How hard can it be?

Acrylic-bob · 30-01-2005, 15:09

You know how HBC insists on spending Zillions of quids of feasibility studies for even the tiniest of changes or proposals, and because of this it takes them forever to get round to doing anything. Well, I was being taken for a drag through town this morning by Acrylic-biff, as is his wont, when I looked at the HBC office building on Broadway and thought "Bl**dy Hell. What a mess!" So, Having the camera handy, I took a photograph (Motto here: be prepared). When I eventually got home I had a bit of a mess about with Photoshop and the results are below.

I wondered what could be done to brighten the place up and breathe a bit of elegance into the building. I envisage ripping the front of the building off and replacing it with sandstone cladding so that it matches the town hall next door. According to HBC they are looking to open a "one stop shop" for council services, well here it is! it could also house a Town Museum with connection to the Town Hall.

It took me about an hour. I didn't rush. I didn't need a vast office, or thirty years to think about it, nor did I take a vast salary.

It isn't perfect, it wasn't meant to be. But please feel free to tell me what you think.

WillowTheWhisp · 30-01-2005, 15:27

It's a marked improvement. Have you thought of offering your services to Messrs Britcliffe & Co?

Margaret Pilkington · 30-01-2005, 15:31

Give him the money Mabel!.....A-B you are wasting your talents......send your ideas to HBC.... then send them the bill!

janet · 30-01-2005, 15:34

Excellent job A-B. Send the photo to the council, then watch them claim it as there own idea.lol

park381 · 30-01-2005, 16:21

Excellent work, am sure PB & co could find you a job, with talent like that you would save them a fortune in consultants fees

chav1 · 30-01-2005, 17:16

Nice work

may i suggest removing the xmas decorations before you send your work in so that they can see how its done

Sara · 30-01-2005, 18:23

A big improvement A-B. No doubt someone will nick your idea and claim it as their own, then charge a fortune in fees.

Uncle Mick · 30-01-2005, 21:26

Excellent job A-B, now can you sort out the tarmac on the ground??

Margaret Pilkington · 30-01-2005, 21:35

And if you can do that..... how about the paddling pool outside the scope shop....and the loose flags round the market. (think you are going to need the superman suit)

Margaret Pilkington · 30-01-2005, 21:37

Or, better still, when PB gets knocked off his perch how about you stand for election and sort 'em all out with a dose of common sense. (don't understand why it is called common sense..... common it aint)

Darby · 31-01-2005, 06:37

How much is HBC going to pay you for your "Study" A-Bob?

All you really need is a front......A-Bob, Architectural Enhancers, Realistic studies carried out at competitive prices.

Nice thought A-Bob, HBC will never agree though...cause they didn't think of it first, and where would they get the investment funds from?

Less · 31-01-2005, 07:06

an excellent job A-B, now if you were to just build it using stone it could look just like the viaduct.

WillowTheWhisp · 31-01-2005, 08:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darby

where would they get the investment funds from?

They seem to be able to find money for things that don't improve the town.

I wonder how much it would cost? Should we have a quick whip round to help them out?

Acrylic-bob · 31-01-2005, 09:06

Oh it was nothing, just an experiment to add a bit of interest to an otherwise gloomy day. But I do think that it does go some way to illuminate the point that I have been trying to make over the last few months; namely that HBC and it's officers are bereft of imagination. Creativity comes from the soul, a committee does not have a soul and thus cannot be creative. They are quite useful in finding ways to implement plans, once created, but "driving force" and "committee" are contradictions in terms.

Management by committee, as any entrepreneur knows, means commercial death.

As long as HBC believe that the solution to the town's problems lie in any plan or initiative developed by a committee, no matter how well intentioned, they are bound to fail. The town needs a creative maverick, who will impose his or her creative will upon the council. Sadly though, the system is set up to stifle creativity in a welter of committee generated rules, regulations and protocols. Creativity depends on having the courage to either ignore or break those rules.

Many thanks for your positive comments chaps! I may have a look at other grot spots and eyesores when I get a couple of minutes spare.

park381 · 31-01-2005, 09:36

Hey, thats deep thinking for a monday morning at 9am A-B, but am afraid its true.

Committees are to wrapped up in all the protocol, and rules, what is needed is for the committee to agree to commission someone with a bit of flair to "go look at the town centre and see what you can come up with" There are many budding designers/architects who would welcome the challenge if given the chance.