October 23 2020

A laundry and water tower once belonging to Portobello Swimming Baths has inspired a vertical seaside residence which takes its cue from the pattern of sand grains on a nearby beach.

The current water tower will be demolished but not forgotten under the plans, serving as inspiration for a new studio space and garage, with a single residence arranged over upper floors.

Textured concrete is envisioned for the thrusting home, encoding a pattern of tracks and dimples as the building reaches for the sky through four floors. Amenity space will be provided in the form of a rooftop terrace and gardens, affording vistas down Pittville Street Lane towards the promenade.

In a planning statement, Haar wrote: "Through referencing a combination of datums from the existing water tower and the contextual surroundings of the beach the proposed concept for the tower will inform both the form and the materiality.

"Concrete formwork inspired by the tracks and dimples in the sand can be used to reference the existing materiality of the tower whilst encompassing the towers context." 

6 Comments

#1 Posted by SHOUTING ANDREW on 23 Oct 2020 at 13:35 PM

SHOUT IT - WHILST THE VISUALS LOOK GREAT, THE DESIGN IS COMPLETELY OUT OF SCALE WITH THE SURROUNDING CONTEXT. ALSO, THE 2D DRAWINGS, ESPECIALLY THE SECTIONS, LEAVE A LOT TO BE DESIRED.

I WOULD HOPE THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT REQUEST SOME SITE ELEVATIONS SHOWING THE CONTEXT TO EMPHASISE THE SCALING ISSUES.

#2 Posted by The Bawlin' Bairn on 23 Oct 2020 at 15:06 PM

WELL I LIKE THE EXTERNAL ELEVATIONS...BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL...although when BT charge you extortionate rates for re-routing those multiple telephone cables you will have blown the construction budget to smithereens...

#3 Posted by ANDY ANDY ANDY ANDY ANDY ANDY ANDY ANDY ANDY ANDY on 23 Oct 2020 at 19:51 PM

ANDY ANDY......but I really like it, very tasteful and elegant.

#4 Posted by town planner on 23 Oct 2020 at 21:04 PM

That looks absolutely fantastic. Hope it passes planning as is.

#5 Posted by Brandwagon on 24 Oct 2020 at 06:35 AM

The design statement scores high Materiality/ Bullsh’-ometer. Why do Architects has to spout such embarrassing, pretentious twaddle?
Looks ok I guess, although what’s the deal with the windows on the boundary and the chronic overshadowing?

#6 Posted by Miming Boab on 24 Oct 2020 at 16:51 PM

Two words, first word, sounds like, 'Cooks' Not Books, no. Or Wooks...Wooks? What even is that? Looks! Correct!

Second word, rhymes with 'Bexcellent'

Post your comments