Weston Pier destroyed

Karen, AboutMyArea.co.uk
I think No 2 is the best design so far but would it be great to have the crystal clear sea as shown No 1 instead of the mucky filty colour we have now.

Georgina Wood
I don't like the designs! they look to modern and weston is all about tradition, i love to visit weston and don't look forward to it being built

Julie
Maybe it has something to do with the pier being a commercial enterprise

Michael
If it was an accident, then why dont they just rebuild it as it was? They obvoiusly liked the pier, therefore wanted to buy it, now they suddenly want a modern building that has no resemblence to the old pier. So many people have many happy memorys of the pier, why should we allow the pier to just be forgotten? Probably because the Michael family will get more money from a newer design, regardless of what the town want.

Jeremy Taylor
how disappointing this whole process is. Not only has weston lost it historic pavillion, but it now has to be replaced by one of these designs. They are all so far off the mark its unbeleivable. Why wasnt the competition opened up to all architects in the UK, let alone Europe. Of course the designs are similar to shopping centres - the vast majority of the architects that were chosen are from the commercial sector. Commercial architects have no idea how to produce designs which respond sensitively to site, heritage and context. In short, it's a complete shambles that the opportunity to re-design the pavillion was not opened up to all architectural practices in the UK. I think people should be asking the reasons why the choice of designers is limited to money making COMMERCIAL architects....

Joshua & Carol / Marcus
Angus Meek Architects gets are vote...

Lynne Jones
I also was heartbroken when the pier burned down, as I spent many happy hours there, as a child and an adult, and to me Weston was the pier. These plans are dreadful and none of them will give us even a semblance of what we had before. All we ask for is a building that reflects the splendour of what we had before on the exterior, what is done with the inside is of little consequence. Let us keep weston as a tasteful haven for visitors, who wants to feel like they are visiting a space ship or rubbish skip.not me thats for sure, they are trying to kill off Weston once and for all.

jeremy
the entry by Angus Meek Architects looks modern and contemporary.Thats the one i would like to see go forward.

Mike
Having seen the exhibition at the gardens, i would urge others to go and see them as in some cases the snapshots listed here do not do the designs justice. No 4 for example, although its a strange shape, has many positives, it has an auditorium on the roof which could be fantastic. No 1 and 3 are also impressive, both of which have varying levels and a variety of spaces inside which could be really special. I must say the more i have seen of 2 the less i have liked it, porthole windows, wavy roofs and beach huts i believe are all a little cliched for a coastal building, and i just believe that we should be bolder with the choice

sarah
number two is awful, what are you people thinking.

tom p
its great to see so many great 21st century designs for the pier but we need to keep in mind what weston is like. Its a victorian seaside resort which needs a pavillion that fits in with its surroundings. If it doesn't fit in then regardless of how unique it is it wont look in place

Steve
It would be very sad if No. 2 got built - it looks like an plastic jukebox. No. 1 is ok. Stride Treglown's looks the most interesting and would surely be a big tourist attraction.

matt
rebuild it the same and install water sprinklers

Mike
I like number 3, i like the way there are different walkways and levels, and i love the monorail. For the same reasons i like number 1, but i prefer the curving building on number 3. i dont see a problem with contempory design, it might just be what weston needs

Felicity Langdale
I agree with Shaun, lets take the opportunity and go for something to put Weston on the map. The old pavilion was nice but why is everyone so attached to it now its gone. Ask anyone in the world what their favorite building was, i doubt anyone would answer the pavilion on Weston Pier!? The great thing is that the 'Pier' still remains and that is the thing that people loved. All the designs i think make positive strides, with No 3 the outright winner in my eye as it brings life to ALL of the Pier, with something which will make us proud again. Its bold, its contempory, its something that the rest of the world will want butonly weston will have! No 1 is also good, but No 2 and 5 are poor efforts at trying to recreate something which wasnt so fantastic in the first place

vee
how awful, it needs to be in keeping with the town

Ian
No I would not agree with Simon Burges. Number 2 is clearly not a spin off of the original, it doesn't really look anything like it, except that when you look at it you think 'pier' because of the towers in each corner. Having seen the presentation itself at the Winter Gardens, I do think number 2 is the best because it has many spaces - inside there are many levels, outside there are the beach-hut style booths and then there are the decks at the end and higher up on the building itself. And it just looks like a fun place to be! I personally think the worst one is the one with all the steps, it maybe fine for Barcelona or somewhere, but I can't see how the people of Weston would appreciate them, and also it gets so windy, you'd be blown off the top!!

