Nine times out of ten there was nothing structurally wrong with the buildings other than the fact they had simply gone out of fashion, he argued. | Nine times out of ten there was nothing structurally wrong with the buildings other than the fact they had simply gone out of fashion, he argued. |
Mr Glenday said: "People often don't notice architecture until it is gone, and they wake up one morning to find a big hole where there was once a building. | Mr Glenday said: "People often don't notice architecture until it is gone, and they wake up one morning to find a big hole where there was once a building. |
"But at the end of the day demolition is usually the least environmentally friendly option. | "But at the end of the day demolition is usually the least environmentally friendly option. |
"When you consider the energy that has being expended putting something up, it is usually well worth the time thinking about whether it is sensible bringing it down." | "When you consider the energy that has being expended putting something up, it is usually well worth the time thinking about whether it is sensible bringing it down." |
To satisfy the club's rules of entry, the building's architect must be alive and not party to its destruction, and the building must be built with the intention of permanence, meaning exhibitions, shops and interiors are not eligible. | To satisfy the club's rules of entry, the building's architect must be alive and not party to its destruction, and the building must be built with the intention of permanence, meaning exhibitions, shops and interiors are not eligible. |
Finally, the building must be deliberately destroyed or radically altered, and so cannot simply burn down, for example. | Finally, the building must be deliberately destroyed or radically altered, and so cannot simply burn down, for example. |
Although the Rubble Club's early members are focused in Scotland and the north of England, Mr Glenday said he was hopeful the concept of preserving lost buildings in digital form online would soon be taken up worldwide. | Although the Rubble Club's early members are focused in Scotland and the north of England, Mr Glenday said he was hopeful the concept of preserving lost buildings in digital form online would soon be taken up worldwide. |
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