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Replica Victorian housing envisioned for Perth

April 30 2018

Replica Victorian housing envisioned for Perth
Demolished Victorian housing at Perth’s East Bridge Street is up for replacement with an application to stabilize the site and build a like-for-like replica.

Plans drawn up by Matthew Cowan Architectural Design seek to reinstate a retaining wall and erect four new build flats which echo the form and massing of a recently demolished Victorian block on the same site.

This had become structurally unstable with the failure of the retaining wall leaving the site vacant for new development.

The proposed replacement will be built in masonry with a render finish using a slate roof and mock chimneys to evoke characteristics of the former building in a ‘sympathetic and positive’ response to its surroundings.

Failure of a retaining wall necessitated demolition of this Victorian block
Failure of a retaining wall necessitated demolition of this Victorian block

16 Comments

boaby wan
#1 Posted by boaby wan on 30 Apr 2018 at 13:42 PM
Gotta love a rev cloud!
mick
#2 Posted by mick on 30 Apr 2018 at 20:52 PM
It is deplorable that Urban Realm seen to care so little about architectural quality. This proposal for
'replica victorian' gunk in Perth is devoid of any form of architectural sensitivity. Furthermore for Urban Realm to showcase and perhaps accordingly perpetuate the shamateur output of architectural wanabees is hardly professional.
Inahuf
#3 Posted by Inahuf on 1 May 2018 at 06:59 AM
The poor residents! Tiny windows and bars on them too if you buy the semi basement flat. All the character of a Workhouse!!!
Urban Realm
#4 Posted by Urban Realm on 1 May 2018 at 08:26 AM
We do cover a range of content Mick, this may be at one end of that spectrum but it will make a difference to the 'urban realm' of Perth.

Our goal isn't to single out the 'good' work, although we certainly champion it where we can. We try to present a more rounded picture of what is actually getting built.
CM
#5 Posted by CM on 1 May 2018 at 12:05 PM
I mean this isn't fantastic, but apart from the white render this isn't too bad a proposal.
lm
#6 Posted by lm on 1 May 2018 at 15:06 PM
This is some kind of a joke. This is not a replica, windows are smaller, number of window is different .... what kind of replica is this ??!!
CADMonkey
#7 Posted by CADMonkey on 1 May 2018 at 18:22 PM
I think a lot of the comments here are being really unfair to this technician.
Leave him alone, he just wants to be an architect.
mick
#8 Posted by mick on 1 May 2018 at 21:28 PM
It is hardly unreasonable to expect that Urban Design at least apply some qualitative standards ? As a starter avoiding the highlighting of gunk work be it by architects or wanabee architects. Urban Design have an editorial board, what do they do other that correct spelling mistakes ?
Head in the clouds
#9 Posted by Head in the clouds on 2 May 2018 at 08:35 AM
It's a shame that both UR and the architect don't care about the quality of the image if they are happy with the huge revision bubble on marketing imagery.
MR
#10 Posted by MR on 2 May 2018 at 12:56 PM
@#9
I dont know if UR seeks or needs to seek an architects permission to publish a project that falls under 'news' category. The image has been sourced from the open portal planning application pack where the revision cloud has been used to highlight a revision.
http://planningapps.pkc.gov.uk/online-applications/files/47BC5E17F13062E9D9AD2D3D18E0C5C8/pdf/18_00644_FLL-PROPOSED_3D_VIEWS__18_00644_8_-1096091.pdf
As for ‘sympathetic and positive’ thats been quoted from design statements conclusion section
http://planningapps.pkc.gov.uk/online-applications/files/458896A9538A366AD4A7D906687E8CFC/pdf/18_00644_FLL-DESIGN_STATEMENT__18_00644_11_-1096098.pdf
Sven
#11 Posted by Sven on 2 May 2018 at 14:09 PM
I am in favour of retaining traditional architecture and replicating lost buildings - many European countries do this well. Canongate in Edinburgh could really do with rebuilding lost buildings from current non-architecture 60s corporation style trash. Perth has many Georgian style vernacular buildings and this enhances the area.

I would suggest that the window at street level could be mitigated by enclosing part of the wide street into a small garden to give distance, give privacy and soften the landscape.
Inahuf
#12 Posted by Inahuf on 2 May 2018 at 22:21 PM
#11 - Sven, in what world should a public road be given over and incorporated into a private garden? Only in a student project do you get to re-draw the ownership boundary to get over a design issue you didn’t solve in the design....
No idea why the designer shrunk the windows, looks like it could struggle to meet daylight standards in building warrant unless they’ve also may tiny rooms behind each tiny window. Sad now
Cadmonkey
#13 Posted by Cadmonkey on 3 May 2018 at 09:26 AM
I don’t have a problem with Urban Realm publishing this.
It demonstrate to clients the merit in selecting a fully qualified architect instead of an “architectural designer”, or else you may end up with this kind of pap.
Sven
#14 Posted by Sven on 3 May 2018 at 09:55 AM
@Inahuf, why would putting a small enclosed garden at the side of the house mean loss of a 'road' (I think you mean Highway aka pavement)? It is wide enough for this, the green space would be a public amenity. I can think of examples of this across Scotland. The window looks at least 1m tall and I guess the railing would be removable as you would need a means to escape in the event of a fire - one can cast a mind back to the Glasgow fire when 2 students died due to bars on windows.
MoFloBro
#15 Posted by MoFloBro on 3 May 2018 at 12:18 PM
Seems a perfectly pleasant little building. I'm a little taken aback by the response to this, but then again I'm not an architect. It's certainly a whole lot nicer than most flats currently being built in Glasgow.
I take the point regarding the ground floor though, might have been better as a cafe or shop. It does say 4 flats though, so the ground floor may well be already earmarked for something else.
Inahuf
#16 Posted by Inahuf on 3 May 2018 at 22:41 PM
@Sven. This garden you suggest for privacy is to be a public amenity too... how would attracting strangers to sit by your window help privacy? In any case I don’t expect the Council will be much in favour of building and maintaining a wee garden there (esp to provide ‘privacy’ for a speculative development) when they have so much amenity ground so close along the Tay.

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