Rosie
I like the no. 6 design by Stride Treglown. I like the idea of the pier deck continuing up the steps to a deck at the top with great views. It gives a modern and distinctive shape which is what Weston needs to attract visitors.

Pippa
"The Skip" Haha :) Sam you're absolutely right! that's exactly what no.4 looks like. A giant, futuristic skip.

Simon Burgess
So no one would agree that design 2 is a poorly though out spin-off of the old pier, which captures neither the elegance of the original or the possibility of contemporary building, but simply cheapens both?

D. Starrett
It should be rebuilt just as it was, The designs are a mess.

Shaun Dempsey
i must say i disagree that with the majority of comments here. To just replace what was there orginally will be a wasted opportunity - what was so fantastic about the old pavilion?? How many times would you visit it or take advantage of its use?? Lets go for something which will be internationally renowned and move Weston in a forward direction. No 3 is my favourite, with No 6 a close second. No 2 will be a small step forward and looks like an aquirium to me, you would see in towns all over the UK. Why take a small step when we can may leaps forward!?

Julia
Pics 2 & 5 look the best to me

Peter Flock
Artists impressions tend to be a bit misleading, but let's hope the new pier doesn't look like a DIY superstore on stilts as one or two of them appear to.

J Osborne
I think the designs are awful!! Why can it not be restored using a modern take on Victorian style etc. In my opinion these new designs are too modern and have little character. Frankly, they could be anywhere. You should build on the hertiage of the site.

James Stanley
I must say i think No2 captures the old and new of Weston Super Mare. Lets hope the Tropicana can be rebuilt quickly to put the town firmly back on the map.It would be nice to see the Grand Central building renovated and also that run down Sands Club improved.

Sam Weston-S-Mare
The best 1 out of all 6 of them would have to be no 2. No 2 is a very nice design with a glass front with the old look of the 4 pilars which were very nice. The worst 1 is no 4 e.g. The Skip it is a horrible shape and just would not fit in to Weston-S-Mare.

John Stevens
Having been born in Weston some 55 years ago , I have many happy memories of the Pier. All 6 designs are stunning in their own right, but there are three that stand out to me. The one with the Red corner tower structure, The Glass house with the large Ferris wheel and the retro design of the original with the 'twisted metal' corner towers. I hope to see the resurgance of the Pier and finally the rebuilding of the Tropicana. Perhaps this disaster will finally motivate the council and those who oppose change to move on and look to the future, for the sake of the town and the children

Claire
I used to come to Weston for my holidays as a child and I always remembered the pier. Now I have moved to the area I still feel it is an important part of Weston's history. I feel that it should be rebuilt in keeping of what it is a "Victorian Pier". If you go to Edinburgh you have the royal mile full of old buildings and history. You get to the end and there is Holyrood Palace a beautiful historic building just like the rest of the Royal mile... across from it is a modern eyesore! Need I say more! Modern isn't always the right thing!

Beryl Smith
I think 1,3and 4 are far too 'way out' for a replacement - much too futuristic. 5, from the picture, appears very much in line with the original. 6 is just about acceptable but 2, as I see it, is a good compromise between the past and the future. I like No 2!

Iva Biggin
These designs look too modern and will look dated in a few years. If we go with a classic design, it will never date and give Weston some style

CASEY
I THINK THE 2 ONE IS THE BEST AND THE 5 ONE IS GOOD TO BUT THE RESD ARE UNGLE

Katie
Love number two, as it is a more up-to-date version of the old one and still includes the towers and words Grand Pier.

Cynthia Crocker
I would vote for picture No. 2 as although this design is modern, it would complement other buildings in Weston.

Keith
Don't like any of these monstrosities. What is wrong with a traditional design?

Pippa
I agree with Kathy!I had to smile at the colour of the sea in pics 1 and 4.

Kathy Edwards, Taunton
Why modern? Do we always have to worship at the shrine of modernity? Restore it to its Victorian splendour.

Emily Wright
Matthew, well said! No. 2 has such a limited shelf life...it already looks dated. I think Weston deserves a timeless classic, which I think Design 4 might offer. It seems the least pretentious. I tend to agree with David's comments on it. In addition, the schemes with so much glass just don't seem to belong in such an exposed location. They look like shopping centres or greenhouses. As for needing a cable car or monorail out to the end of the pier surely the whole joy of the pier is walking along its beautiful timber deck in anticipation of the view and experience at its end. I think such a thing would jeopardise the existing victorian canopies along the pier. These are the only thing which survived the tragic fire and should be preserved as relics of the past with the new building as a clear response to Weston today and its future, not some nostalgic kitsch reinterpretation of its past.

