Granite Web Vs. Winter Gairden

[Big Man]

[BrianFaePerth]

 

 

 

WTF is that? It looks like some sort of closeup of a worm

[Big Man]

WTF is that? It looks like some sort of closeup of a worm

 

Thats a mock-up of the design.

 

That was my immediate thought - the silk castings from a worm. They took their inspiration from a worm right enough...

[woohoo]

 

I'd give these bad boys a bit of TLC and ask the council to put in a fraction of the money the plans will cost. To maintain, I'd ask the council to put in a fraction of the effort they have put into bowing to the will of some rugger bugger with a bit of dough.

[Dynamo]

The jury's unanimous decision at this stage is that further clarification work should be done by two design teams

 

Christ, you've got to ask serious questions about those on the jury.

 

Anyway, bring it up to street level. I'd go with a big plaza/square like big cities abroad. Get some features, fountains whatever on it. Cafe's etc.

 

Out of those 2, not sure.

[woohoo]

I see the appeal behind bringing up to street level, I really do, I just think the image in everyone's mind's eye will be completely different from the reality.

 

See the above post, big cities do tend to have these huge areas for folk congregating and meeting. Aberdeen is not a big city though and the proposed area will be bigger than Red Square in Moscow ffs!!

 

The whole thing stinks of "if we build it they will come". They won't. Take a look at the gadgies that 'hang' on Union Street - these are the folk that will be populating it. The idea out European style outdoor cafes is appealing, but the cafes that already do this alfresco dining in Aberdeen are close to empty even on the 4 or 5 nice days we get a year. We just don't have this culture in Aberdeen/Scotland.

 

The ideal compromise would be to 'roof' over the Denburn road with a Civic Space. More than enough space there. Fucking hell, even the space that will be opened up by knocking down St. Nicholas house would provide a big enough space for all of us who'd want to use it. None of these give us the option of a massive underground carpark though and therein lies the problem as these folk see it.

[ollie1903]

I see the appeal behind bringing up to street level, I really do, I just think the image in everyone's mind's eye will be completely different from the reality.

 

See the above post, big cities do tend to have these huge areas for folk congregating and meeting. Aberdeen is not a big city though and the proposed area will be bigger than Red Square in Moscow ffs!!

 

The whole thing stinks of "if we build it they will come". They won't. Take a look at the gadgies that 'hang' on Union Street - these are the folk that will be populating it. The idea out European style outdoor cafes is appealing, but the cafes that already do this alfresco dining in Aberdeen are close to empty even on the 4 or 5 nice days we get a year. We just don't have this culture in Aberdeen/Scotland.

 

The ideal compromise would be to 'roof' over the Denburn road with a Civic Space. More than enough space there. Fucking hell, even the space that will be opened up by knocking down St. Nicholas house would provide a big enough space for all of us who'd want to use it. None of these give us the option of a massive underground carpark though and therein lies the problem as these folk see it.

So the junkies can get from robbing at the Trinity to robbing at the Bon Accord quicker

[woohoo]

So the junkies can get from robbing at the Trinity to robbing at the Bon Accord quicker

[Dandydon D]

I see the appeal behind bringing up to street level, I really do, I just think the image in everyone's mind's eye will be completely different from the reality.

 

See the above post, big cities do tend to have these huge areas for folk congregating and meeting. Aberdeen is not a big city though and the proposed area will be bigger than Red Square in Moscow ffs!!

 

The whole thing stinks of "if we build it they will come". They won't. Take a look at the gadgies that 'hang' on Union Street - these are the folk that will be populating it. The idea out European style outdoor cafes is appealing, but the cafes that already do this alfresco dining in Aberdeen are close to empty even on the 4 or 5 nice days we get a year. We just don't have this culture in Aberdeen/Scotland.

 

The ideal compromise would be to 'roof' over the Denburn road with a Civic Space. More than enough space there. Fucking hell, even the space that will be opened up by knocking down St. Nicholas house would provide a big enough space for all of us who'd want to use it. None of these give us the option of a massive underground carpark though and therein lies the problem as these folk see it.

 

The Castle gate is primed for renovation with Cafes and bars. It has been left to rot though. Surely a bit of cash thrown in, open up a couple cafe/pubs around the castle gate square and it would be a big attraction in the summer.

 

The council dont seem to have a clue about anything going on in the city centre now.

 

Give the gardens a good clean up and renovation. Job done. They wonder why nobody goes there when its a rotten mess with homeless and junkies.

 

The idea of bringing it to street level is an absolute joke.

