Columnist Peter Coy wrote in the paper on Monday (February 12) that London’s towers are “chock full of strange skyscrapers with funny names and nicknames” such as the Gherkin and the Cheesegrater. discussed.
Mr Coy, who described the Raphael Vignoli-designed walkie-talkie tower at 20 Fenchurch Street as “spherical”, blamed London’s planning system, which ignored other factors, over its lesser-known name. He claimed that star architects were now given preferential treatment.
According to the NYT, London buildings designed by “trophy architects” are 13 to 17 storeys taller than those designed by lesser-known figures, according to data released by the London School of Economics. It is said that it is Sade.
“There is an economic explanation for why there are so many skyscrapers in London that stand on tiptoe and say, ‘Look at me,'” Coy writes. ‘[Developers] Hiring a star architect increases your chances of getting approval for a taller, more profitable building.
“This is an unintended consequence of the world’s most famous architects using London as a playground, with dissonant results,” Coy writes, comparing it to New York’s zone-based planning system. It pointed to the capital’s “discretionary” planning rules.
He continued: “The main problem with the UK discretionary system is not that buildings are too tall, although in some cases they can be.” “In fact, the opposite is often the case: high-rise buildings designed by lesser-known architects are blocked from construction for arbitrary reasons, or developers are abandoned due to lengthy permitting procedures. It is.”
In response to the criticism, Bartlett College professor Peter Rees told the London-based newspaper: times The charge against the capital’s skyline was that it was “someone a little rich from New York,” a city with many of its own towers designed by major architects.
Rees, who presided over the planning process for Walkie Talkie, told the newspaper that Thomas Heatherwick’s ship at Hudson Yards was the only ship worthy of the new name, despite its controversial designation. In comparison, London had several skyscrapers that were “affectionately” named.
‘[In New York]”The only thing I can think of that deserves a nickname is that building in the middle of Hudson Yards, and I call it the Dumpster because it looks like the trash can in the corner of the office.” he said of the container.
Reese also said that New York’s urban planning policies have stricter building standards for what can be built, resulting in “incredibly boring buildings,” including an ultra-slim tower next to Central Park. He claimed that it meant “there are many.”
This was announced by a spokesperson for the Mayor of London. new york times: “Any suggestion that the profile or reputation of a particular architectural practice influences this decision-making process is false.”
According to a study by the London School of Economics, London is near the bottom of the rankings for skyscrapers per capita, but near the top for the proportion of trophy architects.
Skyscraper projects underway include 1 Undershaft, designed by Eric Parry Architects and set to become the tallest building in the Square Mile if approved, RSHP for the fourth tallest building in the City of London proposal, and the 63-story Ernie Fender Katsalidis (AFK) proposal. Skyscraper.