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Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Call me picky but can we keep this to... Admiral HQ progress photos - many thanks!

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Hi paul did you take that photo around 2pm yesterday? I took a photo 2 but it was only on my phone i was on top of SD2, i'm trying to work out where you took this photo from?

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Hi Jefferson - I guess it was about that time and it was taken from the cardiffwalesmap 'loft cam'!! which is in grangetown. So when the Admiral building starts growing I can keep an eye on it from my bedroom!! (sad but true!) This was one of the many reasons that it p***** me off so much that the glass needle didn't come off, as that site is only about 1/4 mile away - still ever the optimist I live in hope of something a bit interesting going up on that site.... one day!!

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Great photos guys, here's a photo of progress at ground level ...

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Some vertical progress now on the Admiral site ...

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

It looks a bit like a carpark with no windows. But then again, perhaps the bit that I saw in the photo IS the company carpark.

Either way, progress is progress.

I'll make note to check on the building the next time I'm falling out of Club X at four in the morning.

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Lordcrow
It looks a bit like a carpark with no windows. But then again, perhaps the bit that I saw in the photo IS the company carpark.

Either way, progress is progress.

I'll make note to check on the building the next time I'm falling out of Club X at four in the morning.


Huh?

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

That's the central core of lift shafts, stair cases etc so not surprised its so concretey!

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

I checked the planning application on this building today to remind myself of what we are getting.

While it's quite blocky, the top of the top floor hits 70m in height, so it will have a substantial impact on the skyline, being only 10m or so shy of capital tower.

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Capital Tower has 25 floors at 80m, while Admiral has 11 floors at 70m, from what you say, big differences in floor size.

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

I know they have been seen already but on the Admiral website there a few images showing what the building will look like - from the castle keep and from near Capital Quarter. It looks fairly bulky.

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Not sure if it's been mentioned but Capital Tower was sold in September http://www.skyscrapernews.com/news.php?ref=3135

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Its 16 storeys, not 11.

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

James
Its 16 storeys, not 11.

Post #1 of this thread says it's 11 storeys with 2 additional underground levels for car parking
I suspect 70m is wrong, otherwise this would most likely give internal ceiling heights of between 5 and 6m on every single floor!
The norm for big standard office blocks is about 3m between slabs, so I'd estimate this will more likely be in the region of 40-45m

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Rhodri
I know they have been seen already but on the Admiral website there a few images showing what the building will look like - from the castle keep and from near Capital Quarter. It looks fairly bulky.


link?

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Heres a link to the Admiral website -

http://www.admiralgroup.co.uk/media/pressreleases/2012/14_05_12.php

It definately says 11 storeys. I don't know if that means a ground floor and then 11 storeys or 11 storeys in total. If the latter then I can only see it being 40-45m high (barring any spire type thing being added). If it's the former then probably 50m plus given the ground floor appears to be quite high to incorporate the commercial premises.

Either way I don't see it being anywhere near 70m unless there has been a radical change in the design (which would be news to the Council, the DCfW and probably Admiral).

I echo the frustration others have felt about Admiral not being taller but ultimately it's cheaper to build wider but shorter and if this means that Admiral continue to grow and create jobs in south Wales so be it.

As for Capitol tower being sold this building strikes me as one of the few talls in the city that could be genuinely converted into high end apartments. Great views, ample underground car parking, the top floors are sufficiently far away from the bars and clubs in Greyfriars and the Friary to negate any potential noise nuisance etc.

Also when Admiral do move I wonder what will happen to Friary House? I think they (or Confused.com) are the only tenants at the moment. It's a brute of a building and the car park connected to it is equally disgusting. Does anyone ever park there btw? I'd like to see this building overhauled/demolished.

The northern side of Greyfriars won't win any architectural prizes but it does have presence. The southern side has a couple of nice buildings at the one end and is then mullered by the MSCP/Friary house combo before regaining its dignity with Capitol Tower (I know many don't like it but aside from the concrete the shape and height are very nice in my opinion) and the Hilton.

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

I like capital tower. it is very canary wharf-esque in proportion. being around 25 storeys high it is very tall, sleek and elegant. I think it is a sad indictment of Cardiff's actual ability to deliver that this tower is the highest in the city and is almost 50 years old. I digress.

I still can't find any images on that Admiral site. If anyone can help that would be much appreciate.

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Jantra
I like capital tower. it is very canary wharf-esque in proportion. being around 25 storeys high it is very tall, sleek and elegant. I think it is a sad indictment of Cardiff's actual ability to deliver that this tower is the highest in the city and is almost 50 years old. I digress.

I still can't find any images on that Admiral site. If anyone can help that would be much appreciate.


Hi Jantra - go to 'photo library' then 'buildings' then above photos the link is in text.

Oh and I totally agree with your digression regarding our tallest building being 50yrs old - which is why I was dissapointed that Admiral went for a 'fatty'!!

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos


Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

If you click this link on the Glenn Howells Architects website then you can see the 11 storeys and also the underground carpark ... http://www.glennhowells.co.uk/content/commercial/417/0/3

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

are they really the photos from the admiral site? I'll have to wait until I get home and put in my bionic eye

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

splendid!

ground floor plus 11 storeys - i make that 12 storeys in total

the ceiling height does look higher than normal

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Based on the diagram on the Glenn Howells site if floor height is 3m I calculate the height will be around 46m in total (11 floors at 3m each plus double height ground floor and double height+ brize soleil type feature at the top to hide all the plant.

The facade facing Churchill Way looks (from the renders's on the Admiral site) a little grim but of course there will be a substantial 25 storey plus development shortly to commence on the Rapport site to hide it so I'm not unduly worried on that score....oh hang on.

