Park Hill and Urban Splash Megathread

[BEDROCK]

Here is an idea that should have been considered before they modernised the flats again.

 

They should have had a massive public consultation and let the public vote on what it should have been.

 

I also think that with it being a listed building, this should have been considered above everything else.

 

I actually think the building, an eyesore as it is, would have been better suited to being one large office block, with shiny glass and modern lighting, it could have really been a magnificent sight on the hill top. It could have even been converted to a massive multi story car park, something that would have actually served a function to the city instead of letting out to home owners who are part time tenants anyway.

 

I think we could have had a very clean modern structure if we turned them all in to offices, we could have had major international media companies set up camp there, the views out the windows would have made a great news centre like BBC have, the possibilities are endless, but instead they carried on down the flats route, even when all the flats are taken, it will soon go down the nick and look trashy again, all flats do after a while, even those brand new ones on West Street.

[smiggs]

So in the middle of a national housing crisis you'd turn one of the biggest housing developments into offices. In the parts being developed now the room sizes are not suited to modern open plan offices, in addition to reclading the outside the inside which currently retains the original layouts would have to be completely changed. The only other use I could see is a hotel with the "tourist" and hotel quarter plans for the Castlegate area that might still be a possibility but I hope not, Sheffield needs housing whether that is council or private.

 

The bottom line for me is that it's all decided now and the people of Sheffield should get behind the project. I think the newly clad flats look magnificent particularly in the sunshine, once Urban Splash have finished the project Great Places and the residents will look after the estate and it is in our interest to maintain the estate properly, if nothing else the value of the flats depends upon it.

[BEDROCK]

Why not, it has the potential to be a great office quarter, I do not like the new flat designs.

 

It looks rather bland and they are taking their time as the rest of the flats further up the road is not even touched yet.

[smiggs]

So the new flat design which has been nominated for the Stirling Prize is bland? You're on you're own there. The Stirling prize is awarded to "the architects of the building which has made the greatest contribution to British architecture in the past year." I could understand if simply disliked brutalist architecture but that's not going to change however you design the build or whatever use you put it too.

 

The building is not suitable for offices without significant change to the layout and we need housing in the country. Urban Splash do need to pull their finger out and get things moving but once they do it's going to be the most desirable city centre flat complex.

Edited August 26, 2013 by smiggs

[Rob_1]

So in the middle of a national housing crisis you'd turn one of the biggest housing developments into offices. In the parts being developed now the room sizes are not suited to modern open plan offices, in addition to reclading the outside the inside which currently retains the original layouts would have to be completely changed. The only other use I could see is a hotel with the "tourist" and hotel quarter plans for the Castlegate area that might still be a possibility but I hope not, Sheffield needs housing whether that is council or private.

 

The bottom line for me is that it's all decided now and the people of Sheffield should get behind the project. I think the newly clad flats look magnificent particularly in the sunshine, once Urban Splash have finished the project Great Places and the residents will look after the estate and it is in our interest to maintain the estate properly, if nothing else the value of the flats depends upon it.

 

The problem with that is many of the flats have been bought by HA's, and some will be buy to let. A look around many HA estates and private estates that have turned btl show that many tenants really don't give a rats ass about the state of the area they live in.

[hackey lad]

So the new flat design which has been nominated for the Stirling Prize is bland? You're on you're own there. The Stirling prize is awarded to "the architects of the building which has made the greatest contribution to British architecture in the past year." I could understand if simply disliked brutalist architecture but that's not going to change however you design the build or whatever use you put it too.

 

The building is not suitable for offices without significant change to the layout and we need housing in the country. Urban Splash do need to pull their finger out and get things moving but once they do it's going to be the most desirable city centre flat complex.

 

if you really believe that then good for you .but i cant see it happening. what i can see happening is that urban spash will realise what they have took on and want to demolish half of the flats that they have not yet started work on. thats why there has been no ongoing progress

[ChrisT70]

anyone actually living there like to comment as to what its like? any issues/problems?

personally i wouldnt buy one if it was the last available property on the planet, each to their own and all that, but having bought one whats your thoughts if any?

[Blackbeard]

Riba Stirling Prize

You have a chance to vote on the BBC website but it will have no impact on the Riba Stirling Prize judges' verdict.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24069649

[Jcoventry]

Not sure if there is another active thread on Park Hill or not, I tried to find one but kept coming back here.

 

Urban Splash has announced they are to start Phase 2 and invest another £17 million into the project, with help from Places for People. This time there will be 182 new homes - the first of which will be ready by mid 2015.

 

I visited Park Hill on Sunday - the original, unrestored part is pretty much a ghost town now, think there are just a couple of old tenants left in the original part including a guy called Mark though I haven't met him yet. The rest have been relocated to other Sheffield estates or moved into the refurbished block.

 

All the flats I walked past are boarded up with metal doors or by other means - but you can still access the walkways, and the old lifts still work. The Grace Owen nursery is still going too - I wasn't expecting that! (it's due to be relocated as part of Phase 2).

 

Took some photos, if anyone is interested at all:

 

https://plus.google.com/photos/108889795530335624590/albums/6019960957300219265

 

I'll be keeping an eye on how Phase 2 goes and will probably keep revisiting for more photos as the site develops, I'm really intrigued by the whole thing. I've lived in Sheffield my whole life but Sunday was the first time I visited - whether you hate or love it, there's nothing else like it in Sheffield.

 

I think it's...growing on me.

[Paddy]

I'm really looking forward to when the whole complex is completed as I think it will look amazing with all the different colours.