SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

I admit to being a critic of many modern buildings but I really have to say that the two new huge office buildings either side of City Square at the bottom of Park Row are both magnificent. In a creditable attempt NOT to repeat the 1960s concrete mistakes some real thought, and no doubt a good deal of money, has gone into the appearance and materials of these two beautiful places which do wonders for the look of The Square. Even the three visible glass lifts on the Infrimary Street side look dignified and not a bit out of place. Let's have more like these please.

BLAKEY wrote: I admit to being a critic of many modern buildings but I really have to say that the two new huge office buildings either side of City Square at the bottom of Park Row are both magnificent. In a creditable attempt NOT to repeat the 1960s concrete mistakes some real thought, and no doubt a good deal of money, has gone into the appearance and materials of these two beautiful places which do wonders for the look of The Square. Even the three visible glass lifts on the Infrimary Street side look dignified and not a bit out of place. Let's have more like these please. I think so as wellI'm pareticularly fond of the art deco bbc broadcasting house pastiche. although I think the bird sculpture is a bit kitsch and inappropriateLeeds city station is ten times better than the building it replaced

I agree. 1 City Square is an attractive modern building, especially if you can remember the building it replaced! I'm also not keen on the bird sculpture. I feel they're gilding the lily a bit, and would look better in a different environment.

I'm not a fan of 1 City Square because at pedestrian level it does nothing, just a foreboding wall of marble cladding. If you walk around that corner onto Park Row it doesn't offer anything to you other than vent grills. A better design would have had more interest at street level, particularly next to a large public space like City Square. More modern designs have been trying to achieve this, though I'm a bit tired of the numerous ground floor 'cafe/restaurant opportunity' to let signs which suggests that perhaps there are enough bars in the city already and maybe some other more imaginative uses need to be thought of for these spaces.

jf wrote: I'm not a fan of 1 City Square because at pedestrian level it does nothing, just a foreboding wall of marble cladding. If you walk around that corner onto Park Row it doesn't offer anything to you other than vent grills. A better design would have had more interest at street level, particularly next to a large public space like City Square. More modern designs have been trying to achieve this, though I'm a bit tired of the numerous ground floor 'cafe/restaurant opportunity' to let signs which suggests that perhaps there are enough bars in the city already and maybe some other more imaginative uses need to be thought of for these spaces. I think that's a fair callpersonally I think it fits the overall proportions of the building and the spaces you mention are offset by the art deco motifs

The Lloyds Bank on Park Row is a very attractive modern building, which still looks brand new! (even though its now more than 30 years old)

I love the Bridgewater place building, such a landmark on the Leeds skyline

tomd89 wrote: The Lloyds Bank on Park Row is a very attractive modern building, which still looks brand new! (even though its now more than 30 years old) simple and functional good use of traditional materialsnever keen on the black horse made out of bits of piping thoughI think the carnegie stand at headingley is a pretty good effort

fevlad wrote: jf wrote: I'm not a fan of 1 City Square because at pedestrian level it does nothing, just a foreboding wall of marble cladding. If you walk around that corner onto Park Row it doesn't offer anything to you other than vent grills. A better design would have had more interest at street level, particularly next to a large public space like City Square. More modern designs have been trying to achieve this, though I'm a bit tired of the numerous ground floor 'cafe/restaurant opportunity' to let signs which suggests that perhaps there are enough bars in the city already and maybe some other more imaginative uses need to be thought of for these spaces. I think that's a fair callpersonally I think it fits the overall proportions of the building and the spaces you mention are offset by the art deco motifs Yes, I think JF is right what he says about the building at ground level. However, I still like the building when viewed in it's entirety. Even old castles and monasteries are just a blank wall when seen from close-up at ground-level.

there's some social housing in meanwood behind that shopping parade that has Aldi in it.good build quality and at the bottom there's a crescent shaped terrace that I think is brilliant.opposite the 'wetherspoons' entrance to leeds city staion is a striking building that I enjoy looking at form just about any angle