We all well & fondly remember all the greenery we used to see across the canal. Arena Fields was the most lush, peaceful, environmentally refreshing view we could ever have wished for.
Take a look at these pictures.
This is what the ODA think we want to see instead! Not only is the sun rising a full hour later than it normally would at any time of year - but they have decided that there isn't enough grey for us to see - especially going into winter.
We begged them to clad the buildings in a living wall - No!
We then asked them to re-design the buildings to be halfway as exciting as the other Olympic buildings on the park - No!
So now they have decided that we must see grey all along this massive building - and as we go into winter - this should make us the happiest bunnies in town.
Can they honestly say that they are being a good neighbour anymore?
15 comments:
The view from the window in my flat is a close-up of a brick wall.
You have acres of sky, and a flowing river, and a strip of ugly grey inbetween.
I know which I'd rather have.
Sóna, weren't they supposed to invite some of us to some warehouse somewhere in Essex a few months ago to see the mock-up of the cladding? I'm sure you said something about it at one of the meetings.
To replace green Arena Fields with something this grey is dispicable. The architect should be so ashamed of themself, and never touch a public space again.
Mick
Sona. Is that it?! After all those meetings you HW Partnership lot had?! After all that CABE said?! After all our objections?!
They give us Canary Wharf laid down?!
Please tell me they are going to plant massive trees in front of it.
Dirk
You know, on one level it sort of camoflages the building as it kinda dissapears into the grey sky.
But then we always come back to the fact that the ODA has again palmed Hackney Wick off with a z grade building, while the rest of the park gets Zaha Hadid. I hope all the thousands of visiting journos give the London ODA the kicking it deserves when they see where they have to work.
Pete
Sóna. As the grey creeps along the building, we are getting more despondant. Its like its creeping into our souls and making us greyer as well?!
Matt
Hi Sóna
Why did we even bother to go to all the consultation meetings with the ODA if they still ignored us? What made them fob us off with this Ikea designed warehouse?
We are the ones who have to stare at it for the next 70 years. I bet the designers or so called architects have a somewhat better view out their living rooms.
Just wait until the international media come visiting, they'll get quite a story from Leabank Square.
Su
Shona
Is there any way we can stop this greyness at this early stage? They have only just started it, surely they can then ask us - the residents who are going to have it in their faces FOR EVER - what we want to see.
Maria
OMG! It looks terrible. Is that it? Is this what the whole of London is paying for in their Olympic Tax? I don't even live in East London and I am very angry that I am paying for Grey and Greyer slabs plastered across the Media Centre.
Des Hilliam
Des, we think it's because Hackney Wick has always been severely neglected by our own council, the london mayor, numerous regeneration projects, consecutive Ministers of Local Govts, etc. So along come the ODA and do the same with the most boring bog-standard steel & glass blocks tucked away in the Hackney Wick corner of the Olympic Park. Us oiks should shut up and just be grateful that they took away our green space and are plonking buildings on it!
Debs
Hi Debs, I haven't seen you for yonks! Cuppa after school pick-up? Hey Sóna, what happened to all our protests about this design. Did you take them to those posh meetings you have up in the Olympic flat?
If so, why have they chosen to ignore us and still put up all that grey? Come on man, get shouting!
Stacey
Hi Sóna. How could ANYONE have thought that grey was the best colour for this cliff in fornt of us? Last I remember was CABE heavilly criticising the building as well, did the ODA just ignore them too?
Uggh!!
Bev
Hello Sóna, it's all about the hard landscaping now isn't it? They chopped all those lovely mature trees down to build this monstrocity, they must replace all - and more!
If they could somehow hide the entire structure behind some plain trees, we wouldn't feel the loss as badly.
Kimmy
Sóna
We should get them to stick up giant blown-up photos of the flowers in our gardens over this grey mess. What happened to the promise they made us to do that on the portakabins anyway? Last you said they came and took photos with some special camera or something. Any news?
Karen
No architectural merit. No interaction with its surroundings. No benefit to the community. No sense of belonging to Hackney Wick.
In short - no real benefit to anyone around here.
What the hell were they thinking dropping a giant discarded fridge in our Arena Fields?
Derek
Cool post you got here. It would be great to read a bit more concerning this matter. Thnx for giving this material.
Joan Stepsen
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