East London's Fredd Wigg and John Walsh Towers

Often a city's ugliest buildings are its most controversial.

The Fred Wigg and John Walsh Towers in London’s were loaded up with missile launchers during the London olympics - making the tenants inside a potential target. Now, at the forefront of the gentrifying east end, it’s likely that the towers will soon be demolished and redeveloped. The tenants, however, still don't know how long until they will be 'decanted'.

The speed at which this city changes constantly amazes me - but unfortunately - affordable housing tenants are too often left in limbo during the development process. I'd love to see these buildings recreated into something beautiful. I'd also love to see space made for existing tenants who have spent decades building a life within the community.

Either way, it looks like these buildings will soon be cleared from London's landscape, or - at least - remade into something new. I made the images below to document their place within amongst the skyline before they're no more.

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Reminding Sydney of Seidler

For years, my brother, sister and I would take my grandfather to the beach each Sunday. Arriving early to collect him from his eastern-Sydney flat, he would be perched on his balcony with a tea in his hand, admiring the greenery below.

Built in '66, my grandpa’s building was one of the earliest apartment blocks designed by world-renowned Austrian-Australian architect, Harry Seidler.

Like all of Seidler's buildings, my grandfather's definitely has its imperfections: dead spaces, dark corridors and steep stairwells to name a few. But I can't imagine my Paps would have been happier in any other place.

Horizon Apartments in Darlinghurst, Sydney (1990-1998).

The large open-plan living spaces, split levels and north-east facing balconies were bold innovations at the time of its design, and each aided his psychological and physical health right until his final days.

What was important about this building – and any of Seidler's for that matter – was the desire to push engineering boundaries, question planning authorities and pursue modernist design principles in the hope of improving people’s lives. 

Harry followed strict architectural principles under the premise that they were egalitarian, optimised function, or would simply create a beautiful building. And while some of his schemes are, today, viewed as design failures (see Blue Point Tower), each was designed upon a set of values which tried - at least - to make Sydney a better place to live... Even if that meant frustrating his clients and local planning officers in the process. 

Probably the most iconic Harry Seidler building, Australia Square Tower (1961-1967). Photograph by the legendary Max Dupain. 

Harry Seidler in his home office. Photograph by David Moore. 

Since returning to the city from London a couple of months ago, I’ve noticed dozens – or possibly hundreds – of new high-rise developments, which resemble something akin to Ikea furniture, rather than architecture. These cookie-cut designs aren’t only badly built, but very little thought has been given to their design. The core principles which were deeply rooted in Harry Seidler's architecture (as well as other great modernists of the 20th Century) have seemingly been ignored.

Aside from the use of bland materials and repetitive form, which is far from inspiring, the structures are often poorly integrated with the existing urban fabric, don't maximise nature or natural light, and contrary to their promised community benefit, their so-called ‘public spaces’ look and feel like private gardens - dissected from surrounding neighbourhoods.

I guess it was Elizabeth Farrelly who put it best, “we used to think '60s apartments were austere and badly built. Now, they appear as paragons of generosity, grace and certitude”

As large-scale residential architecture appears to have creatively stagnated (perhaps as a result of Sydney's muddled planning system), Harry Seidler’s work remains a reminder that this city's tall buildings can be creative, brave and innovative. 

More importantly, his architecture is a reminder that buildings are not just a commodity, but should seek – at the very least - to improve a city, and the wellness of the people within it.

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Will La Sagrera help to stimulate the barcelonian economy?

The recession continues to cripple the Spanish housing market.

While Barcelona remains is one of the strongest cities in the country, high unemployment rates, low wages and a decline in foreign investment means that many residents are unable to pay housing rental and services bills. And as a result, homelessness and mobbing continue to rise. 

Last week I travelled down to Barcelona to learn about the district being regeneration of the La Sagrera district. The Sagrera high speed railway station, promises to deliver economic growth through connections to Madrid and France.

The government has told the locals that the area will boom.  

But on the ground, I worry this could be a white elephant or an over-promise with false hope. Grandiose buildings stand empty, and the areas surrounding construction sites remain run down or derelict. 

The Spanish Government has a good record of promising loads of big stuff that will regenerate the economy, only to find that it creates more debt. Let's hope this isn;t another one. 

