After reading an article again regarding the building its self and Sir Gilbert Scott
I began to wonder if the architect him self was trying to create similar iconic trend in United Kingdom. In which I think he did successfully but each day when passing by this building I wondered why this gothic AROMA in a modern age.
A new set of series question arose when I was thinking and reading the article but I do certainly think it played a part but in this case am wondering what peoples views are on this
- Did it represent industrial wealth in medieval form?
- Why should the iconic building have the right not to exist?
- Did it’s purposes failed to serve and deliver?
- What are proofs that the building itself faded into fashion?
As human or candidates we hear certain words and we tend not to ponder about it may because we think its just a name given to it or it was classified as that we never think what’s behind the name or anything.
My interest arose more in depth whereby I decided to find out who st pancras was and its meaning or what the history was about it.
I then realized it was a roman orphan who was brought up by his uncle and was executed because he refused to betray his Christian faith. A successor to this shrine was built in the medieval times and still stands in the old churchyard on pancras road behind the station. Although in 1860s it had to be cleared in other to build the new station and the hotel and that’s where the name came into place.
Over the years when the hotel was threatened for demolishment, it was said that the Midland Grand Hotel was “too beautiful and too romantic to survive”. Well accusation was wrong because it has survived for numerous reasons it was believed that due to is beauty the public both upper class, business class and lower class
Would pay for the flats and hotel rooms and its immense views and have inspirations from the huge Victorian iconic gothic building.
The public would have a tale to tell once they have that experience of living in a chosen flagship.
As a candidate I believed this building faded into fashion due to its gothic revival especially the colour of the stone used. Scott was influenced by the use of brick which he had witness first hand on his European travels and which by all means England was being widely transported and produced to all parts of the country by rail so by no means it wasn’t a surprise that the stone and brick work came from the Midlands.
The purposes of the hotel delivered in many occasions firstly gave women power to smoke publicly, it had the first driven water lifts and many more.
I felt that Scott created this enormous staircase whereby a multitude of movies have showcase it in today’s times.
What intrigued me was that the hotel was luxurious and it lavished in everyway, high ceilings, the use of gold leafs used.
There is so much more to it than meets the eye only.
The question i posseses to us as bloggers is that would we have love to know if this building played a common part to our society and community?
An interesting post Akin. You seem to be very interested in the preservation of buildings, but also as a designer, you are in the business of changing and updating things. Perhaps this might be an interesting route for you to explore - to what extent do designers have a responsibility to preserve existing buildings/features? I don't know much about the system of having grade listed buildings that are protected, but it might be interesting to find out. Who makes these decisions? Is there enough public consultation? Who chooses who has the right to say what should stay and what should go?...
ReplyDeleteI am rambling but it's just some thoughts that sprung to mind. I suppose with any kind of design or art, there is a kind of tension between the old and the new.
thank you steph for your thoughts including opinion definatley you aren't rambling at all.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to the building i am passionate about it due to its history, what it symbolises the freedom it gave and few other establishment it created for europe especially United kingdom.
the question you oppose stating to what extent do designers have a responsibility to preserve existing buidlings i think in the general aspect of designers in somewhat way something but it doesnt mean it will work out its more for the public to see and buy it if that made sense to you.
because at the end of the day we as graphic designers we serve the clients we dish out what they want and make it work for them on the behalf for the public to see and buy and once our work is complete we move on.
i jjust thought to myself architects who build this building took thier time and it was detailed why diminish hard work instead of making it work and then let the public get involved.
i mean as a person seeing thei building for years made me inquisive and by the time i had the chance to be part of it i was gob smacked that the authorites of grade buidlings wanted to demolish this building .
in some cases i believe sometimes its the local authorities who have power to make things happen not nessarry the designers afterall we follow rules and if we the designers fee l its innapropraite i guess we involve the public.