SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

I've been searching round Leodis at photos of Quarry Hill but have failed to find any of their dereliction / demolishment. This must have been a massive project and would be interesting to see some photos.

hiyeah ive looked in the pass on there but only find the new build of it.

There are some pictures on Flickr, which have been taken from a book:http://www.flickr.com/photos/gogoetchun ... 752178/I'd guess that a copy of that book might sit in Leeds Library, it looks like it's worth checking out.

Great album that one. I only really rememebr the flats as they were being knocked down but they were huge. I wonder if there is any truth in the story Hitler had them earmarked for a Northern HQ?

Part of them were replaced by "the Kremlin" so it would have more than a touch of irony

Feast your eyes on this thread for the Quarry Hill and Hitler rumourshttp://www.secretleeds.com/forum/Messages.aspx?ThreadID=266

That's an absolutely fascinating set of pictures. I also trawled Leodis for photos of Quarry Hill when it was derelict/being demolished. My only memory of Quarry Hill Flats is passing them on the way home from town with my mum (on the old red West Yorkshire buses) and seeing them with all the windows smashed, some had curtains still in place, flapping in the breeze. It was interesting to learn from Leodis that it was the 'revolutionary' waste disposal system which led to the flats being declared unfit for human habitation and their demolition.

Some buildings look more beautiful or interesting in dereliction.I love the parabolic arch at the entrance and the curvature of the structure. It's a shame they couldn't retain that arch on the site as some kind of sculpture, but I guess at the time the architecture was viewed with disdain and they just wanted rid of it all. If it had lasted another decade until the time 'city living' became fashionable again it would probably now have been restored as shiny expensive apartments. I think a few things in Leeds were demolished in the 80s/90s in haste and in hindsight it was sad to lose them. I wonder what we're pulling down now which will similarly be regretted in ten or twenty years? At a guess I'd say some of the suburban pubs and the odd nice industrial building like parts of Tower Works in Armley (which I must photograph before it goes).Maybe the new Harewood Quarter development could make a few subtle references to the design of Quarry Hill in it's own stylings, just for continuity?

I suggest the Schofields building was lost to a rather ugly replacement and whatever was there before the red brick courthouse must have been better.I think the Merrion Centre needs to be preserved as a well built example of 60's architechture which most people (at the moment) would be happy to see torn down.In the new Harewood Quarter Templar House, The Lyons Works, Templar Pub and the facade of the old bus station should be kept or made homage to in my opinion.

Podlover..I have a copy of a book about Quarry Hill called 'Memento Mori' (I think its by Peter Mitchell...but as its up in the loft at the moment I cant remember!) This details the demolition of the flats in pictorial form. It also has a very comprehensive history of their design and construction, including a reproduction of an Architects plan of a flat and the transcript of a BBC radio program about them from the 1940s.I also came across this link which has a few photos that might be of interest.http://www.bbc.co.uk/leeds/content/imag ... ery.shtmlI will post again when I check out the book author etc...