Wednesday 30 June 2010

Two Faced Liverpool Museums-Will Alsop Declares.


And Mike Storey has Twelve. The disgraced ex council leader has a face for everyone...when it suits him, or his mentors Trevor and Doreen Jones who passed all the plans for the three black coffins at Mann Island.
Moving on from my questions to Will Alsop. It is clear the Development Cabal have taken another hit here. Showing up the "cosy" relationship between the North Vested Interest Development Agency and Neptune Developments.
But we must not forget that Storey was on the NWDA committee, he was also the Council leader. He was also on the board of Liverpool Vision and was a trustee of Liverpool museums.
http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2010/06/wayne-colquhoun-asks-will-alsop.html


Today David Bartlett take the time to tell the news where it is.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news//tm_headline=architect-will-alsop-criticises-liverpool-s-8216-mediocre-8217-waterfront-buildings%26method=full%26objectid=26753889%26siteid=100252-name_page.html

THE ARCHITECT behind the failed Fourth Grace scheme has launched a withering attack on the buildings that are being built in its place on Liverpool’s waterfront.


Will Alsop, whose company designed the Cloud, said the buildings the city has “ended up with ... lie in the general malaise of architectural mediocrity that we find so popular with the current architectural press”.
He added: “In the end, this is all history but I do believe that Liverpool deserves much better than it got, whether it was my building or not.”
Three glazed black blocks in the Mann Island development and the new Museum of Liverpool are currently nearing completion at the city’s Pier Head where the Cloud would have been built.
Mr Alsop also hit out at the National Museums Liverpool (NML) for the organisation’s role in the collapse of the Fourth Grace, saying it had its own agenda.
He also claimed the North West Development Agency (NWDA) had pulled the plug on the project to meet a shortfall in funds for the ECHO Arena and BT Convention Centre.
The architect also claimed the city council had used its planning department as a “stalling device.”
His comments, during an online architectural webchat, have resurrected the row that erupted after his Cloud building was sensationally scrapped in July 2004.
The decision to abandon the project was made after it emerged that projected costs had risen by almost £100m.
Last night the council, the NWDA, and Neptune Developments who are building the three blocks rejected Mr Alsop’s claims. NML declined to comment.
Steven Broomhead, NWDA chief executive, said it was untrue that the scheme had been stopped because of a funding shortfall on the arena and convention project.
He said: “The public sector partners involved in the Fourth Grace – Liverpool City Council, Liverpool Vision, National Museums Liverpool and the NWDA – jointly concluded that the project had become unviable due to increasing costs and fundamental changes from the original scheme.
“The estimated cost had risen from £228m to £324m and there was a massive increase in the residential element of the project, which focused on ‘form’ not sustainable functions.
“All this was likely to have resulted in the scheme being called in, causing lengthy delays in making progress on the site.”
He said the partners had been determined to deliver a “world-class” scheme, adding: “The new Museum of Liverpool, extension to the canal link and complementary mixed-use development will deliver a major iconic visitor destination, as well as delivering significant economic benefits to Liverpool, Merseyside and the entire region.”

Steve Parry, chief executive of Neptune Developments, said Mann Island is a development of “exceptional quality” and had won many plaudits from the Commission for the Built Environment (CABE), English Heritage, and commentators like Stephen Bayley.
He said: “The appeal of the development to investment institutions, and commercial and residential occupiers is undoubtedly connected to the originality of a design.
“Will Alsop is renowned for his colourful and highly individual opinions.
“I think Will should actually come up and see the buildings before judging them.
“As he knows only too well, two dimensional images rarely do justice to visionary architecture.”
A council spokesman said its planning department had raised legitimate concerns regarding the Cloud’s design.
He said: “This was not a stalling device nor was it the reason the project did not happen.
“That was because Šthe estimated cost of the scheme spiralled to nearly £100m more than the original figure and that the scheme’s character changed fundamentally from what was originally envisaged.
“This included a proposed massive increase in the residential element of the scheme – doubling the original number of apartments to 700, and 200 apartments in the Canning Dock.”

The Cabal defend English Heritage...well http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2009/05/sir-neil-cossons.html who was also a trustee of Liverpool Museums. http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2009/04/who-polices-heritage-police.html
And CABE http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2009/06/cabe-who-funds-them.html

Bryan Gray the Chairman of the NWDA was also a trustee of NML.

They are All Shysters together as far as I am concerned, they who destroyed Manchester Docks http://liverpoolpreservationtrust.blogspot.com/2009/03/manchester-docks-obliterated.html and who is Stephen Bayley anyhow to comment on a city he left decades ago.

3 comments:

  1. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2010/06/30/liverpool-deserves-much-better-than-it-got-will-alsop-attacks-waterfront-developments-92534-26753677/

