Letter: This Is a Souless Cluster of Identical Boxes

Published on: 23 Aug, 2022
Updated on: 23 Aug, 2022

Not much traditional about the style of the proposed Friary Quarter.

From: Joe Taylor

In response to: In My Heart I Knew It Was a Forlorn Hope

It is quite saddening to see the final proposal, especially considering the other designs the developer initially put forward (https://northstreetregeneration.co.uk/design-and-architecture.html).

A mix of the traditional and warehouse styles proposed would have been much more sympathetic to Guildford’s existing architecture whilst still looking modern and contemporary.

Instead, what we’ve received is a boring copy & paste of the majority of new developments found up and down the UK, a soulless cluster of identical boxes.

I am not overly concerned about the height of the tallest building, it is a good use of the space and location, but GBC really do need to tighten up their town centre planning guidelines on height so we can stop having the same conversation every time a new development is proposed.

Responses to Letter: This Is a Souless Cluster of Identical Boxes

Ben Paton Reply

September 1, 2022 at 12:57 am

Why are all the promotional pictures of this development taken from a ‘drones’ eye view’? Not a soul will ever see this view with their own eyes.

The pictures should present the project as people will see it in real life – on a pavement looking up or across.

The drone’s eye view serves to foreshorten all the different heights and is no doubt quite deliberate.
RWL Davies Reply

September 6, 2022 at 8:14 am

A “copy and paste” design – exactly. Some creative architecture needed to create a scheme appropriate to Guildford’s status and to create a platform for its evolution over the next 50 years.