In a letter to Lord Foster dated 25 October, the CABE’s Peter Stewart said the 10-storey Walbrook House, between Bank and Cannon Street underground stations, was “not worthy of this important site”. It adjoins a Wren church and the Lord Mayor’s residence at Mansion House.
In the letter, the commission calls on Lord Foster to carry out a fundamental reappraisal of the 45 000 m2 scheme, submitted to the Corporation of London for planning permission in August.
Stewart said the commission believes the design for Walbrook House “does not relate … successfully to its context”. He added: “The stone fins and cornice, which we presume are conceived as ‘contextual’ elements, are unconvincing and do not appear integral to the design. The junction with the adjoining building in Cannon Street, where a tapering section of party wall is revealed, demonstrates the building’s lack of concern for its surroundings.”
The letter continues: “We believe the environment provided for pedestrians at street level, especially at Walbrook, will be hostile.”
We believe the environment provided for pedestrians at street level, especially at Walbrook, will be hostile
Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment
City planners are understood to be annoyed by the CABE’s opposition, as the office scheme is key to the corporation’s strategy for competing with London Docklands for blue-chip clients. The speculative Minerva development houses 5000 people and features two trading floors of 5100 m2 and 4000 m3.
Sport England and UK Sport are carrying out an emergency feasibility study to find the best way to increase the capacity of the £475m National Stadium at Wembley from 90 000 to 100 000 for football matches and from 67 000 to 80 000 for athletics events.
