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Bunch of nutters to hug building
We love our architecture....for some that love has got physical
It’s commonly known fact that Liverpool has more graded buildings than anywhere outside London. But do we have more eccentric loons too? We’d like to think so.
We got this strange note last week.
A group hug, One Park Hug, will take place on Wednesday 19 August at 12.30pm, where a human chain will be formed around the building to show the city’s love for One Park West.
It went....
‘Landmark residential building One Park West has come under fire from all directions for its architectural prowess sculpted by world famous architect Cesar Pelli.
‘Recently nominated for industry raspberry, the Carbuncle Cup by Building Design magazine, we think One Park West deserves some love and we need your help to show the world, Liverpool is proud of its architecture.
‘A group hug, One Park Hug, will take place on Wednesday 19 August at 12.30pm, where a human chain will be formed around the building to show the city’s love for One Park West and the public’s appreciation for world class architecture.
‘Guy Butler, Senior Development Manager, Grosvenor: “Love it or hate it, One Park West is here to stay and I’m proud to say will continue to provoke debate for many years to come as any landmark building should.
“We’re urging the people of Liverpool, those who love architecture and those who want to find out more, to come to and join us and appreciate a building design which has really stuck its head above the parapet and has, without a doubt, vastly improved an area of our city centre which was formerly wasteland.”’
Right you are Guy.
Anyway there’s a Facebook group named One Park Hug which has been established for the building’s supporters to join and find out more about One Park Hug. You can even follow @oneparkhug on Twitter.
Follow One Park West on twitter @oneparkhug
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13 comments so far, continue the conversation, write a comment.
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No. The Echo has put a block on reporting tatty PR about One Park West, probably something to do with them not advertising. Hence this latest PR effort by its agency.
"...vastly improved an area of our city centre which was formerly wasteland.” - Er, - hang on. It was only a wasteland because everything there had been demolished expressly to build Liverpool One! Who wrote this stuff?
The One Park West web-site states that it "comprises of 326 apartments". Why do estate agents have such trouble with the English language?
It is not a hug, the idea is to pick this monstrosity up and carry it to Manchester were it will fit in better.
No debate here then, just a highly biased statement from the developers?
Yes, the Echo photgrapher will only need them there long enough for a couple of snaps - and then there's always PhotoShop.
I'd be interested to see if they actually get enough people to 'hug' the building. Obviously the local office staff of the vested interests will be kicked out to join in the stunt, but will that be enough? I suppose they could always offer free cider to the tramp community.
WRONG!. Sorry, your statement ... It’s commonly known fact that Liverpool has more graded buildings than anywhere outside London ... is in fact a myth. Bradford has more listed buildings than Liverpool, around 4,000 compared to around 2,000 in Liverpool.The claim comes from the fact that Liverpool City Council used to own more listed buildings than any authority outside London. Then came the big sell off in the 70s and 80s when the freeholds were flogged to raise dosh. That's not to say Liverpool's architecture is not stunning. But facts, sadly, are facts.
Is that why there's so little in the Echo?
Guy Butler is either jaw-droppingly ignorant or less than honest about what was on the site now colonised by One Parked Without Our Say-So. It was the original Chavasse Park, not "wasteland", as he dismissively says. I've seen the Facebook page that's been set up & some of the comments puncture a hole in the feel-good bollockese trotted out by Grosvenor, the Oldham Echo & the PR firm Think Publicity behind the stunt. Therapists will tell you that a group hug is cathartic; it's a good way to deal with a traumatic or unwelcome event. The siting of this future white elephant qualifies as both. I wonder if Messrs. Bradley, Storey & Hurst will attend, temporarily putting aside their internal feud? Alastair Machray would have attended, but he'll be busy deciding whether to offer a free bag of chips or a meat pie with the following morning's Oldham Echo.
12.30pm - it's alright for those on benefits, but most of us have to go to work you know!
Anyone bother to turn up? Or was there an emphatic absence of a report in the Echo last night?
Actually it's in today's Echo, along with Pete Price wearing a dress and the usual footy'n'Beatles drivel.