‘The most Corbusier building in Britain’ listed
Source: Architectural Press Archive / RIBA Collections
Saltash Library, completed in 1963 and designed by Royston Summers of Cornwall County Architects’ Department, has been handed a Grade II listing
In an article in the AJ in 1987, Summers (1931-2012) described the library, which is still in use today, as ‘the most Corbusier building in Britain’.
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According to Historic England, the textured concrete structure is ‘a striking and well-articulated example of post-war library design’, drawing reference from famous Modernist architect Le Corbusier’s Palace of Justice at Chandigarh, which began construction in 1951.
Saltash library was one of a series of five new branch libraries to be built by the council in the 1960s. The others were at St Austell, Newquay, Torpoint, and Helston. All of them were designed by the County Architects’ Department under FK Hicklin, who recruited newly-qualified architect
Proposals to demolish an art deco-inspired 1930s department store in the West Country and replace it with a 92-home apartment building are being opposed by a range of heritage groups.
Architect AWW’s plans for the Taunton branch of Debenhams were drawn up for developer Ropemaker Properties and would deliver ground-floor commercial space in addition to the new town-centre flats.
However campaign group the Twentieth Century Society argues that the building – built in 1938 and expanded in the 1960s in a way that complemented the original structure – should be retained and converted to deliver new homes instead.
The group said changing shopping trends coupled with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic had plunged the future of an increasing number of 20
3XN’s 37-storey Broadgate tower scheme set for City approval
1/21 View of the scheme from the south
Source: 3XN
2/21 3XN plans for 2 Finsbury Avenue (2FA) at Broadgate. The scheme is backed by British Land
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Source: 3XN
4/21 XN plans for 2 Finsbury Avenue (2FA) at Broadgate - view of square. The scheme is backed by British Land
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Source: 3XN
Source: 3XN
7/21 3XN plans for 2 Finsbury Avenue (2FA) at Broadgate - west terrace view. The scheme is backed by British Land
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Source: 3XN
Source: 3XN
Source: 3XN
Source: 3XN
Source: 3XN
Developers Ropemaker Properties want to demolish the premises in North Street after the store closes. In its place, they have revealed proposals to build 92 apartments over three floors, along with ground floor commercial outlets, parking and landscaping. PROPOSALS: Image of how the proposed new building could look But Twentieth Century Society, which campaigns for the preservation of architectural heritage from 1914 onwards, is opposing the plans. C20 Society caseworker Coco Whittaker said: We believe the existing building could be sympathetically converted for residential use and need not be demolished. The store makes a great contribution to the streetscape and has an interesting history, being built in two phases.
The scheme for developers Mitsubishi Estate and CO-RE involves demolishing the existing television centre at 72 Upper Ground and constructing a 26-storey