SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Sort of started on Munki's musing thread. The Tall towers of LeedsThe Plaza at 37 floors has reached its full height at the core but yet to be completedBridgewater place officially opened last June? at 32 floors is Leeds' tallest completed skyscraper.Criterion place keeps getting altered on the drawing board from where it may never escape but the current plan under consideration is 53 and 33 floor towers.Lumiere at 54 and 32 floors is another "twin" tower development but this has escaped the drawing board with construction under way.Of course sky scrapers aren't new to Leeds the twin cottingley towers and heights at 25 floors have been a landmark in south west leeds for almost 40 years which is around the time the city centres longest standing tallest tower West Riding House has been there

Hanging out of the slowly-moving train window brandishing the technology of the day, an 8mm cine camera and now over 40 years ago, I filmed the return to Leeds from school trip to London.As we pulled gently towards the long-gone Central Station, early that Sunday morning, the camera panned across the town's horizon to the north, an even plain of nie-on level roof tops save for one large monument towering above all around it, the Town Hall Dome.How things have changed indeed.

I hope we will get to see that chameleon.

rikj wrote: I hope we will get to see that chameleon. I've got it as far as VHS rikj - will take a little more of that technomonologory thing to get it on here (Not to mention the embarrassment of me seeing me from that long ago!).

I was told that no firm decsion on its height had been made in order to stop Manchester's next building being higher! Certainly the tall building in Manchester is visible from Hyde as you come down the M67.As for tall buildings, I remember when the towers at Holbeck were considered high!

I always was under the impression that Tower House was the largest building in the city centre before Bridgewater Place.

It is the same 20 storey but as I understand it 3m smaller

It is deceiving as it is at the top of the valley so it looks like it might be taller... Still it looks alot nicer since it has been re-clad.

The same reason that Plaza II across clay pit lane looks sooooo big too. I drove down Middleton ring-road yesterday and it dominates the Leeds skyline even from there although there is nothing but the central core and crane at the moment.Yes the cladding has improved the outdated sixties look to Tower North which even though its 5 floors less is actually higher than the Cottingley twins because purelt residential needs less ceiling height.

tyke bhoy wrote: The same reason that Plaza II across clay pit lane looks sooooo big too. I drove down Middleton ring-road yesterday and it dominates the Leeds skyline even from there although there is nothing but the central core and crane at the moment.Yes the cladding has improved the outdated sixties look to Tower North which even though its 5 floors less is actually higher than the Cottingley twins because purelt residential needs less ceiling height. the plaza II can be seen from Ramshead Drive in Seacroft... totally dominates the skyline from the east of leeds.am i right in saying that the bridgewater building was supposed to be taller (with a dome on top) but was refused due to it being under the flightpath?