Aside from my general disdain for what's been done to Lansdowne Park, and my feeling that the negatives vastly overwhelm any positives, there were things that weren't a total disaster. The Horticulture Building was preserved. Mind you, the greedy bastards... that is, the OSEG overlords, wanted to move the entire thing out of the way of their precious retail components. City council being the way it was, they said, "why not?" And so it was moved, 140 metres to the east.
The building dates back to 1914. Built in a Prairie style, it is a permanent exhibition hall used for various trade shows. It's been restored on the outside and inside, with windows letting in a lot of light. I do like some of the touches inside, including letting some of the faded paint of the past stay as is on the brickwork. Admittedly, this is a better use of the building than what it had been undergoing before all this started, when it was used more for storage. Still, it doesn't let the greedy bastards of OSEG off the hook for desecrating most of Lansdowne. Along with the park aspect, this building, and what I'll show you tomorrow, they are the sum total of what's still good here. That's not much when you take into account the visual clutter of everything else.
That building could be a contemporary retro homage!
ReplyDeleteALOHA from Honolulu
ComfortSpiral
=^..^=
Neat building! I like the Wright-style windows.
ReplyDeleteMoved the whole building! Love the Prarie style, would look good in Canberra.
ReplyDeleteAh the great god Retail, before whom we must all bow down. How much money to move a building 140 metres that could have been spent on - oh I don't know, towards a cure for cancer? improving some social housing in the city?
ReplyDeleteStill, I learned that there is a 'Prairie' style of architecture.
There are always things that we love even between things we do not like.
ReplyDeleteTomás.
What a fabulous building. I love that prairie style.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad they kept the building. That brick is marvelous!
ReplyDeleteAt least this fab old building came out definitely on top in it's 140 metre move William!
ReplyDeleteGreed trumps all, I'm afraid. At least they were not allowed to demolish the building.
ReplyDeleteI agree the building looks good - but could be contemporary. They paid money to move it a mere 140 metres? Good grief!
ReplyDeleteIt is a wonderful building. Classic lines too.
ReplyDeleteamazing they went to the expense to move it!
ReplyDeleteIt's a beautiful building. I'm glad it was preserved.
ReplyDelete@Cloudia: it does have style.
ReplyDelete@Linda: so do I.
@Peter: it certainly stands out nicely.
@Linda: of course, had it been left in its original position, it would have been totally surrounded by that retail in yesterday's post. This way one can view it from a certain angle and not even see the retail crap.
@Tomas: that's true.
@Stuart: it certainly is nice to see it preserved.
@Halcyon: it did take a lot of work to restore it.
@Grace: they had to be very careful making the move.
@EG: I'm sure they would have had they had the opportunity.
@Mike: greed knows no bounds.
@Birdman: it's something unlike what I'm used to.
@Tex: their precious retail meant more to them than the sightlines of the building. When it was placed where it was, it had clear sightlines to the front of what I'll show tomorrow.
@Sharon: at least not all was lost.
I'm not sure what the greater picture is in this situation. This is a unique building and they've put it to good use.
ReplyDeleteI wish that more buildings could be preserved.
ReplyDeleteIt's a style of building that I like a lot. Glad it survives.
ReplyDeleteWhy I am seeing something oriental in this very nice building?
ReplyDeleteI was wondering the same thing....
ReplyDeleteI like it a lot and had never heard of prairie style.
ReplyDelete140 metres? Are you joking?
It looks like a great building to me, but what a waste of money to move it 140 m.
ReplyDeleteThat must have been quite a move to watch!
ReplyDeleteNice looking building . Thanks for sharing , Have a good day !
ReplyDeletelooks like a bank or office building 2 me! diffferent. ( ;
ReplyDeleteI'm glad they at least preserved it and refurbished the building. It's quite stately.
ReplyDeleteAlmost looks like a bookstore.
ReplyDeleteThat's a nice looking building.
ReplyDelete@Red: I popped in during a show for pottery craft workers.
ReplyDelete@Linda: so do I.
@Judy: removing this would have been a game changer.
@VP: I can see why you'd think that.
@Norma: well you're not alone.
@Ciel: no, from one end of the Aberdeen Pavilion to the other.
@Jan: OSEG wanted it that way, and what they wanted, they got.
@RedPat: well, it was done far out of sight.
@Country Gal: thank you.
@Beth: some are seeing it in different ways.
@Linda: it is.
@Whisk: I can see that.
@Barbara: I think so.
I love that prairie style. The building's a real beauty. I hope it finds good uses in the new scheme.
ReplyDeleteFabulous building William, I'm pleased it escaped bulldozers!
ReplyDeleteStrange, strange ideas of progress some days...
ReplyDeleteI'm glad they saved the building because it is lovely. I'm always fascinated at how these structures can be moved.
ReplyDeleteSince this is a Horticulture building they really should plant some grass.
ReplyDeletebeautiful building
ReplyDeletethat's a very nice building, i really like that style!
ReplyDeleteAnother nice building
ReplyDeleteHandsome building.
ReplyDeleteThe biuilding has quite a presence. I am amazed that the developers managed to move it even a little without damage. I bet that was a costly exercise.
ReplyDeleteI love old buildings. They have details the newer ones don't.
ReplyDelete@Kay: it's being well used now.
ReplyDelete@Geoff: so am I.
@Jennifer: true!
@Lois: it was quite a job getting it moved and restored.
@Denton: there are some orchard trees off to one side.
@Tammie: I think so!
@Tanya: so do I.
@TDP: thanks!
@Mari: it is.
@Gemma: it would have been.
@Shelly: true!