NEWSLETTER Number 336 Registered Charity 274082 Autumn 2012
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THE ST. MARYLEBONE SOCIETY NEWSLETTER Number 336 Registered Charity 274082 Autumn 2012 View of substation from the bridge. TRANSFORMING MARYLEBONE As the final vitreous enamel panels are It’s always interesting to re-visit the Westway the structures nestle fitted into place on the LUL substation Society’s planning committee’s original comfortably behind the railway station at Edgware Road, Jacqueline Poncelet’s comments when a building is completed wall. There’s a lightness and delicacy to installation is finally taking shape and and consider whether our initial the patterns and colours that disguises the abstract ideas she presented at our objections and observations were valid. this essential element of infrastructure The substation did not even need to AGM in 2009 will soon be unveiled as a which provides hundreds of tonnes of apply for permission and we all felt that tangible and exciting new public we were fortunate to have an artist of transformers to improve the electrical artwork for Marylebone. Jaqueline’s caliber involved. Her connections on the Underground. The opportunity for a piece of art in an attention to detail and eye for colour and Glimpsed like trinket boxes from afar urban setting on this scale is rare and it pattern have created a wonderful filigree they provide intricacy and vibrancy in an works on many levels. Visually it is screen-like motif on the facades; totally otherwise drab disjointed setting. seen from near and far; standing still or appropriate for the middle-eastern It would be wonderful if the north character of the Edgware Road. From at speed from the Westway; from above elevation could be illuminated at night, Chapel Street at close quarters the through residents’ windows and from so that its kaleidoscope-like rotating and bright, repetitive, abstract patterns below by commuters on the station swirling patterns shine across the visually enliven the streetscape and Westway like a beacon. platforms, where the canopy edgings provide a backdrop for pedestrians superimpose triangular ‘gable ends’ on hurrying to the station. The project has Artists working in the public realm take to the façade. echoes of Eduardo Paolozzi’s mosaics at on an enormous responsibility and need Tottenham Court Road and like the courage and real conviction to see radical art by Anri Sala in Tirana, through their ideas amidst so many Albania, introduces the idea of a building conflicting subjective reactions to their as an artist’s canvas to create a catalyst work. Jaqueline Poncelet has given us a for urban regeneration. new landmark in Marylebone, a unique We originally felt that the proposals did artwork and a treasure for us all to not relate to the site context in terms of enjoy. massing. However, as built, the ambiguity of scale has the effect of Art on the Underground are launching reducing the perceived bulk of the the project on 20 Nov 2012 at 6:30pm transformer boxes and from the at The Chapel pub on Chapel Street. W E ’ R E G O I N G T O T H E Z O O , Z O O , Z O O . Members of our planning committee sadly dided in May, played a key role in the The new enclosure will provide a central visited London Zoo this summer to catch design of the pool, and was also involved hub for ZSL's tiger conservation work, and up on recent ZSL projects. Graham in a number of significant wildlife projects, will enable tigers to be bred at the zoo, so Roden, Head of Estates Development, and such as the reintroduction of the that more can be learned about these beautiful and elusive animals, which will Project manager Harry Everest met us to corncrake to the Norfolk Fens. be helpful in ZSL's field projects. explain the current projects to improve The Regent Building (1928-9), which has The new projects at London Zoo arise the zoo for visitors and animals alike. been used as a restaurant ever since it was built, is about to be upgraded. It is a partly out of the needs of the society's A new exit onto the Broadwalk in quiet building with fine period windows conservation work, partly as ongoing Regent’s Park has been completed this and staircases, and currently also contains upgrades, and partly to provide new year. facilities for 300 staff members, and a exhibits both to inform the public and to raise money for conservation work. The reception room which may be hired. In the high quality of recent projects is to be 60s and 70s, insensitive extensions were applauded, and we look forward to the added and these obscure the most completion of these latest works. distinctive features of this building: the Footnote: