20th Century English Architecture Practice, UK
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Key Project:
Stratford Market Depot - Stratford Station, East London, South East England
1996
Chris Wilkinson Architects
image from RIAS in 2002 re Convention
Stratford building
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Practice Information
Chris Wilkinson later formed the office Wilkinson Eyre with Jim Eyre
Chris Wilkinson of Wilkinson Eyre talked at the RIAS Conference in 2002:
Chris Wilkinson was deservingly proud of his own and his colleagues' achievements in the world of building technology, using examples such as the Hulme Arch bridge in Manchester, the unbuilt Merryhill multiplex cinema and again unbuilt bridge in northern Greece. He ended with two exceptional projects - the Gateshead Millennium Bridge, Newcastle and the Stirling Prize 2002 winner, the Magna Centre, Rotherham.
[review - isabelle lomholt]
The light bulb went off in my partner Jim Eyre's head
'One of those moments you'll never forget'
Chris Wilkinson on the Gateshead Millennium Bridge finally being manouvered into position with possibly the world's largest floating crane still there.
Chris's talk was honed to perfection and full of inventive and intelligent schemes. Back in the Eighties I felt that Wilkinson was just another Foster accolyte putting technology on the pedestal like another conference speaker, Nick Grimshaw. The slides, shown in slick overlap sequences, showed a more lyrical side, though one felt that engineering was still a strong draw.
Each project from the Maidstone Bridge to Stratford Station, from the Hulme Bridge to the Science Museum, started with invention, simple strong concepts carried through in a remarkable fashion. The four original ideas for the Challenge of Materials Gallery were clearly visible in the built result: such tenacity shows skill, determination and vision. Again, the competition-winning montage for the Gateshead bridge was near identical to the completed work.
Chris ended of course with the Stirling Prize winner, the Magna Centre in Rotherham. It could be argued that this was not as imaginative as the Eden Centre, but as a series of interventions on a low budget this scheme is very successful. It also has given hope to an area in very real need.
[review - adrian welch]
Wilkinson Eyre Building - image provided by RIAS May 2002
Millennium Bridge - image © adrian welch
Liverpool Buildings
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Chris Wilkinson - page: adrian welch / isabelle lomholt
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