[hopeisimportant]

I am 100% for the project but I'm very disapopinted in the two 'finalists'. Especially the web design, it was number 5 or 6 on my voting slip. It would turn into an ugly concrete mash which would look dated very quickly. The worm is pretty cool.

 

Good point from woohoo. Perhaps Aberdeen just insn't bustling enough for such a huge city square. However, if it is attractive and well maintained it will be a great asset to our city.

 

I am flabergasted at the size of the opposition to this project.

[Macca]

The first ane looks like Spaghetti Junction in Birmingham and the second is just going to get covered in bird shite and will only be cleaned once every couple of years.

 

No opinion either way to be honest. Its still going to get littered, and be used by junkies whatever the outcome. However it would be nice if Aberdeen could have some sort of attraction to be proud of.

 

Only ever used the gardens for pictures on a sunny day for my graduation, thats about it.

[beer gut]

The glass one would be nice to start with until the seagulls shit all over it so it has to be the granite one for me. Also why is it only showing snow on the ground and not covering the glass structure which would happen in real life??

 

I choose granite because first and foremost because the square needs to be practical and useful. Not just look nice.

[spamspamspam]

The Castle gate is primed for renovation with Cafes and bars. It has been left to rot though. Surely a bit of cash thrown in, open up a couple cafe/pubs around the castle gate square and it would be a big attraction in the summer.

 

The council dont seem to have a clue about anything going on in the city centre now.

 

Give the gardens a good clean up and renovation. Job done. They wonder why nobody goes there when its a rotten mess with homeless and junkies.

 

The idea of bringing it to street level is an absolute joke.

 

The costs the council put in place for bars to get licences that allowed people to drink outside (like the castlegate) fucked that idea up royally. They quadrupled the costs when the smoking ban came in thinking it would be a good stealth tax of sorts. They forgot to tell the pubs though they were cancelling all outside licences so Aberdeen ended up with no beer gardens for 4-6 months. Since then hardly any bar can justify having a licence to drink outside.

 

They say they want to encourage a cafe culture yet do everything they can not to.

[Bluto10]

Christ, you've got to ask serious questions about those on the jury.

 

Anyway, bring it up to street level. I'd go with a big plaza/square like big cities abroad. Get some features, fountains whatever on it. Cafe's etc.

 

Out of those 2, not sure.

 

 

why do they need to do that?

 

leave it as it is, gives a bit of topography to the centre, like edinburgh.

 

spend teh money on the st nickolas house area. flatten it and spruce up marschiall coll and provest sken hoose.

theres your civic square.

bosh.

[Bluto10]

The costs the council put in place for bars to get licences that allowed people to drink outside (like the castlegate) fucked that idea up royally. They quadrupled the costs when the smoking ban came in thinking it would be a good stealth tax of sorts. They forgot to tell the pubs though they were cancelling all outside licences so Aberdeen ended up with no beer gardens for 4-6 months. Since then hardly any bar can justify having a licence to drink outside.

 

They say they want to encourage a cafe culture yet do everything they can not to.

 

thats interesting.

 

you know holland. outside sopces pop upp everywhere, even ones small enough for 2 people only.

they must do things very differently here compared to scotland.

 

what a shame its the council stopping this stuff.

[dervish]

Like most of the designs but these look pretty sus to me, especially teletubby land(#1) and that's saying something because the tube thing looks just weird to me.

[Pudgie]

The idea of bringing it to street level is an absolute joke.

Why?

 

Only ever used the gardens for pictures on a sunny day for my graduation, thats about it.

And there's why it's being changed!

[woohoo]

Folk are kidding themselves if, after the initial contact high of one, maybe two years, the 'facilities' of the raised gardens will be any better used than UTG currently is.

 

On the rare nice days we get UTG is well used. It's usage would grow hugely if it wasn't completely neglected by the Council. Stick a wee cafe on the ridge next to the arches (kinda like the original Peacock plan, by far the best imo btw), keep it well lit at night and stick events down there every weekend in the summer. I remember going to a heap of Kids Fun Days as a nipper down there and they were always well attended. Usage of the gardens is dropping cos of Council neglect, not for any other reason. It's an iconic picture of Aberdeen. It could be miles better I agree, but I don't see raising them as the answer, even if the costs involved weren't phenomenally huge which of course they are. This will cost the Council a packet which we'll all be paying for, one way or another, for years.

