paul-cardiff

Jul 3, 08 - 9:46 PM

altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

OK supertalls is seriously tongue in cheek!!! nevertheless (and I apologise for not backing this up with a photo - busy busy busy, work from home and haven't been able to get out of the house!!) I notice that the roof of meridian gate is now being worked on and surely it is higher than altolusso? what a shame in 2008 I am wondering about 3rd place in this city and am talking about 236ish feet!! should be metres by now!

and with plenty of doom and gloom flying around maybe that'll be the case for some yrs to come - come on the optimist out there tell me I'm very wrong....

Ian, Bridgend

Jul 3rd, 2008 - 9:55 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

Paul:

Seek consolation in a bit of harmless Schadenfreude for the next few years and watch Portsmouth's puny effort falling into the sea....SPINNAKER TOWER COLLAPSES!

You must watch this.....very clever!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HarEgLd2n7k

Hypercelt

Jul 3rd, 2008 - 9:58 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

Clever but not funny and in the worst possible taste.

Zach

Jul 3rd, 2008 - 11:08 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

The creator has missed the point of rolling News.
They would never have been any pictures like that. Just a hack either too early or too late talking nonsense to the camera about what might of might have happened.

Spence

Jul 3rd, 2008 - 11:20 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

Clever but not particularly realistic, especially the initial split and the ferry.

With regard to MG, I'm pretty sure it was supposed to be slightly shorter than Altolusso- not much in it mind. I think we've seen the best of it so far; was reading the DCfW report on it today and the apartments get panned in every respect.

Ian, Bridgend

Jul 4th, 2008 - 8:46 AM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

The rolling news scenario is there to heighten the sense of drama and give a sense of realism, I suppose.The guy who made it offers a parallel video on the techniques used but I haven't seen it. It's cleverly made ut is it really any more harmful or tasteless than bits of Cardiff getting blown up on Torchwood?

James

Jul 22nd, 2008 - 9:37 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

Top of the Radisson hotel ...

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

jantra

Jul 22nd, 2008 - 10:27 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

any prizes for guessing where James lives?

James

Jul 22nd, 2008 - 10:31 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

There are, evidently two James', cos I live down the Bay!

Not telling you

Jul 24th, 2008 - 3:03 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

Ill marry one of u lol

Kyle

Jul 24th, 2008 - 4:44 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

I really want to know how tall it is in comparison with Altolusso. There can only be a few feet in it.

As for the two James' thing...quite funny. It hardly matters when we have a Me, Not Telling You and a few other funny names !

Zach

Jul 24th, 2008 - 5:05 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

"any prizes for guessing where James lives?"

He lives in Swansea but has a part time job cleaning windows in Cardiff.

Kyle

Jul 24th, 2008 - 5:42 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

"Lives in Swansea"

On a Cariff forum Zach ?

Ouch.

Not telling you

Jul 24th, 2008 - 11:24 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

Hehe well you never know lol

Mikey

Aug 14th, 2008 - 7:37 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

Kyle wanted to know how tall MG is. According to the drawings in front of me, it's about 72.125 meters or 236.63 feet - that's from ground level outside the Hotel entrance right up to the extremities of the gull wing roof. It's a close run thing between us and Altolusso.

I say us, because I work for the architects who are working on the job. I'm the lead technician on the job and the measurements were obtained from the autocad drawings I've been working on for the past 2 years.

If there's anything else you want to know about the scheme, then I'll try and help out, so long as I'm not breaching any client confidentialities.

Kyle

Aug 14th, 2008 - 8:17 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

Mikey, thank you very much for the answer.

I think I can safely say most of us on here are VERY impressed by the building.

Jeremy

Aug 14th, 2008 - 8:19 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

It's a draw for 3rd place!

That is 10 metres more than Skyscrapercity.com place MG. Do the gull wings count as part of the structure?

Mikey

Aug 14th, 2008 - 8:52 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

Kyle
I'll pass your comments on to the architects, yes there were 2 for this job. We've actually only discovered this website today in the office and most of us are eagerly looking thru the forum to see what people are saying about our buildings - probably good and bad.

