27/07/10
Demolition work began yesterday on Gateshead’s Trinity Centre car park (1962-9), designed by Rodney Gordon while working for Owen Luder. It will be replaced, inevitably, by a Tesco-led development. Luder’s office designed some of the most distinctive buildings of the decade, including Portsmouth’s Tricorn Centre, demolished in 2004.
The council appears unsure about the correct tone to adopt in relation to the car park, which the Twentieth Century Society and other campaign groups had tried to save on the grounds of its architectural importance. Press releases make dutiful reference to its emblematic status and the fame earned by its cameo in Get Carter, before describing with strange relish the ‘three huge demolition machines’ poised to start ‘nibbling the brutalistic reinforced concrete structure down’.
Any doubt is dispelled by the accompanying photographs, however, which show Owen Luder looking wistful, and council leader Mick Henry looking very happy indeed.
Owen Luder
Mike Henry
August 11th, 2010 at 4:29 pm
Shame I rather liked it. A good sandblast, some Shanghai nightlighting and a bronze of Michael Caine peering over the edge and the old bag could have gone on for years. Unlike the Tricorn which was every dogs lavatorial heaven fom day 1.