The under-rated non-domestic architectural heritage of East Dulwich.

[edhistory]

The English Heritage approach to preservation of buildings now emphasises "sense of place" and townscape. This can be read about in copies of Conservation News which can be downloaded for free from the web-site.

Since spring 1964 East Dulwich has lost many non-domestic buildings that made up our townscape.

It is time to consider those few that are are still with us.

The English Heritage application process is straightforward.

Here is a worthy candidate.

John K

[jctg]

Er, no.

[rgctobin]

John K - would you care to elaborate on the supposed architectural merit of your "worthy candidate"?

RT

[Loz]

I think he's pulling your leg, guys.

At least I hope he is.

[KidKruger]

ED police station's next then !

[Sue]

An excellent candidate.

I'm with John here :)

[Burbage]

Sue Wrote:

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> An excellent candidate.

>

> I'm with John here :)

I agree entirely. I think the tiles are distinctive and unusual, and the whole seems to embody a spirit of futile optimism which, because it's been cruelly dashed by the inevitable bludgeon of time, exemplifies, in a very concrete sense, the essence of the human condition. We all start out embodying other people's hopes and, for a while, may even be cherished, but we all go to our graves ugly and alone. The building's brutal celebration of that simple truth, albeit metaphorically, is surely worth preserving. I am, however, glad that such senior members of the forum have chosen to champion it first, as otherwise it might have seemed tactless.

[edhistory]

rgctobin Wrote:

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> John K - would you care to elaborate on the

> supposed architectural merit of your "worthy

> candidate"?

>

> RT

The starting point for context is the three comparators:

The old Woolworths building

The old Co-Operative building

The present Co-Operative building

All post World War II.

All with the same design purpose of having economically viable ground-floor retail unit(s).

Burbage has identified one of the key features likely to be of interest to English Heritage.

John K

[Sue]

edhistory Wrote:

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> Burbage has identified one of the key features

> likely to be of interest to English Heritage.

>

xxxxxx

His prose style certainly has that je ne sais quoi .......

[KestonKid]

A fine structure. And we do need a cheap hotel don't we?

[Sue]

KestonKid Wrote:

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> A fine structure. And we do need a cheap hotel

> don't we?

xxxxxx

And so centrally located!

[Louisa]

I've always thought of the Bejams/Iceland building as a classic candidate for a travelodge.

Louisa.

[edhistory]

I hoped this thread would be about the architecture of the building itself and not about putative occupation.

The building needs to be considered in the round, including its rear.

John K

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Can't look at architecture and backsides without thinking carbuncle*. Apt in this case.

*Not the gem definition.

[Burbage]

edhistory Wrote:

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> The building needs to be considered in the round,

> including its rear.

As, sadly, do we all. But, as your picture makes clear, the west face is something of a revelation. At first glance, there's an almost Escherian playfulness in its gutterless geometry, and an apparent acknowledgement of human liberty in the graceful levity of the aerial walkways. On closer consideration, however, the sinisterly labyrinthine qualities become clear. This is surely a Castle rather than a Castalia, a sarcastic Berghof of the flatlands. It's no coincidence that the stairway leads not to heaven but to a parody of a Clarkeian monolith, a decidedly earthly destination that demonstrates both the limits of human ambition and the fearful mundanity of life's purpose.

I disagree that a building's occupants are irrelevant. We might think of the building chiefly as a garish bunker of frozen comestibles, but it also houses suburban exiles of the rat-race, a plight that's been reflected both presciently and appropriately by the architect. One of the key deliverables of any civilisation is the accommodation of the unfortunate and this has surely earned its place in the townscape on that ground alone.

[Sue]

edhistory Wrote:

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>

> The building needs to be considered in the round,

> including its rear.

>

xxxxxx

I think it has a lovely rear.

Why is Father Ted's "Lovely Girls Competition" springing to mind?

[PeckhamRose]

If it's round it has no rear. But really, no.