round, double height arches and projecting Decimus Burton and the beginnings of bays. ZSL have permission to replace London Zoo them with a more thoughtful modern The zoo opened in 1828, and the grounds extension which will reveal some of the were laid out by Decimus Burton, and original features and provide the many of the original constructions in the opportunity to reconfigure the interior zoo that still exist are of his design. He layout. A new mezzanine will increase the was the zoo's official architect from 1826 capacity of the very well used restaurant. to 1841, and also designed several of the Perhaps the most exciting project, now villas in Regent’s Park, such as Grove underway, is the new £3.6m Sumatran House, The Holme, and St John's Lodge. Tiger enclosure, “Tiger Territory”, which Within the zoo, he designed the will open in spring 2013. The 2500sq m clocktower, its first building, which cost area, five times the size of the present £100 including the clock and its installation. This building still exists: it tiger enclosure, will be formed by a was rebuilt as a Gothic house for Llamas stainless steel mesh tent large enough to in 1844, reconstructed in 1898, suffered Members in front of the restored Parrot House enclose some mature trees. The work can from bomb damage in 1940, was rebuilt entrance. be seen from Regent’s Park, and at the We saw the wonderful new Penguin again by Burnet Tait in 1946, converted time of writing, the poles to support the Beach, which was built on the site of the into shops in 1988, and is now a first aid tent have already been erected. The mesh semi-derelict Parrot House, and which station as well as providing nests for the tent will be constructed by specialised reused the basement of this building for zoo's colony of sparrows in the eaves. riggers who will “sew” the long strips of Also by Decimus Burton, and still extant, the deepest part of the pool. The Penguin mesh “fabric” together with wire. The Pool has a naturalistic form, and is partly are The Raven's Cage (1829), one of the area will be planted to mimic the tropical icons of the zoo, and the East Tunnel glass-sided, so that the penguins can be foliage of Sumatra, to provide an seen diving, and there are lots of beaches (1829-30) linking the north and south interesting environment for the tigers to parts of the zoo – which was used as a and rocky areas for the birds as well as explore, and will incorporate a large pool bomb shelter during WWII. In addition, quiet areas away from spectators. There as, unusually for cats, these tigers love Burton built the Giraffe House (1836-7), are currently 70 penquins of different water. The tigers are also excellent and Three Island Pond (1832), which is species, and the pool could accommodate climbers and the tall trees and high now partially incorporated into the New up to 200. Remnants of the Parrot House, feeding poles will provide opportunities Lion Terraces. All these buildings are such as the entrance arch, have been used for them to do this. Mindful of the tigers' grade II listed and will be preserved for as architectural elements in the landscape talent and curiosity, ZSL checks the future generations to enjoy. around the pool. integrity of their enclosures everyday! Cynthia Poole John Ellis (Senior Curator of Higher One of the glazed viewing pavilions will St Marylebone Society Vertebrates & Horticulture at ZSL), who reuse part of the 1960s sea lion house. Planning Subcommittee The Penguin Pool. Gardens of the Zoological Gardens, Regent’s Park, 1828. 2 C H U R C H S T R E E T F U T U R E S P L A N : T H E S H O W H O M E S P R O P O S A L for the proposed new affordable homes. different possible solutions. The There is now a project to build three finishes are similar to those in the homes in Orchardson Street to Athletes' Village at Stratford. demonstrate the standards and finishes The exterior is to be in blue Telford which will be delivered when the Brindle brick, and the staircase will be Futures Plan sites are developed. aluminium clad with vertical strips of Planning permission is expected to be green, “living wall”. The plants will be a granted in November, and completion is mix of evergreen and seasonal varieties, likely to be at the beginning of 2014. and will be maintained by City West Public Consultation at the Showhome Gallery. The showhomes will then be open to Homes. The project has been funded by For some time now, Westminster City the public for six months so that Westminster Community Homes and Council has been working on a residents can see the quality of housing facilitated by Paddington Development regeneration plan for the Church Street proposed.