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Bridgewater Place

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For the skyscraper in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, see Bridgewater Place, Grand Rapids.
Bridgewater Place
Map
General information
StatusCompleted
TypeSkyscraper[1]
LocationLeeds, England
Estimated completion2006
Opening2007
Height
Roof368 ft (112 m) AGL
476 ft (145 m) ASL
Technical details
Floor count32
Floor area40,000 m2 (430,000 sq ft)
Design and construction
Architect(s)Aedas
DeveloperKW Linfoot
Main contractorBovis Lend Lease

Bridgewater Place, nicknamed The Dalek,[2][3] is an office and residential development in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is the tallest building in Yorkshire, and has held this record since being topped out in September 2005. It is visible at up to 25 miles (40 kilometres) from certain areas. The building has become controversial in both its aesthetic design and because of accidents caused by its acceleration of winds, including one death.

The building

The development has been designed by Aedas Architects with the developer being Landmark Development Projects and St James Securities with Bovis Lend Lease being the contractor.[2] The developer of the residential element of Bridgewater Place is KW Linfoot.

It was first announced in 2000 and, following several redesigns and delays with the construction process, construction of the building began in 2004 and was completed in 2007. It became the tallest building in Leeds, by a significant margin, and Yorkshire (although this does not take into account structures such as Emley Moor transmitting station). Bridgewater Place has a height of 112 m (367 ft) to roof level. Originally the tower was to have a spire which would have extended the height of the building to 137 m (449 ft), however this was never built.

Bridgewater Place has 32 storeys, of which two are used for car parking, ten for offices and twenty for residential purposes. There is 40,000 m2 (430,000 sq ft) of floor space in the building with 200 flats and 400 underground car parking spaces serving both the residential and commercial areas of the building.

Current office tenants include Eversheds, Ernst & Young, ghd, BDO Stoy Hayward, 2plan wealth management and DWF LLP. Retail tenants include Tesco, Starbucks, Panini Shack and Philpotts. The residential element of the development has proved to be a prestigious city centre address.

The major part of the building's construction was completed by late December 2006.[citation needed] The completion of the entire building was commemorated on Thursday 26 April 2007. A special episode of Look North, the BBC's local regional news programme was produced to commemorate the opening of the tower. The tower is illuminated at night with bright coloured lighting effects, colours used so far[when?] include blue and purple.

Criticism - aesthetics

In 2008, Building Design, the architectural journal, shortlisted Bridgewater Place for its annual Carbuncle Cup, which is awarded to 'buildings so ugly they freeze the heart'.[4][5]

Criticism - safety issues

The building's shape accelerates winds in its immediate vicinity, knocking over pedestrians and even vehicles. One person suffered a torn liver and internal bleeding, and cuts requiring 11 stitches, and a buggy with a three-month-old child was pushed out into the road by a sharp gust.[6] In March 2011 a man was killed by a lorry overturning on him by a gust.[7] The Crown Prosecution Service advised against bringing charges of corporate manslaughter against the architects, Aedas.[8] However, at the inquest in December 2013 Leeds Deputy Coroner Melanie Williamson recommended the roads nearby should be closed to vehicles when wind speeds exceeded 45 mph (72 km/h; 20 m/s). This was done on 6 December, though pedestrians continue being injured by being blown over.[9]

These winds have led to some of the entrances to the building being closed for safety reasons.[10] To rectify these issues in the design may require the addition of 'vertical fins' to the facade of the building.[11]

  • Side view of the Bridgewater Place development under construction
    Side view of the Bridgewater Place development under construction
  • View of the Bridgewater place from Doubletree hotel
    View of the Bridgewater place from Doubletree hotel
  • Contrast of old and new architecture in the area
    Contrast of old and new architecture in the area
  • Height of Bridgewater Place compared to the height of other existing and approved tall buildings in Leeds
    Height of Bridgewater Place compared to the height of other existing and approved tall buildings in Leeds

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Under the Emporis Standards Committee, a skyscraper is defined as a multi-storey building which is at least 100 m tall. Any building from 35 m to 100 m tall is generally considered to be a high rise building.
  2. ^ a b "Building - 734 - Bridgewater Place - Leeds". SKYSCRAPERNEWS.COM. Retrieved 2 August 2008.
  3. ^ "Why we should all love Leeds's Dalek". yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk. Retrieved 27 November 2009.
  4. ^ "A Bridgewater too far?". BBC Leeds. Retrieved 11 February 2009.
  5. ^ "Who will get the wooden spoon in BD's Carbuncle Cup this year?". BD: The architects' website. 3 October 2008. Retrieved 11 February 2009.
  6. ^ http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/architecture-design-blog/2014/aug/14/killer-towers-how-architects-are-battling-hazardous-high-rises
  7. ^ "Police investigate 'Dalek' after man killed by overturned lorry". Telegraph. 11 March 2011. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
  8. ^ http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/architecture-design-blog/2014/aug/14/killer-towers-how-architects-are-battling-hazardous-high-rises
  9. ^ "Britain's windiest street: Major road which becomes 'man-made wind tunnel' in storms closed due to gusts two years after man was killed by lorry". Daily Mail. 6 December 2013. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
  10. ^ "The answer is blowing in the wind". Yorkshire Post. 10 July 2008.
  11. ^ "Fins may solve Aedas towers wind grief". Architects Journal. Retrieved 10 July 2008.
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