[Scarface]

16 Jan 2012

Aberdeen City Garden - Contest Winner

Diller Scofidio + Renfro win Aberdeen City Centre Project

 

Diller Scofidio + Renfro, who collaborated with local Scottish architects, Keppie Design and landscape architects OLIN

 

Aberdeen City Garden - winning proposal from north west:

 

Aberdeen City Garden Trust is delighted to announce that the team led by Diller Scofidio + Renfro has won the design competition to transform the centre of Aberdeen. Internationally-renowned Diller Scofidio + Renfro, who collaborated with local Scottish architects, Keppie Design and landscape architects OLIN, was chosen as the winner after the competition was extended to include a run-off between the DS+R-led team and the Foster + Partners-led team.

 

The successful proposal, popularly known as the Granite Web, celebrates the three-dimensional aspects of Aberdeen, reinterpreting the topography of the Denburn Valley and the dramatic cascade of the existing Union Terrace Gardens while creating graceful new spaces and structures that contribute to a memorable and thrilling contemporary design.

 

Aberdeen City Garden - winning proposal from north:

 

It provides additional usable garden space, a landmark cultural and arts centre, and promotes the City

[Dandyesque]

Sounds like it was some other city that they visited.

 

 

Looking forward to seeing how much of it reeks of piss compared to the current arrangements.

 

On the upside, they have included plenty of wee underpasses so at least the junkies and jakies will be hidden from view.

 

Interesting though, I had expected a white elephant to look far more like an African one.

[woohoo]

I hate those that think those that oppose this debacle are of the same mindset to those that oppose Trump/city bypass.

 

What a gigantic waste of money. Spend half a million on the Gardens as they are and they'd be magic. They're shite now cos they've been left to ruin for two decades or more.

 

"its not blind opposition to progress, its opposition to blind progress"

[Dandyesque]

I hate those that think those that oppose this debacle are of the same mindset to those that oppose Trump/city bypass.

 

What a gigantic waste of money. Spend half a million on the Gardens as they are and they'd be magic. They're shite now cos they've been left to ruin for two decades or more.

 

"its not blind opposition to progress, its opposition to blind progress"

 

Sums up my feelings precisely.

 

Of course, I don't get Aberdeen Journals to make my opinions for me.

[StandFree1982]

........Not a clue what to make of this yet! The pictures don't look like Aberdeen at all so it's difficult to really picture it in my head for real.

 

We shall see how things pan out! Like everything else in Aberdeen it will end up in the bin.

[Dandyesque]

........Not a clue what to make of this yet! The pictures don't look like Aberdeen at all so it's difficult to really picture it in my head for real.

 

We shall see how things pan out! Like everything else in Aberdeen it will end up in the bin.

 

I think it'll look like a mini spaghetti junction, except encrusted with seagull shit and chewing gum.

 

On the upside, the smell of fishy guano may help mask the stench of urine.

[dj_bollocks]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4XjmDqG48A

 

Not this then ?

[GK55]

Looks fucking horrendous!

[dervish]

That web thing will be in fashion for about a week (to me not even in fashion now). Looked the shitest from the start. For what I heard on the radio the people behind it do spout some grade 'AAA' bullshit though(must be why they won).

 

Was very pro this whole thing but that...

[OddJob]

I like the one they've went for. Looks modern and in time i think people will warm to it.

[fatshaft]

I like the one they've went for. Looks modern and in time i think people will warm to it.

Which of course means it will date very quickly. I was rapidly tuirning against this whole plan, just can;t see why the vast expense is reuqired, very much in the woohoo camp myself.

 

However now these faceless idiots have seen fit to over-rule the public preference, I'm not turning against it, I've turned, I'll be a no vote.

[spamspamspam]

Which of course means it will date very quickly. I was rapidly tuirning against this whole plan, just can;t see why the vast expense is reuqired, very much in the woohoo camp myself.

 

However now these faceless idiots have seen fit to over-rule the public preference, I'm not turning against it, I've turned, I'll be a no vote.

 

Don't think it necessarily does mean it'll date quickly FS. The Chicago Park District (which is where Wood got his inspiration from in the first place) gets updated every 5-10 years with new sculptures, fountains, stages etc and its paid for by local businesses. Chi Town paid for it all in the first place but now the big businesses see it as a way of advertising. Even the Chicago Bean which cost something like $50m was paid for privately.

 

If this is pulled off and its done properly (yeh, I know, lot to ask for ACC) then it could be the beginning of a modern, vibrant city centre.

 

Don't get me wrong, I love some of our old buildings on Union Street, UT and the surrounding areas but they all need a good spruce up and having a clean, smart park in the centre of it all will only encourage the regeneration.