Time will tell whether or not this major development will actually see benefit for the local community. I hope to provide an update in a few years down the line. 

Sydney’s Barangaroo: Repeating Mistakes of the Past?

Casino tycoon James Packer, is bidding to build a resort-style casino on the Sydney's most central and beautiful foreshores - Barangaroo.

Every city has had its planning blunders. In fact, a number of monstrosities are probably being constructed near you right now. I’m sure you can name a few. Too often mistakes are made today because past errors have been too easily forgotten.

Throughout the 60′s, the Sydney construction industry was booming; skyscrapers were being erected across the central district, new motorways were extending into the vast suburbs and ex-industrial foreshore sites were quickly being developed into large housing estates as industry moved further inland. “Brave new world” masterplanning techniques embedded the development industry and the city saw the loss of some of its oldest buildings and most vital green spaces.

The Green Ban movement of the 70′s changed all of this. Between 1971 and 1974 around 40 construction bans were imposed by the Builders Labourers Federation to prevent the destruction of buildings or green areas. The most controversial was the ban to halt the redevelopment of The Rocks. After years of strikes and bloody confrontations, the plan to redevelop Sydney’s oldest suburb was altered to ensure strict preservation of historic buildings. Today,The Rocks is one of the city’s largest tourist destinations.

So, what did Sydney learn from the Green Ban movement? According to the new plans to redevelop Barangaroo, not a lot. While the bans did reform planning policy and change the development culture of the entire nation, it seems that in 2013, all has been forgotten.

Casino tycoon James Packer, son of the famous Kerry Packer, is bidding to build a resort-style casino (alongside multiple office buildings) on the city’s most central and beautiful foreshores – Barangaroo.

Interestingly, Barangaroo sits just down the street from The Rocks. So, with this in mind one would hope Packer has carefully considered the area’s history but it doesn’t look like it. All Packer seems to care about his how his “iconic project” can compete with Melbourne and China. With so much support for his development, it seems that the rest of the city has forgotten as well. If we’ve learned anything from Sydney’s past, it’s that the preservation of itsnatural features, particularly the harbour and foreshores, are what has made it such a globally attractive city.

Cities don’t succeed by copying others. Rather, they become far more unique and exciting by learning from their mistakes and enhancing their best features. I don’t know about you, but I’d say another tacky casino doesn’t seem to fit that mould.

Click here to check out this article on the Urban Times.

Feature image courtesy aussiegall/Flickr.

The life and death of purple sneakers, Sydney

The Abercrombie Hotel, sitting on the site of the former Australian Hotel, has been a strong part of Sydney’s pub and live music scene for decades. Every Friday night, Purple Sneakers was for a long time, one of Sydney’s most popular clubs.

Cheap booze, live music and an outdoor beer garden kept my friends and I going for years.

While Sneakers has moved on, The Abercrombie vibe remains pretty much the same. But with the Central Park development encroaching from behind, I've begun to wonder, for just how long.

Image courtesy Music Feeds.

Image courtesy Micromaniac

Central Park is one of the biggest developments Sydney has seen for years, and it'll bring some great benefits to the city as a whole, including open space, independent retail, much needed inner city housing, modern architecture and a much more aesthetically pleasing Broadway streetscape. But as with any new big development, there is a sense of fear that once it is built, the past is gone forever.

Restricted under heritage laws the 1937 hotel is set to remain where it is. It will however, be completely surrounded by apartments - both around and above. It wasn't until I saw this development in the flesh that I really began to think about some of the changes that this mammoth new construction will bring to the area, and more specifically, to the pub itself.

Image courtesy Central Park.

Will people still want to drink there when it’s surrounded by multi-million dollar apartments? Will the new residents complain about late night noise and impose a curfew? Will The Abercrombie still have grotty toilets, sticky floors and the smell of stale booze engrained in its walls?

It’s hard to imagine this place five years down the track. With The Abercrombie buried beneath the floorboards of wealthy financiers, Purple Sneakers will be all but a distant memory.

Our city is evolving right in front of our eyes. Hundreds of years of history can be altered or destroyed in a number of days. While change is good for a city, it's also important to remember that there's nothing wrong with a bit of nostalgia.

As Central Park begins to engulf The Abercrombie, we're in the process of watching history unfold. For better or for worse - Broadway will never look or feel the same.