RAF Museum Unveils the Battle of Britain Beacon

[winny]

I actually quite like the building... Sorry all.

As to what it's supposed to be.. It's a beacon.

The British have a long history of lighting beacons to warn of imminent invasion so it's actually quite apt.

[McQ59]

Monumental and awesome design! Love it.

Will definitely pay a visit.

[Feuerfalke]

Originally Posted by winny

I actually quite like the building... Sorry all.

As to what it's supposed to be.. It's a beacon.

The British have a long history of lighting beacons to warn of imminent invasion so it's actually quite apt.

No need to say sorry for your opinion.

It's interesting to see the different historic and cultural context.
Art (and architecture) is always open for discussion IMHO.


I'd at least open the structure, place a vertical band of glass in the broader sides. It would still resemble the beacon, maybe even improve the impression, especially for the nightly impression, with the vertical beam of light lighting the sky, but originating from the British soil.
In daylight it would definitely increase the impression of the then visible aircraft inside at different "altitudes".

[winny]

More glass would improve it for sure. I think it's a little bit too silver.
But a beacon is supposed to be seen from far away.. and this will definately be seen from a very long way away on a sunny day!

It'll be interesting to see what it eventually ends up looking like.

[Davedog74]

it can be a pair of giant breasts,as long as future generations have something to remind them of the b.o.b,i think it is great,hopefully it will make youngsters pick up a book and learn about it

[philip.ed]

I do agree though; I love London, and although some of it's buildings may be quirky, it has huge charm

[_RAAF_Stupot]

Originally Posted by winny

More glass would improve it for sure. I think it's a little bit too silver.
But a beacon is supposed to be seen from far away.. and this will definately be seen from a very long way away on a sunny day!

It'll be interesting to see what it eventually ends up looking like.

I agree, I think if glass was substituted for the metal it would be fantastic. I think part of the idea behind the tower is that the aircraft are up on display in 3 dimensions (ie with a vertical axis as well where you can view them from above, below and the sides, to give some sense of them being in action rather than just as static exhibits), but ironically just having that slit along the side of tower to provide an exterior view makes it claustrophobic in my opinion. Imagine those interior views where all the walls are transparent instead - you'd really feel as if you were up in the air with them. And also imagine how the tower would look at night with the aircraft inside being illuminated.

By the way, the concept of a tower museum where you start at the top and spiral to the bottom isn't completely new - you move through the Guggenheim Modern Art museum in NY this way.

[Splitter]

Originally Posted by winny

I actually quite like the building... Sorry all.

As to what it's supposed to be.. It's a beacon.

The British have a long history of lighting beacons to warn of imminent invasion so it's actually quite apt.

I guess next you Europeans will want to put some sort of modern sculpture in front of the Louvre....oh wait....

Yeah, I don't like that one either.

You all have REAL history. Here in the US, we go back maybe 300 years. You all have thousands of years of history and should be preserving the character of some of the oldest places. Save the more modern designs for places without so much history.

The truth is, I have never had the opportunity to actually visit a lot of the European cities I would like to. I usually just get stuck in airports or nearby hotels for meetings and then a quick flight back. I don't want it all to be altered before I get the chance to take in the history at my leisure .

Splitter

[swiss]

Well, the neighborhood where they want to build it is actually a shithole (cheap houses, lots of immigrants), from this point of view there's not much to destroy.

But:

The largest building around I saw was a Metro Police training facility, about 5 stories high.
And the beacon is supposed to be ~120m...

[RCAF_FB_Orville]

has no symbolism

Lol sorry but had to laugh at that comment (the clue is in the name). I see winny put you right on that score Splitter, beacons were used extensively when under threat of invasion, and so do resonate within the British psyche.

Beacon Pyres have been employed throughout our history and were used extensively on elevated land to warn of the presence of enemy and to coordinate defences, case in point is the Spanish Armada invasion attempt, but also used in our feuds with each other. I think with the lighting it may even have a kind of searchlight effect which would be apt too given the location.

Lukewarm about the design, but hardly an abomination. Maybe I'm over imaginative but I immediately thought of the 'prop' thing too. The interior looks like an excellent concept, I like it.....but agree with Feurfalke that it would benefit from some transparency. That way, along with the lighting there could be a kind of silhouette effect showing the aircraft at altitude, which could be quite impressive from distance.

Though I'm not a big fan of so called "modern art" (give me the Rembrandts, Monet's and Michaelangelo's any day) I actually don't think this is too bad. I like Picasso and Dali, and they could hardly be described as conservative and restrained.

If this offends your strait laced sensibilities then you'd probably have a heart attack in Madrid.

What message do they want to send, creating yet another memorial for a battle that happened 60 years ago?

Oh, I don't know Feurfalke. Maybe the message is that we are quite proud of the part we played in ridding the world of a despotic, totalitarian regime and a genocidal maniac who would have murdered anyone in Britain who did not fit their "Master Race" (LMAO) Ideal. Just a theory, but don't worry about it too much mate. We don't really require your approval anyway.

Well, the neighborhood where they want to build it is actually a shithole (cheap houses, lots of immigrants), from this point of view there's not much to destroy.

Wow. So all future developments should be in well to do bourgeois areas? Forget about the 'peasants' they do not have the intelligence to appreciate art anyway, out of sight....out of mind eh? Not everyone is lucky (?) enough to be born a spoilt b*stard with a silver spoon in their mouth.

Incidentally, I grew up in one of the "sh*tholes" you mention (a council estate in Newcastles West End) and social deprivation can hardly be blamed on the inhabitants. Why do you think immigrants are sent there? To keep them out of 'Daily Mail land' of course. Was lucky enough to get to University and do something with my life (thanks in no small part to the "Horrors of Socialism" Splitter, otherwise my life would be very different ) but not everyone can.

Maybe they are more deserving of some nice things than others, having been perpetually f*cked over, exploited by industry and ignored by successive governments....though art would be very low on my personal list.

So, you approve of deprived areas staying just the way they are.....as long as they are not near you? Investment in deprived areas is a bad thing? Christ.

Or maybe I've been too hasty and you are from there, and venting at the injustice. If so I take it all back.