Guildhall riverside revamp competition winner announced (From York Press)
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Guildhall riverside revamp competition winner announced
9:40am Tuesday 11th December 2012 in News
By Mike Laycock, Chief reporter
Coun Julie Gunnell with a model of the winning design for the Guildhall facelift
A NEW riverside piazza could be created in York city centre, after the winner of an architecture competition was unveiled.
An area of open space with steps leading down to the edge of the Ouse is the focal point of the design by London-based Rob Loader Architects.
It was chosen from five shortlisted entries in a competition run by the Royal Institute of British Architects in conjunction with City of York Council, to look at ways of regenerating the area around Guildhall once the council moves to its new HQ next year.
The panel, chaired by RIBA adviser Keith Williams, decided the concept best responded to the city’s aspirations in offering scope for the creation of jobs and the growth of the local economy.
“A key element of the design is the attractive public space and its marriage between the riverside and the Guildhall, combining historic and modern architecture,” said a spokeswoman.
Members of the public who gave their views on the shortlist liked the way the design opened up the riverside but also respected the historic Guildhall.
Coun Julie Gunnell, cabinet Member for corporate services, said architects from as far away as Russia, Malaysia and Vietnam submittd designs, but the winning one was the favourite.
“This has been really useful in exploring potential future designs for the site,” she said. “The next steps will be to develop deliverable options for the use of the Guildhall and explore how we can use the creative outcomes of the competition to inform future plans for this iconic site. This work will proceed in the new year.”
Mr Williams said the jury panel’s choice had been unanimous, and came after a long and carefully deliberated, day-long session which included detailed presentation and discussion with the individual architects of each proposal.
Rob Loader Architects, which wins £5,000, said the winning proposals by James Decent, Joseph Little and Robert Loader would create an “accessible and attractive public riverside.”
Brian Clarke, managing director of Yorkboat, which sponsored the contest, said: “This competition was a great way to get new ideas particularly for this important part of the city.”
Comments(25)
pedalling paul
says...
9:52am Tue 11 Dec 12
Ignatius Lumpopo
says...
9:55am Tue 11 Dec 12
M.Lucas
says...
10:05am Tue 11 Dec 12
James Alexander is always talking about there needs to be more open spaces in the City Centre and that the 'use' of the centre needs to change. The winner of the competition features an open space (yes I know JA didnt make the decision).
Wish I'd entered!
In all seriousness it looks like a good use of the space, respecting the Guildhall and I really hope something similar to this is done once they find a contractor (and the money) to start work. Otherwise it is just £5000 spent on a model to go into the archives somewhere...
dsom73
says...
10:14am Tue 11 Dec 12
cityforthepremier
says...
10:38am Tue 11 Dec 12
Oaklands Resident
says...
10:50am Tue 11 Dec 12
hustler
says...
10:57am Tue 11 Dec 12
M.Lucas
says...
11:10am Tue 11 Dec 12
Oaklands Resident wrote:Nope, I thought that but went and had a look. The buildings are very different.
Something "fishy" here. It's virtually identical to the artists impression published before the design contest was announced?
The open space with the steps down to the river are similar, but then that's not really a surprise. There's only so many ways you could do that.
Obvious the winner was going to feature an 'open space' to anyone who has followed Cllr Alexander's comments on how he thinks the city centre should change.
(Story is here if anyone once to match them up: http://www.yorkpress
.co.uk/news/9921483.
Riverside_makeover_p
lanned_for_York/ )
atorycouncil2014
says...
11:15am Tue 11 Dec 12
M.Lucas
says...
11:23am Tue 11 Dec 12
atorycouncil2014 wrote:I don't know, but if your name is anything to go by I'm going to guess that you and your fellow Tories will be taking the credit when it is finished!
Simple question. Who is going to pay for this?
Just as Labour have taken credit for some of the Lib Dem projects they took over!
Same as it ever was...
JWhitworth
says...
11:35am Tue 11 Dec 12
There's a very well-informed and thoughtful article about the boatyard at the always excellent York Stories website: http://www.yorkstori
es.co.uk/news_and_vi
ews/index.php/2012/1
1/29/guildhall-river
side-plans-bulldozin
g-the-boatyard/
meme
says...
1:50pm Tue 11 Dec 12
No doubt the taxpayer?
Gyspsy Power
says...
6:14pm Tue 11 Dec 12
nearlyman
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6:33pm Tue 11 Dec 12
..........
nearlyman
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6:34pm Tue 11 Dec 12
betty swollox
says...
7:11pm Tue 11 Dec 12
Buzz Light-year
says...
8:30pm Tue 11 Dec 12
t the always excellent York Stories website:
Agree with that.
Buzz Light-year
says...
8:33pm Tue 11 Dec 12
betty swollox says...
Welcome back Kelly?
bob the builder
says...
9:31pm Tue 11 Dec 12
NoNewsIsGoodNews wrote:It'll float, nice to see a primary school turn out something worthwhile in a craft session though that won't just be stuck to some parent's fridge door. Nice to see an open space for drug users so they don't have to go down the back of Boots.
I don't think that making it out of paper in a flood risk area is the way forward.
www.yorkstories.co.uk
says...
10:19pm Tue 11 Dec 12
Buzz Light-year wrote:Thanks, JWhitworth and Buzz Light-year, was really nice to see your comments about my website.
t the always excellent York Stories website:
Agree with that.
Just found an interesting 19th century painting of this part of the river: http://www.bbc.co.uk
/arts/yourpaintings/
paintings/view-on-th
e-river-ouse-looking
-downstream-from-len
dal-bridg8665 Riverbank opposite looked a bit different then ...
pedalling paul
says...
11:02pm Tue 11 Dec 12
betty swollox wrote:Check out the Roman Road under the minster story......aaaargh..
Can we please just have one story where pedalling Paul doesnt bring cycling into it and where councillors do not use the story as a platform for chidish bickering, I for one and people I speak to are sick of it!! As for the proposed scheme when wetherspoons buy the guildhall will they fund the rest of the development?
.!!
the fiss
says...
11:07pm Tue 11 Dec 12
Magicman!
says...
3:30am Fri 14 Dec 12
Native Architects
says...
1:38pm Fri 14 Dec 12
The two storey extension next to City Screen entirely obscures a potentially wonderful glimpse of All Saints spire (the tallest apart from the Minster).
It is telling that in a poll conducted by the Architects' Journal, this scheme won only 5% of the vote. The completely artificial and sterile 'civic space' demonstrates so much of what is wrong with current 'public' architecture and is totally alien to York.
For an 'ideas competition' this seems a pretty damp squib.
For our York-based practice's alternative scheme, including great concern for pedestrians, the site's history back to the Roman period, cyclists, the environment and access to the river even during floods, see:
http://nativearchite
cture.co.uk/GUILDHAL
LCOMPETITION.aspx
NoNewsIsGoodNews says...
9:48am Tue 11 Dec 12