Recently I toured Bracknell's most famous and only social housing high rise tower block as part of Bracknell open heritage days.Point Royal (also know as 'the threepenny bit’) was built in 1964 as part of the second neighbourhood project within the new town master plan. Its a seventeen storey block of residential flats designed by Arup Associates, famous for the design of the Sydney Opera House. It is situated in Easthampstead Park Estate within the conservation area.
I went there holding a negative view of tower blocks as they were part of a social experiment that frankly didn't work. I also did not agree with the listing of them. However after speaking to a local resident who showed me around the block after the tour of Easthampstead I now understand the importance of keeping some buildings. Tower blocks don't always work not only because of the design but also for a number of reasons like in some cases resident selection or lack of it. I was told by a long time resident that there used to be a selection that used to involve the local community process which is no longer used.
As with my flats, residents have to cope with the usual social ills of drugs and drink and occasionally mental health issues. It is just as possible to hide away and not interact socially in houses as it is in flats. It also depends on your neighbours and your relationships with them and your willingness to engage.
One surprising feature of the Point Royal is the fire escape route. You go around the outside of the building past the windows and then go into the staircase. Another interesting feature is the car park, this was once an open space, now gated off to protect the vehicles. Its hard to see the route in which adds a bit of mystery and is contained within the hill, built in a circle around the bottom of the building. The base of the tower has a large mass of concrete in an almost space age landscape.I have taken some pictures of the area please take a look.
http://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/environment/env-planning-and-development/env-conservation-areas/env-bracknell-forest-conservation-areas/env-easthampstead-conservation-area.htm
I used to live in pointroyal and loved it. I really miss it. I'm hoping that some of the residents old and new will join the Pointroyal Facebook page and add photos and interesting memories and items about Pointroyal
ReplyDeleteNeil, read your post, u are a bit off my topic, but....
ReplyDeleteI have to amit I do not know anything about this but I would add that the UK went into yugoslav under the UN banner (I actually have a friend who is a Royal Engineer and saw his friend killed when a truck went over a mine.). Personally this Lib Dem was not a Lib Dem at the time. If the Lib Dems are guity are not all parties guilty as we were not in power. Are not all countrys guilty who got involved, why single us out. There are libs in every county involved in the UN force.
Anyway calling us Nazi's is a little strong?
I would ask yourself this What would of happened if there was no intervention? how many Serbs over time would of died if the war was allowed to continue?
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ReplyDeleteWTF have any of the 3 comments above got to do with Point Royal
ReplyDeleteI was a Bracknell Retained firefighter and attended a flat fire on 16th floor back in 2007/8 I think it was. Had to run up all those damn stairs lol I was entry control officer for the breathing apparatus team. so never got to go in and I always wondered.....are the rooms triangle shape? haha
ReplyDeleteThe living rooms and entrance halls are non-rectangular, otherwise all the internal rooms have n ormal right angles in them
DeleteThey are triangular, the lounge is very awkward shape to fit furniture, I designed the kitchens in these flats about 15 year's ago.
DeleteI Once knew a nice girl from the 7th floor,but she never liked me becouse i was the devil
ReplyDeletesorry for all hope u are well k from n
ReplyDeletekate sorry shes moved to ireland now !
DeleteWe lived on the 6th floor from about '65 to '67. Very nice flat with great views. There was a residents' association so got to meet lots of other tenants. Only downside was a murder on the floor above - but you can't blame Point Royal for that!
ReplyDeleteGrand Canyon bus tours are a hit with budget travelers. If you should find yourself in Las Tour Travel Hotels definitely sign up for one of these adventures. All trips are a full-day extravaganza that you'll never forget!
ReplyDeleteI'm Heatherwood born Bracknell bred, like most people from Bracknell, apart from the ones that came out in one of the bogs down the Newtown Pippin, when the somewhat not sober mother of 4 by 4 different members of Bracknell's upstanding citizens "thought she needed a big sh*t".
ReplyDeleteI've not been as entertained from reading a bit of historical hometown glory like this in many, many years. The Bracknell life is something special and something all Bracknellians love, sometimes unknowingly (the youth, also known as "chavs, are the main culprits), and in their moments of thought of where they could, or could have resided. Bracknell is the only place they will be truly happy. Until they're not, which happens sometimes.
I'm too battered to continue. This has made my night though. RG12! RG12!
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