    David Barletts comments

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  2. Quite a few comments seem to have been left on the Oldham Ech Website so many in fact I have to put them in three comments



    rayefc wrote:
    I think Alsop is spot on.His The Cloud was in many peoples eyes a building you would stop and admire.I can,t see anyone taking time out to look at these black monstrosities.
    30/6/2010 9:40 AM BST on liverpoolecho.co.uk
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    Shaun wrote:
    Sour grapes? could be but i'll have to agree with him.
    30/6/2010 10:26 AM BST on liverpoolecho.co.uk
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    Shaun wrote:
    HonestJohn just seen 'The Public' in West Bromwich. it is horrendous.
    30/6/2010 10:27 AM BST on liverpoolecho.co.uk
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    fitcar wrote:
    I agree,this guy seems a little bitter to me.By the way i love the new museum and look forward to visiting it.The cloud was hated by many and i for one was glad it was shelved.The waterfront is a fantastic place and dont let anyone tell you it isn't,Liverpool is back.
    30/6/2010 10:38 AM BST on liverpoolecho.co.uk
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    youngwing wrote:
    Definitely sour grapes. Mann Island is a disgrace thats true, but a giant car crash on the site of the new museum would have been just as bad.. the X museum is a great building. And if it's true money was taken away from Alsops project because of a funding shortfall in the Echo Arena project, so what? The Arena has done more for the city that Alsops junk would have. In 20 years it would have been taken down as an out of date eyesore anyway.
    30/6/2010 10:43 AM BST on liverpoolecho.co.uk
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    scousekraut wrote:
    I don`t know what the Cloud would have looked like, but I suspect that youngwing is right as most of today`s "star architects" seem to have escaped from a psychiatric ward. And I wouldn`t mind a little earthquake to get rid of that horrible black skiing slope by the Pier Head!!!
    30/6/2010 10:56 AM BST on liverpoolecho.co.uk
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    Tourman wrote:
    I did not like The Cloud, it was in the wrong place, nothing should have spoilt the view of the waterfront and we only have ourselves to blame for electing such councillors as Doreen Jones, who approved the Oil Drums. Silly Silly woman. Is it too late to demolish them or reduce the height by half?
    30/6/2010 12:03 PM BST on liverpoolecho.co.uk
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    AntiManq wrote:
    I quiet like the new buildings to be honest. I though the cloud was rubbish.

    I note the are knock down the old JMU Building on Clarence street and the building on the other side of the strand from Mann Island anyone know what is going in these places.
    30/6/2010 12:17 PM BST on liverpoolecho.co.uk
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    JanMolby wrote:
    I think we had a lucky escape from Will.
    30/6/2010 12:58 PM BST on liverpoolecho.co.uk
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    BigEnd wrote:
    It's not sour grapes as Will Allsop merely answered a question posed to him. He was also very generous in his praise of Liverpool and it's people. However he does raise important questions about what happened at Mann Island. The man who knows all the answers is Mike Storey, the councli leader at the time. He was also on the board of Liverpool Vision, NWDA and a trustee of the museum. How did the contract get conveniently put Neptune Development's way, and passed by Doreen Jones on a casting vote at the planning committee? The PR company October Communications are also involved. As for plaudits for the black coffins on Mann Island, anyone who thinks they deserve a place on our World Heritage waterfront must be living in cloud cuckoo land.
    30/6/2010 1:11 PM BST on liverpoolecho.co.uk
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  3. JanMolby wrote:
    What Alsop seems to be saying is that noone wanted it.

    I agree.


    30/6/2010 1:18 PM BST on liverpoolecho.co.uk
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    bluetrig wrote:
    The new mann island buildings look horrible aswell as the livepool one studios and apartments, it already looks dated like some kind of old secondry school? Dont know about any of you but i like our waterfront but i hate they way we try to put it up there and compare it to the like on manhaten and shanghai, a bit embarrasing if you ask me.
    30/6/2010 1:58 PM BST on liverpoolecho.co.uk
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    jimbo58 wrote:
    It's all about opinion isn't it? Personally, I think the waterfront and surrounding area is great, especially considering what lay there 20-30 years ago. I also look forward to visiting the new buildings and getting on the river for a look too.
    30/6/2010 2:02 PM BST on liverpoolecho.co.uk
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    goldenf wrote:
    I think our waterfront still has a lot going for it, the space in front of the Liver buildings is a fantastic open space. Great contrasts between old and new.
    30/6/2010 2:38 PM BST on liverpoolecho.co.uk
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    tokenbrit wrote:
    For those who haven't seen the Cloud here's a link!

    http://images.icnetwork.co.uk/upl/icliverpool/jan2004/2/2/0008B13A-1840-1019-92CB80BFB6FA0000.jpg
    30/6/2010 3:19 PM BST on liverpoolecho.co.uk
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    steve64 wrote:
    I like the new museum and the buildings on Mann island.
    30/6/2010 4:24 PM BST on liverpoolecho.co.uk
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    Tony3 wrote:
    Totally agree. The Cloud would have been a world class addition to a world class site but- as per- Liverpool aimed for mediocrity and got it.

    No one other than us would allow the Mann Island apartments to be built in their current position, blighting the view of the Three Graces.

    It lacks vision and statement. The Three Graces are instantly recognisable as belonging to the City. The new Museum, a true carbunkle, could belong anywhere. It says nothing and is nothing. It lacks ambition and character- which does sod all to reflect the true spirit of Liverpool.

    Well said Mr Alsop.
    30/6/2010 4:28 PM BST on liverpoolecho.co.uk
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    gweedo wrote:
    it's prisons we need to build for our home grown scum the ones who grace the pages of this paper on a daily basis
    30/6/2010 5:40 PM BST on liverpoolecho.co.uk
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    gweedo wrote:
    it's prisons we need to build for our home grown scum the ones who grace the pages of this paper on a daily basis.
    30/6/2010 5:44 PM BST on liverpoolecho.co.uk
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    scousekraut wrote:
    Thanks for the link, tokenbrit. Now that I know what the Cloud was supposed to look like I can`t say that I`m sorry that it was never built. How many illegal pills does an architect have to take to come up with something like that?
    30/6/2010 6:51 PM BST on liverpoolecho.co.uk
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