If yuo have any interest in the Adam St Building, then that's another one we're doing at the moment. We also did the 21 storey student block down Pellett St (not one of the best architecturally designed buildings out there, but there were reasons for that).

Jeremy
Strictly speaking the gullwing structure is a bit of 'fluff' to appease the Planners and a very expensive one (as I'm constantly reminded by the contractors). The gullwing is just an add on and we tried our damdest to get 'up there' with Altolusso, although we were not allowed to go any higher than Altolusso, it being a landmark signature building and all that jazz.

Anyway, if we're not taller than Altolusso, then I for one will probably erect a very big bird's table at the top of the roof one night, so that we can claim 3rd place as our own!!

London-David

Aug 14th, 2008 - 9:44 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

Urgh - Pont Ty Haern or whatever the student block is not only architecturally uninteresting but has a distinctly "Council Block" feel to it. Needs must with buildings on the cheap, as inevitably a student block is, but the monolithic design together with the poor quality materials mean its very hard to find something to like with this building.

I don't wanna slate you as a new poster but I would personally have prefered this application been turned down and had a lower rise development as I've heard people comment on the "council flats" on the way into Cardiff on the train.

Adam Street looks much better I must say, provided the quality of materials used is good. I must say I've become more and more convinced that materials are as important as design.

Please don't say you were behind Celestia!!

Mikey

Aug 14th, 2008 - 10:04 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

I think it's safe to say that we don't even like the Ty Pont Haearn building and we designed it, which should give you some idea that our hands were tied. That building went thru many, many designs for all sorts of reasons and ended up being the 'Russian' tower block that it is, which if you didn't catch it the first time, we're not proud of.

Celestia is not one of our jobs.

paul-cardiff

Aug 14th, 2008 - 10:12 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

heh mikey welcome!! I'm glad you've discovered this (my) forum / website you'll certainly get opinions from the regulars on here!! nevertheless we all share the same general desire for cardiff to be populated with quality buildings and we are not objecting generally to height - in fact in the main it's positively encouraged. Any ideas when adam st is pencilled in to commence?

Anyway hope you become a regular here

and cheers for the info - when it's finished I think I'll put meridian gate in 3rd place on my top ten in cardiff list on the developments page just to poke altolusso in the eye for not permitting you to be higher!!

http://www.cardiffwalesmap.com/CardiffDevelopments.htm

cheers for now, Paul

Mikey

Aug 14th, 2008 - 10:32 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

Adam St
I'll ask in the office tomorrow, as I'm not working on that one, but don't bank on it commencing for some time to come - but I could be wrong!

3rd place
Well, I'm pretty sure I can find out how tall Altolusso is, so it might be a bit premature to push us up into 3rd place - watch this space!

Ian, Bridgend

Aug 14th, 2008 - 10:45 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

Mikey: What was the idea of the yellow around the top floor of Ty Pont Haearn? Any special reason or is it just decorative?

Jonathan

Aug 14th, 2008 - 10:53 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

Mikey: I know you're probably not able to say but as I'm sure you hear about other firm's building projects, are there any in the pipeline for Cardiff in the next few months/years apart from the ones that have already been announced like the glass needle/seren, bay pointe, capitol apartments, marcol court etc etc?

Spence

Aug 14th, 2008 - 10:55 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

Fair play the Radisson part of MG is a quality building, and certainly the new benchmark in my opinion for future skyscrapers in Cardiff. I'll reserve judgement on the apartments until the wraps come off, but reading the DCfW report it's somewhat less impressive architecturally? Are you serious that planners consider Altolusso as a landmark that cannot be eclipsed height wise? Doesn't bode well height wise for any future redevelopment of Harlech Court.

Kyle

Aug 15th, 2008 - 11:18 AM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

Actually, the Adam St. development isn't on Skyscrapernews yet is it ?