James
I really like number 2 because it really has the feel and look of the old pier,but has a more up to date design and use of materials. I also like the use of the wind turbines, epscially in 3! I really think that it would be great to add that energy effiecint feel to the pier, looking at modern day requirements and what a great place for the turbine out on the end of the pier away from the seafront and homes. Excellent. As for the "cheese wedge" its completely boring and plain! I also feel that the Use of the monerail is interesting and could be a new element to incorporate into the whole seafront - as it's quite long, although the train has been there for years and may spoil its tradition!! Great work!!

Mark Taylor
Four of those designs are top quality. Any of my selections and a modern Tropicana and voila , Weston will be a lovely resort again and ready for visitors.

Matthew Hayden
I think it is great to see some bold aspirations for the Pier. No 3 is by far my favourite, i agree with the comment regarding the sunset, we very rarely see ones like that in Weston, by we also dont see buildings as contemporary and sexy as this. The others all seem too square and sharp. And i disagree with no 2 being the best, its a design you will see in a million different places - lets make Weston unique, lets make an attraction to push us on.

Jim Higgs
I very much like design 1 or 5 The rest I think are to moden to fit into Westons sea front Good luck with the rebiuld.

Lucy Loo
AMAZINFG DESIGHNS

Steph B
I like the idea of turbines on the end. I've always found them very interesting and relaxing to watch. The free clean power generated could be used to charge up the batteries for the pier train to scoot people upto the end and back. Could then be free, which is great for the elderly and disabled. Hows that for a good idea?!

clive
Interesting. I suppose number 2 looks most like an update to the original but I think a lot of vertical space is wasted by the looks of things. i.e. more floors could house more attractions, restaurants, bars, function rooms etc etcSaying that id have to look at them in the winter gardens for better judgement, had to tell from just these pictures.

Bob Colwell
Photo 2, rest too mod. Can't bank on red arrows every day though!

Hazel Furness
My opinion is that all the plans are too futuristic and spacey for Weston. I may be old-fashioned, but I'd like to see a proper old-style Victorian pier. My favourite design is number six, but to me, it doesn't say 'pier', it says 'science centre'. Nice to look at, but not very traditional.

Lee Griffiths
How great it is to see some bold architectural designs proposed for Weston Pier. However, is it not a coincidence that such a design competition for a re-designed pier at Weston arrives shortly after an almost identical competition for Birnbeck pier a short distance up the coast from the recently destroyed pier. Surely its worth questioning the motives behind these schemes - is it a genuine desire for the owners to re-instate a modern representation of the destroyed pavillion, or simply a cunning way of 'undercutting' the proposals put forward by Urban Splash for Birnbeck Pier?

David Ryan
Charlie...I disagree I think your 'Cheese Wedge'comment is unfair. I think Design No.4 clearly captures the essence of Weston and the pier. Being a frequent visitor to the pier myself this seaward side of the pier has never been properly exploited. Now we have what looks like a cafe flanked by a tremendous canopy providing year round protection from the elements and making a clear gesture towards the wonderful sea view and sunsets on the horizon. And WOW!.....imagine what the view would be like up on that roof deck at sunset... out to sea and the island beyond. Weston deserves this simple iconic graceful, poetic structure.

Tim Baker
Piers in this country are associated with Victorian times and envoke nostalgia, providing their towns with a source of pride of a bygone era.Why the piers owners would want to replace this with some typically bland 'modern' designs is beyond my comprehension. Out will come all the modernists saying that you've got move on, blah, blah, but what these people conveniently overlook is that these designs always quickly end up looking out of date and/or at odds with their surroundings. Why can't people accept that the Victorians came up with classic designs, which although clearly of an era, actually stand the test of time?

Harold Smart
The only one close to a good design is no 2 the others look terrible and not in tradition of the town.

Charlie Bryer
An "up-to-date building which also reflects the tradition of being the centre-piece of a Victorian seafront"? All these designs meet the first criteria, clearly however, none meet the second. Although some designs look exciting in the pictures, will the reality come close? They seem a little dependant on what appears to be a tropical sunset background. When was the last time anyone witnessed that in W-S-M? As for design no.4; the cheese wedge, the pier appears to have been transplanted to Dubai.

DAVID L E FISHER
Design 2 for me the others are much too futurist