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

I'm looking at it as I type. (Planning Application 11/00546)

Sorry I don't know how to post links to it, or to add an image.

The floors start on the ground floor, which is called 'Level 00'.

you then have Level OM, followed by Level O1 up to Level 012, which is a roof terrace. You then have two levels of 'illuminated plant screen' presumably the Admiral sign and other details, which takes it up to '70,350mm' or 70.35 metres.

I appreciate that the detail on the top two floors isn't office space, but equally it's not a spire. It's substantial, and effectively will make the building 10m taller than the office space section of it is.

Note, looking again, Level '00' on the ground floor, starts at 9m, so this obviously includes the ground floor parking.

So, I correct myself. The building is 70m including the underground parking, with 61m therefore rising from the ground.

So effectively we will be seeing a building 61m in height.

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

All the planning application documents are here ...

http://planning.cardiff.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=_CARDIFF_DCAPR_95673

... just click "View document" next to the elevation/document you'd like to see.

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

From what i understand the minimum floor height in construction of high rise buildings is 10ft (3.048 meters) that 10ft is not just the room height it includes floor plate (structure). However there is many reasons to build taller floors. A buildings usage and it's depth ect. But at the end of the day i think it's all about having enough natural light. While 1960's high rise probably didn't target the amount of natural light the staff who spend 8 hours+ a day were exposed to. The improvements in our health may have partly caused this to change.
A healthy workforce makes a good workforce.

In terms of offices there will be partition flooring to hide cable's and possibly coolant, Air conditioning ect
So a 10 ft floor could be 2ft of concrete/rebar 1ft for partition floor and ceiling, leaving only 7ft living space

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

@James

and we wonder why we're called development geeks

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

@Jefferson

having worked in office buildings of FS I'd say the height is more like 10ft plus the space between floors - so 12ft (4m) per storey is probably more realistic.

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Hopefully Admiral will show other companies that Cardiff is the type of place that they should be doing business in.

The building might look out of place next to the dinky little building that is across the street, and the Jobcentre Plus building. But that just sums up Cardiff, doesn't it?

A ramshackle city where towering buildings that still smell of fresh pain sit next to dingy, bland, ancient buildings that whiff of dog shit.

I kid of course, none of the buildings in Cardiff are tall enough to tower over anything other than the local news agents.

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Jantra
@Jefferson

having worked in office buildings of FS I'd say the height is more like 10ft plus the space between floors - so 12ft (4m) per storey is probably more realistic.


I'm sorry Jantra i wasn't trying to suggest any particular building as having 10ft floors. But my understanding is the minimum height as being 10ft for any high rise building. However i believe floor heights have increased since the 1960's and infact not only floor heights but full lenth glass windows are being used more often.

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

It's getting taller! Starts to look down on some of the buildings around it and coming round the corner for the hayes you already get a feel of something new and big in town.

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Me
It's getting taller! Starts to look down on some of the buildings around it and coming round the corner for the hayes you already get a feel of something new and big in town.

Any pics?

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

I was walking past it yesterday. Every time I go there it gets just a little bit closer to completion, and it does feel like it'll be done in no time, even thogh it'll take a while.

There were also about fifty workers onsite, so that just proves that Admiral means business.

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Lordcrow


There were also about fifty workers onsite, so that just proves that Admiral means business.


Is there a possibility that Admiral are overstretching themselves by moving into the construction business?

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Blee Dingobvious
Lordcrow


There were also about fifty workers onsite, so that just proves that Admiral means business.


Is there a possibility that Admiral are overstretching themselves by moving into the construction business?


Maybe some of them were there for training purposes? Most of them were just standing around .

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Lordcrow
Blee Dingobvious
Lordcrow


There were also about fifty workers onsite, so that just proves that Admiral means business.


Is there a possibility that Admiral are overstretching themselves by moving into the construction business?


Maybe some of them were there for training purposes? Most of them were just standing around .


that'll be the H&S from the public sector

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Jantra
Lordcrow
Blee Dingobvious
Lordcrow


There were also about fifty workers onsite, so that just proves that Admiral means business.


Is there a possibility that Admiral are overstretching themselves by moving into the construction business?


Maybe some of them were there for training purposes? Most of them were just standing around .


that'll be the H&S from the public sector



Beg your pardon? English not first language...

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Here's a photo of the Admiral site this morning ...

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Cheeya'z James

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

So what proportion of the final height do we think that image shows? About 30%?

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

James
Here's a photo of the Admiral site this morning ...



I was there earlier. Getting into and around Cardiff in the snow was eventful to say the least...

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Also worth noting in the background of the picture is the ongoing work on the build in Charles St.

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Me
Also worth noting in the background of the picture is the ongoing work on the build in Charles St.


I noticed that. What exactly is going on there?

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Lordcrow ... it appears to be a residential development, there is some more info and photos here http://www.intentiumsl.co.uk/project/charles-street-cardiff/

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Me
So what proportion of the final height do we think that image shows? About 30%?

Yes, I'd say you're about right judging from the height of the cranes ...



Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Here's some more photos that I took last night ...


Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

great stuff. it is already becoming a landmark on the skyline from some angles.

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

It's getting taller every day. Look at the comparison from last year and now.

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

TheLordcrow
It's getting taller every day. Look at the comparison from last year and now.


Rather an obvious statement! It would be worth reporting if it were getting smaller!

Re: Admiral HQ progress photos

Whatif
TheLordcrow
It's getting taller every day. Look at the comparison from last year and now.


Rather an obvious statement! It would be worth reporting if it were getting smaller!


That would be a sight to see.

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