DRJones

Aug 15th, 2008 - 1:01 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

I like the design of the adam street towers very much, and if it meant the demolition of the vulcan, in my opinion it's a worthy sacrifice. I understand Ty Pont Haearn had to be built quickly on a budget, and functionally im sure they do their job. But the two adam street towers should dampen it's impact on the skyline.

Good luck on their completion! I hope it's not gonna be the new glass needle!

DaiB

Aug 15th, 2008 - 1:08 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

Since we have the ear of the architect

....

The Vulcan is tiny... Why can't the Adam Street development work around it? Love the designs, but such a shame that we need to lose yet another traditional city centre drinking hole in order for it to happen. I just really don't understand why that sort of thing is necessary.

Kyle

Aug 15th, 2008 - 1:46 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

I agree DaiB, you'd think with all the planned development on Adam Street and with Atrium already there that a decent pub would go down quite well. The footbridge across the railway line also takes you straight into any planned development at Tyndall Street where yet more student housing is planned together will hotel(s) and offices. It would be nice to have a pub with character in the middle of all that. It could be the heart of things for all the people that will live there.

I'm not against a derelict pub being replaced if it really isn't workable but in this instance I think the Vulcan staying there could work. The Inn on the River was a similar issue although any proposed Havannah Quay project is years away from completion compared to Adam Street and Tyndall Street. I think both those will be up and full of people and companies before Havannah Quay even lays a brick sadly.

Where are all the people going to go for a drink or for food ? Have they all got to head for the bay or to town ? They shouldn't have to. I appreciate the Adam Street and Tyndall Street developments may have something in mind when it comes to a retail offering or food/drink at ground floor level, but in this one instance how great would it be to save an old boozer and maybe give it a new lease of life as part of the developments that are going to happen around it.

Kyle

Aug 15th, 2008 - 2:09 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

Seeing as Paul has posted a few new great updates on the developments today I thought I'd take this from the development page and drop it into the appropriate thread.

It's going to be a stunner if you ask me and will make a nice statement of progress in the city for visitors arriving by train.

Spence

Aug 15th, 2008 - 5:47 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

Coming into Cardiff by train is still quite underwhelming, because despite the number of higher rise buildings in recent years, they are spread out across the city and are often as wide as they are high. Therefore there isn't a definable cluster where you think "thats downtown", compared to say Birmingham.

Ian, Bridgend

Aug 15th, 2008 - 6:19 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

It's much more impressive crossing over the main line on the way from Central to Queen Street or vice-versa, Spence - the centre looks quite substantial if one looks in the right direction.

Mikey

Aug 15th, 2008 - 8:57 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

Ian, Bridgend
The idea of adding the yellow at the top of the building was to add a bit of colour to an otherwise drab coloured building. Why yellow? Well' you'll need to get into an architect's head to see what turns him/her on.

Johnathan
The Needle - This has been delayed to get the right occupants in the building, so I've been told. It's a diificult market to bring clients on board who are interested in building apartments. On the grapevine I hear it won't start for another 6 - 9 months.
Marcol Court - This is one of our jobs and I was told today it got outline planning permission 2 days ago. However, as for it starting on site, well that could be ages and ages aways.
The other jobs you mentioned I have no idea about.

Spence
The height issue with Altolusso was a local one. We are right next to Altolusso and the Planners just didn't want to see their 'baby' eclipsed by another building so close to it. As for buildings being taller than Altolusso, well I don't think it will be an issue but it all depends on how near or far you are from Altolusso. At the end of the day, it's a Planning thing and you'll need to get inside a Planners head to understand that.

You wanted to reserve judgement on the apartment block when the wraps come off. The contractors want to strike the scaffolding right now, but can't because there are niggly probs up at the roof level with regards weathertightness of the building. I was up there today and the probs, although summountable are not easy to overcome. I'm afraid you'll have to wait a bit for the wraps to come off fully.

