firstsite:newsite construction

It looked, sounded and felt more like a shipyard than a corner of Colchester town centre this morning. Contruction of Rafael Vinoly's firstsite:newsite arts building is in full swing. See some additional construction pictures here. For location of firstsite:newsite, see map, waypoint 18.

Colchester Guide's Architectural page

GfB's Colchester Guide now has an architecture page, with pictures and brief details of significant buildings about town. The entries are categorized in sections covering the Roman period, and each fifty-year span from 1000AD to the present. It's an excellent resource and reference.

Principles of True Urbanism

Take a look at the website of "International Making Cities Livable" where you can find a simple and well-articulated vision for building, sustaining and enriching towns and cities. These priciples seem to be having some effect on Colchester's town centre, but for the majority of the town – the expanding part – they have been conveniently ignored.

However, it can't be all bad out there in the 'burbs: a study on suburban living released by the University of California at Irvine found that "for every 10 per cent decrease in population density, the chances of people talking to their neighbours weekly increases by 10 per cent". Read more here...

Invitation to get involved in St Botolph development

With construction of the firstsite:newsite arts and cultural facility now underway, the next stage in the development of the wider St Botolph's area is set to start - and the council is asking Colchester people to tell them what they would like to see as part of the town's new cultural quarter. Read more here. See also Regeneration in St. Botolph's Street and Bus Station and Vineyard Gate proposals unveiled.

Demolition starts on Flora House

The handsome 1862-built Flora House, in Greensted Road, is being demolished (see post "Greenstead Road: not to be ignored" below). To make way for what? No details appear to be available under Greenstead Road on the council's planning website. I expect the worst: dreary, cramped, low-quality construction with a few random pastichy period bits added on to provide the planners with an excuse for approving it. I hope I'm wrong. See more pictures of Greenstead Road.

Community Stadium

See an artist's impression of the recently approved Community Stadium, together with a plan of the stadium complex here.

Demolition at East Bridge

A number of derelict buildings associated with Doe's Mill at East Bay (East Bridge, East Street) were demolished this week - and it's good to note that one of the mill's original buildings (18th century), pictured above, has been spared. According to the council's planning website (see link right), the area will be redeveloped to include a number of new one and two-bedroom "housing units" and other refurbished buildings to provide "retirement and affordable apartments". A riverside path will be added. It's an attractive spot with much potential, but don't get too excited: a look at the drawings confirms one's suspicions that when a project is categorized as "affordable", architects and developers (with the collusion of planners) are free to produce poor stuff. See more pix of the site. See also Evening Gazette article: "Colchester Disgrace". For location, see map, waypoint 6.