Saturday 15 August 2015

Bizarre building

Smithfield-One building

This very dramatic-looking building seems to be in the local paper constantly (for the wrong reasons).  Smithfield-One was started last year as the planned base for Stoke-on-Trent City Council, which is spending £55 million on this and the surrounding 'business district' in Hanley. However, plans have now changed and the new Central Library will be installed there, as will 'other stuff'.

So... the library's gain, I suppose.

The multi-coloured design on the cladding is said to be inspired by the work of the famous 1930s 'Bizarre'-style pottery-designer, Clarice Cliff, who was a local girl. I'm not sure she'd recognise the attribution, but I guess we all are entitled to our own interpretations.

2 comments:

  1. I was born and bred in Bucknall. My Family were in business in Hanley so much time there. Who on earth gave permission for this? It can only be rivalled by the "gold" Council building in Worcester. Just like the old Bullring area in Birmingham someone will pull it down in the not too distant future. Awful.

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