The archived pdf Newsletters (1 to 81) were edited by Dr Martin Heath as superviser of the Belair Project, and include attributed contributions by others. Some have been reconfigured here as blog posts for ease of browsing and viewing. (An archive of the original PDFs is available here.) More recent newsletters are posted below.
Filed under Belair Park
article in BIIA
here is a link to an article in BIIA:
http://www.biia.com/chinese-cross-border-businesses-in-uk-could-overhaul-london
Filed under Crystal Palace
#95: Has the Crystal Palace Fairytale Exploded?
Cherry trees bloom in Crystal Palace Park. Image: M.J.Heath
An open letter to the cllrs of the London Boroughs of Bromley, Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark.
RE: Crystal Palace Park proposal.
There is a widespread perception amongst supporters of the scheme to re-build the Crystal Palace that it has been proposed by a fabulously wealthy businessman, Mr Ni, a billionaire philanthropist who has the financial muscle to ensure that the project will be successful, regardless of costs or the ups and downs of the economic climate. Mr Ni, it is claimed in some media reports, wishes to build us an exact replica of the 1854 Crystal Palace. He is acting purely out of love for this historic building and he will neither need nor expect any immediate financial returns from the project.
On the face of it, this heart-warming story appears to have fallen apart…
Filed under Crystal Palace
article in the Apollo (2.4.2014) by Digby Warde-Aldam argues against the rebuilding of the Crystal Palace
Digby Warde-Aldam writing in the Apollo argues that reduplicating the Crystal Palace would be bizarre, pointless, and anachronistic:
http://www.apollo-magazine.com/rebuilding-crystal-palace-bad-idea/
I particularly love Warde-Aldam’s conclusion:
“the site on which it [the original Crystal Palace] stood is one of the most uniquely weird public spaces in Britain.
It’s got sphinxes and staircases that rise to an empty plateau, the one vacated by the Palace itself. It’s got the TV transmitter, London’s answer to the Eiffel Tower. Hell, it’s even got anatomically incorrect dinosaurs. The park is truly unique, its landscaped anarchy made all the more exciting by the absence of a centrepiece. If any open space in London deserves to be preserved as it is, it’s this.”
Filed under Crystal Palace, Green Spaces
Richard Godwin in the Evening Standard worries about some concerning tendencies of ‘starchitect’ projects in London
Richard Godwin in the Evening Standard (9.4.2014) worries about the plans for Battersea Power Station, and more broadly notes some concerning tendencies of ‘starchitect’ projects in London:
Filed under Crystal Palace
ARUP Press Release (25th February 2014) on architects shortlisted to design The Crystal Palace
This is a copy of the press release sent out by ARUP on 25th February 2014:
Tuesday 25 February 2014
Renowned architects shortlisted to design The Crystal Palace
Six renowned architect practices offering a diverse range of approaches have been shortlisted in the next stage of the competition to select an architect to design The Crystal Palace as a new cultural destination for London in the spirit, scale and magnificence of the original.
Plans to invest £500 million in rebuilding The Crystal Palace and restoring the surrounding public park were announced in October 2013 by ZhongRong Group, with the support of the Mayor of London and the Bromley Council.
The new culture-led exhibition and employment space, which is set to create up to two thousand jobs and revitalise the local economy, will sit at the top of the 180-acre Crystal Palace Park in south London. It will incorporate the listed Italian style terraces, and other Victorian heritage within the park, fully restored for the public.
The selection panel for the competition to design this unique landmark project evaluated expressions of interest from almost 40 leading practices from across the world. The panel shortlisted the following six architects to prepare a more detailed submission and presentation:
David Chipperfield Architects
Grimshaw
Haworth Tompkins Architects
Marks Barfield Architects
Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners
Zaha Hadid Architects with Anish Kapoor
Filed under Crystal Palace
The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) want you to be involved in improving Penge
Would you like to see open spaces in Penge improved? The Conservation Volunteers are working with Affinity Sutton to find out how their tenants and Penge residents would like to improve their open spaces small or large from community gardens, balconies, roof terraces to private gardens. Come along to one of our forthcoming events to tell us how these spaces could be improved, and how you would like to get involved. You might be keen to try your hand at growing your own food, creating spaces for wildlife, or receiving gardening training – let us know about it.
Wednesday 9th April 12pm to 2pm Free Herb Workshop - we’ll be learning how to grow and use herbs, and planting up a pot to take home at Anerley Town Hall, Anerley Road, SE20 8BD. This event is for adults only, please book by contacting Lizzy on 07740 899 689 or emailing cultiv8-penge@tcv.org.uk
Here is the pdf of their event flyer: Cultiv8 Penge Free Herb Growing Workshop Wednesday 9th April
Go to their website here: http://www.tcv.org.uk
Filed under Green Spaces, volunteer
New Statesman article on Crystal Palace shows major publications are beginning to interrogate this strangely under-the-radar issue
On Monday March 31st 2014, The New Statesman published this article decrying the proposed Crystal Palace as another bizarre Boris vanity project, and as a symbol of bygone empire days, which has poorly thought-out relevance to the 2014 residents of the local area…
Read it by following this link:
Filed under Crystal Palace
Save Rosendale Surgery
Filed under Lambeth, Southwark Council
#94: Friends of Belair Park report back from ARUP’s latest public presentation (at Dulwich Community Council Meeting – 19th March)
by Martin Heath (Chair, Friends of Belair Park)
Dulwich Community Council Meeting, chaired by Helen Hayes
The Dulwich Community Council meeting on March 19, 2014 included both a presentation by Arup about the proposed development on the hill top section of Crystal Palace Park, and also a public discussion. Cllr Helen Hayes, who chaired the meeting, emphasised that there would be adequate time to hear everyone who wished to speak.
Filed under Crystal Palace, Friends of Belair Park, Southwark Council
