Comments | gfsoul: (без темы)

gfsoul

(Untitled)

Oct 10, 2005 12:05

It's been obvious for a while that the charmingly dilapidated pink building on Hobson Street, next to what used to be the Canvas Shop, was targeted for some serious development. All the businesses (including Satya) had relocated over the last few months. Then, about two weeks ago, the back wall was removed and all the interiors were basically ( Read more... )

Comments 3

evil_pixie October 10 2005, 02:17:59 UTC

I heard tell of some sort of deadline for building projects early next year, so developers are going like the clappers till then.

secretpassage October 10 2005, 04:12:20 UTC

I loved walking past that building when it was in its state of half-demolition. I especially liked how each shop was different in its own way, how some had the fireplace boarded over, others didn't.

I wonder what's happening with the building next to that one, on the corner of Hobson and Nelson. It's also old and vacant. but it seems to be in better condition than its neighbour was.

I read in Brian Rudman's column in the Herald that there's a building on Pitt Street, just down from the Baptist church (I think it's the one with two bars and the Asian food making place) that's going to have an apartment building built behind it, but the facade will be kept.

I'm not a big fan of facade keeping. I'd much rather see the old buildings preserved than have something completely out of character slapped up being it (Boo, the BNZ tower!), but I suppose in some cases, a facade may be better than nothing.

anonymous October 10 2005, 22:19:08 UTC

If a building is sufficiently nice it will stand on its own, if it isn't, why preserve the facade?

I think that modern architectural design is really cool, why pretend we can't do better than our forebears? I know I can do better, my greatgrandfather was an awesome farmer, but a crap programmer.

The real problem here is that this latest stack of 20m^2 studio apartments will not be modern design. It will be polystyrene, tiny little pretend decks, ugly cheap aluminium window surrounds, tilt-up concrete slabs.

I say smash down the third rate old buildings, build new buildings with very high minimum design standards. Protect the really first class old buildings, and maybe turn the second raters into lovely apartments for the new rich - then in a generation, once they've completely ruined the city (just like they're spoiling Ponsonby and such) smash those buildings down and build arcologies.

Also, smash down the third rate new buildings, turn each into a sunny oasis of green in the city (and hide completely vast subterranean parking ( ... )