Architectural vandalism

Rasher - as far as I'm concerned, this post is just the cherry on the cake - I can just tell we're going to get on famously when we meet up in a few weeks' time!

James

Rasher

Absolutely agree. We have had an extension done recently and avoided all the pitfalls. Why doesn't everyone think about the beauty (aesthetic) of their home. Up here the extension world seems to be Garage with two extra beds on top and windows not to match the rest of the house. There seems no imagination of either how the house will work nor the overall look.

One day I'll get some decent photographs taken.

Keep it up Sir

Diccus

One of my pet hates too.

I strongly believe that our built environment impinges significantly on our lives. Whilst fairly liberal in my views, I honestly think that regulation is necessary to prevent the average 'person in the street' making a complete visual pigs ear of their homes (Which is the rule rather than the exception) should they choose to "extend, re-model or update"; as I think it is euphemistically termed.

Irrespective of how you regard a building, it is likely to survive longer than the current owner/occupier and we therefore (to my mind) have a responsibility to care for the buildings we inhabit. There is therefore no excuse whatsoever for unsympathetic extensions, uPVC windows in pre 1970's properties, changes that make individual buildings along uniform rows stick out, etc. etc.

The sad thing is that many/most people who embark upon such projects do not give a damn. Or rather, they are simply unaware, and want the job doing as quickly and cheaply as possible and therefore maximise the 'increase' in value that their 'investment' has made.

Some kind of voluntary code / approval of 'significant changes' (Both externally, and internally, I guess) would be one possibility. Quite who would do the approval is another matter. Finding a balance between Prince Charles and his "monstrous carbuncles" and (probably) bought local planning officials who let anything through would not be easy.

/dl

Painted brick.

Even worse:

Brick-coloured painted brick.

pebbledashing.
cracked.
lovely!

I live in a Victorian Grade II-listed warehouse, which I bought as a ruin in London nine years ago.

Inside, I have heating, light, electricity and a thoroughly modern house, etc, and great music - the design of the house allows music to travel over three floors.

I have no doubt that the local council, if given the chance 20 years ago, would have knocked it down and replaced it with a few eggboxes.

We need to fight our corners when we can!

Graham

My fathers only advise I can remeber about buying a house was:- don't buy a rendered/half renderwd house(from a maintenace POV I think).Also you could also be living next the people who think their house would look so good painted mint green or pink with violet non functional shutters. This will also temp the rest of the street to out paint their neigbours. Some kind of hell I think.

Howard

Retaining walls too. Don't buy a house with a retaining wall unless absolutely necessary. They all fail eventually if built earlier than 1980 and will cost a small fortune to rebuild to current specs.
Graham - A warehouse apartment in London would be my dream city pad. You lucky sod.

Plastic chimney stack anyone?

quote:

Originally posted by Rasher:
Plastic chimney stack anyone?

If you dare, click on 'Dormers'.

"Dormer windows, bay tops and entrance features are shown to perfection in this Nash style terrace."

This is, I fear, built in a funny little corner in the town where I live, behind half an estate of '80s bungalows (get the picture?).

Whereas, this is the local building vernacular:

Local carstone with galletting (small pebbles set into the mortar).

What are Local Authority Planners thinking of?! I am not a NIMBY; I love good quality modern design and materials - and have defended vigorously in the pub the town's one and only Huff Haus (very Grand Designs)...!

Someone fixing up their place up with out-of-keeping plastic drainpipes and windows is one thing, and bad enough...

But what are Local Authority Planners thinking when they allow such achitechtural drivel as this "Nash style" tat to be built, with which we will be saddled for years ... or at least until the Pritt Stick holding them together gives way...

James

This really is a delightfully cathartic thread! Thanks Rasher.

quote:

Originally posted by JWM:
Whereas, this is the local building vernacular:
Local carstone with galletting (small pebbles set into the mortar).

Rather suspect 1970's replacement window (and brick lintle?) on the upper floor there . Clashes nicely with the downstairs sash...

Unfortunately architecture is a very cyclic thing. (Most) estates, office units / developments, city centre (re)development - typically modern apartment blocks in my old home town of Sheffield - seem to follow trends. We are the ones that suffer.

... and why is it that modern houses are built without provision for storage space which is instead taken up by an en-suite in every bedroom. Such appaling use of space. How many minutes do people use a bathroom each day...

...and don't get me started on modern kitchens.

/dl

quote:

Whilst fairly liberal in my views, I honestly think that regulation is necessary to prevent the average 'person in the street' making a complete visual pigs ear of their homes (Which is the rule rather than the exception) should they choose to "extend, re-model or update"; as I think it is euphemistically termed.

I live in a semi socialistic state (Sweden) where the authorities not only decide what color your house should have, but also smaller things like you have to have a hedge instead of a fence and controls that the height of said hedge is inside the allowed tolerances.

JohanR

quote:

Originally posted by David Legge:
..and don't get me started on modern kitchens.

Oh yeah, David, let's have it...

quote:

I live in a semi socialistic state (Sweden) where the authorities not only decide what color your house should have, but also smaller things like you have to have a hedge instead of a fence and controls that the height of said hedge is inside the allowed tolerances.
JohanR

Johan, do you see this as a good or bad thing?

FWIW, I also live in Sweden and was not aware of any strict regulations regarding colour of houses or hight of hedges. Maybe this is a local thing. However, despite (relatively) strict planning procedures - which we have just been through in order to extend our humble abode -, there are plenty of eyesores. So I suspect that, as long as you don't anoy your neighbours, most things go.

/dl

Paved over front gardens

Stone cladding? Avocado bathroom suites?

quote:

Paved over front gardens

Sometimes around our town it is the only place to park.Also tarmac etc don't need cutting.

It's true that parking is necessary. Good design is functional and aids everyday life, so I'm afraid paved over front gardens won't go into room 101 this time.

Personally I'd sooner have a nice garden than my car parked under my front room window....

Whilst I'm on the subject, maybe if households didn't have two or three cars there would be more room to park and more front gardens.

I demand an appeal - paved front gardens for room 101!

You may have more room in Middlesex Fisbey but down here, especially in the major city of Brighton we often have to find a parking space in a road nearby if we are lucky. I'm not saying I like paved front gardens, but they do serve a purpose.
Let's have a vote then.

More room? - not in my road, not wishing to sound 'wimpy', but quite often I have to park a couple of hundred yard from home, not so much of a problem except when carrying loads of plants for the front garden!

Don't your front garden plants get nicked in urban areas? That's what I'd heard, ooh-arrrh.

I've never been a lover of front gardens, they just never seem functional or private enough. We're on a busy main road too. Our 2 car family are now happier with a grey granite block paving, which looks subtle and in keeping with the house.

Sorry Fisbey but even Lizzie succumbed to cementing over her's to provide more parking for the family



Regards

Diccus

quote:

Originally posted by Diccus62:
Rasher

Absolutely agree. We have had an extension done recently and avoided all the pitfalls. Why doesn't everyone think about the beauty (aesthetic) of their home. Up here the extension world seems to be Garage with two extra beds on top and windows not to match the rest of the house. There seems no imagination of either how the house will work nor the overall look.

One day I'll get some decent photographs taken.

Keep it up Sir

Diccus

..And that's where I come in?