The
winning design for the new look Grand Pier
Pavilion has been announced - and could be
complete as early as summer 2010.
Bristol-based Angus
Meek’s brightly coloured glass fronted
structure outshone the other finalist Ray
Hole in an architectural competition to
redesign the pier.
The firm has now
been chosen and will work closely with the
pier owners Kerry and Michelle Michael and
their architectural consultant Bob
Hardcastle.
A planning
application will be submitted before
Christmas and if approved it is intended
work will start next year and finish ready
for opening in 2010.
Angus Meek’s design
was the one that most resembled a pier
pavilion structure out of the six
shortlisted entries.
But it is modernised
with huge coloured glass fronting up to five
storeys showcasing what the complex has to
offer from afar.
All the bright
colours are continued throughout in four red
illuminated cylinder stairwells at the
corners that drew their inspiration from the
previous pier.
Coloured beach hut
bays also feature along the sides for
seating and meeting places.
Mr Michael said: “We
believe the opening of the new pavilion at
Weston will be the biggest boost to a
British seaside resort in 99 years.
“Blackpool strung
garlands of lights across its seafront in
1912 and changed the face of the British
seaside and we believe this design can boost
Weston by lengthening the season.
“One of the
attractions of the Angus Meek design was the
way that it can be illuminated at dusk and
in the evening so that the pier can be a
centre-piece of the seafront during dull
Autumn afternoons and winter days - bringing
vitality and excitement to the town.
“We intend for the
new pavilion to be an all-year round
facility.
“It will be
primarily an amusement park with all the fun
that people expect from a traditional pier
but in a high quality 21st century building
and we believe this is what Angus Meek has
provided us with.
“Although there was
support for all of the designs the Angus
Meek proposal was selected as favourite by
59 per cent of the public that expressed a
preference.
“We have now looked
at the practicalities and believe it is a
design that works on a practical level.”
Mr Michael says the
clearance work is going exceptionally well
and hopes work on the new scheme could start
next year.
He added: “We have
our work cut out but we will be finished as
soon as humanly possible.
“We intend for the
new pier pavilion to be opened for business
in time for the summer season in 2010.
“For that to be
possible we need to get the planning
permission to the local authority before
Christmas.
“I have no desire to
delay the project and we are carrying out
the clearance work as quickly as we promised
we would and are on schedule.
“I am delighted with
the way it has been going, they are more
than half way though.
“In four weeks tops
it will be done and we are also going to
redo the whole substructure, clean it, sand
blast it, so by the time the subcontractor
arrives next year it is ready.”
Roger Ellams,
director of Angus Meek said: "We are very
excited to have won the competition and look
forward to turning our design into a
successful reality that will attract many
visitors to the pier and Weston.
“As an office we
have greatly enjoyed developing the design
for the new pier and have been very pleased
by the public’s response to our proposal.
“Our aim to provide
a thoroughly contemporary building which
continues the tradition of the British Pier
Pavilion at Weston and have been encouraged
that many people seem to understand and
support this.
“The next stage of
work will involve close liaison with Kerry
and Michelle in adapting the competition
design to suit their detailed requirements.
“These will include
new attractions and rides as well as
facilities that the old building was not
able to provide; function rooms and
restaurants.
“We will also seek,
with the Michaels, to incorporate the many
useful ideas and comments contributed by the
public during the exhibition.
“We will also be
working closely with the rest of the design
team in developing the design to address
technical issues such as repairs to the
existing pier structure, new building
construction, heating, electrical systems
and costs.
“It will also be
important to consider at this early stage
how the building will actually be
constructed - its position 300 meters from
the shore and 10m up in the air presents an
unusual challenge.”
Mr Hardcastle, the
pier’s architectural consultant has worked
with the Michael’s for 10-years.
He said: “We are
delighted to have been able to have chosen
one of the entrants and I look forward to
working with them so a planning application
can be submitted at the earliest
opportunity.
“Once all the
pavilion remains have been removed we will
be able to test the capabilities of the pier
to see if it will be able to take the new
design.”
Now the space within
the new pavilion is known the Michaels are
stepping up their search for exciting
leisure attractions to put on the pier,
which is visited by 3.5 million
holidaymakers and day-trippers every year.