BTW, the client asked us to dream up a name for their apartment block. I was told today what the name was and it's not going to be called Meridian Gate, although for confidentiality reasons I can't say what it is. The client didn't use any of our suggestions, but came up with a name which has 2 words, beginning with M P! Some of the non-serious suggestions by the wags in the office were 'Nelson Mandela house' and my favourite (because I dreamt it up) 'Nexto Lusso' (the building is right next to Altolusso - geddit).

DaiB
You don't have the ear of the architect, just an architectural technician, but I know what you were getting at though. I don't know much about about the Adam St project other than it's a complicated building (ie. fire escape for different occupancies is a nightmare). I've seen the proposed plans as they come off the printer but not really taken a good look at it.

Kyle
You mentioned Tyndall Street. That's another one of our jobs, but this is really at an extremely early stage and I mean early. I've seen the proposed plans as they come off the printer but not really taken a good look at it. I suppose with Adam St and Tyndall St, I'm not at much liberty to say much about those jobs, mainly because I don't know much about them.

All
Sorry for rabitting on so much.

Jonathan

Aug 15th, 2008 - 9:08 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

Mikey

Thanks so much for all of the info you've provided - it really is great to hear from someone in the know!

Oh and I can say with some confidence that the Radisson Hotel/Meridian Gate is confortably the finest tall building in the city.

Ian, Bridgend

Aug 15th, 2008 - 9:40 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

Cheers Mike - many thanks for the information!

Spence

Aug 15th, 2008 - 11:13 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

"It's much more impressive crossing over the main line on the way from Central to Queen Street or vice-versa"

I agree, but coming in on the mainline is still pretty unimpressive, and at the end of the day that's arguably the most important approach.

Mikey

Aug 16th, 2008 - 7:00 AM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

Spence

The architect in the office also feels that the rear face of the building is looking a bit bland at the moment and with hindsight could have introduced some banding in the look-alike panels or whatever other fluff they decide to do.

Due to the internal layout at the rear of the building ie. an escape stair, a shear concrete wall and room ventilation stacks, there was no opportunity to cater for windows, which would have broken up the facade. However, the aluminium cladding panels which fill the gaps inbetween the glazing around the Hotel block and thus form part of the rear building facade is projected to start on site next week, so watch this space to see how it develops in the coming weeks.

HTH.

DaiB

Aug 16th, 2008 - 7:08 AM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

Ah... I was wondering what was planned to fill between the glazing.

Spence

Aug 16th, 2008 - 1:50 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

I was actually referring to Cardiffs skyline in general, but thanks for that lol.

Jeremy

Aug 16th, 2008 - 3:42 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

Mikey; thanks for all the info.

The hotel looks right because to my eye the building has the right proportions, whereas the altolusso by comparison looks like an overweight judo player.

Mikey

Aug 19th, 2008 - 11:10 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

I was able to look at the CAD drawings for Altolusso today, which means that I was able to determine how high it was compared to Meridain gate. So, according to the CAD drawings of both buildings, the unofficial heights of them are, measured from the front of the buildings right up to the tallest most point of the building, ie. the gullwing trusses on MG and the square arch on Altolusso:

Altoluso = 72.005m or 236.23 feet
MG = 72.125m or 236.63 feet

That's 5 inches difference, but don't tell the Planners. We're not supposed to be taller than Altolusso!!

Kyle

Aug 20th, 2008 - 12:13 AM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

That'll do us Mikey !

I despise the thought of height restrictions because of something that has only been up a year or two. You'd swear it was St.Paul's in London or something.
Onwards and upwards I say.

Any chance you can have a word in the ear of the architects on the rest of your schemes and get one or two of them above 30 storeys ?

Jack

Aug 20th, 2008 - 1:51 PM

Re: altolusso v meridian gate for bronze medal in the cardiff super talls!!!

i used to like the altolusso building but recently since meridian gate has gone up, i dont really like it anymore.
meridian gate makes it look bulky and fat. when i first saw the pictures of what meridian gate was going to look like, i didnt think much of it. but it really does make an affect on the skyline and is a really good looking building