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Farrells

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This article is about an architecture and urban design firm. For the restaurant chain, seeFarrell's Ice Cream Parlour.

Farrells
IndustryArchitecture and planning
Founded1965;59 years ago(1965)
FounderTerry Farrell
HeadquartersLondon and Hong Kong
Area served
Worldwide
ServicesArchitectural design,urban design,master planning,interior design,sustainable design,transportation planning
Websitefarrells

Farrellsis an architecture andurban designfirm founded by Britisharchitect-plannerTerry Farrellwith offices inLondon,Manchester,Hong Kong,andShanghai.The firm has won numerous awards for their characteristic mixed-use schemes,transit-oriented development,contextual urban placemaking, and cultural buildings.[1]

Origins

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Terry Farrell began his professional career in 1961 at the architecture department of theLondon County Council,where he met fellow staff architectNicholas Grimshaw.[2]The two became close friends, and in 1965 they founded the Farrell/Grimshaw Partnership, sharing their office for some time withArchigram.[3]They were also part of a "new wave" ofBritishfirms experimenting withhigh-tech architecture.[4]During this period Farrell/Grimshaw produced several pioneering works of high-tech, flexible buildings such as the125 Park Roadhousing cooperative (1970) and theHerman Millerfactory inBath(1976); both of which have since been awardedGrade II listingbyEnglish Heritage.[5][6]Grimshaw left the firm in 1980 to foundGrimshaw Architects,while Farrell continued to work from their Paddington Street office.

Work

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Growth in Britain

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Embankment Place, the air-rights development over Charing Cross railway station (1990)

The newly christenedTerry Farrell and Partnersmarried high-tech architecture to Farrell's growing interest inpostmodernism,building conversion, and sensitiveurban design.London was brimming with outmoded industrial buildings, which Farrell preferred to retain and repurpose rather than demolish. The firm completed numerous renovations characterised as "friendly adaptation of existing buildings".[7]Both theTV-amandLimehouse Studiosschemes transformed derelict industrial sheds into broadcasting studios. In 1987 the firm moved from the ex-Farrell/Grimshaw office into aMarylebonebuilding formerly home to an aero-tyre factory, which they renovated to become the Hatton Street Studios.

Large-scale new build commissions in London such asEmbankment Place(1990),Alban Gate(1992), andVauxhall Cross(1994) cemented Farrell's status as Britain's "premier postmodernist".[8]Farrell dismissed the term, insisting that his primary concerns are not about style, but rather urban space and a rejection of the "clean sweep" approach of traditional modernism.[9]

Home Office building, London (2005)

Small-scale urban regeneration and conservation work, such as theComyn Ching Trianglescheme (1982–1990), bolstered the firm's reputation for contextual urban design.[10]The company conducted numerous master plans over the subsequent decades, including many in the London area. In East London, the firm was appointed to plan various projects in theDocklandsandThames Gatewayregions. They have also developed revitalisation schemes for urban quarters includingRegent's Place,Greenwich Peninsula,theChelsea Waterfront,andConvoys Wharf.In 2010, the firm was appointed master planner for the long-term redevelopment of an area ofEarl's Courtsurrounding the now-closedEarls Court Exhibition Centre.Terry Farrell rejected "big architecture" the site, stating: "I don’t think this masterplan is about the buildings. That’s starting at the wrong end of the process. Issues of height and density aren’t starting points. You have instead to talk about things like the street and its width and what makes a good city."[11]

At the 2013 invitation ofEd Vaizey,theMinister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries,Farrells commenced theFarrell Review of Architecture and the Built Environmentmeant to offer expert guidance on the direction of British architecture.[12]The firm assembled a team of leading experts in architecture and urban design and conducted an extensive consultation process. In 2014 the Farrell Review report was published, providing 60 recommendations to government.[13]The report was well-received and government moved to place design higher on the agenda, starting by shifting the ministerial oversight of architecture from theDepartment of Culture, Media and Sportto theDepartment for Communities and Local Government,and by forming a new parliamentaryselect committeeon the built environment.[14]

Hong Kong expansion

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Kowloon station and the Union Square development (1998–2010)

The Hong Kong office, incorporated asTFP Farrells,was founded in 1991. It was set up when the firm won an international competition to design the newPeak Tower,which opened in 1997 and was later featured on Hong Kong's$20 banknotes.[15]The firm then won a competition to design theBritish Council/Consulate-Generalcomplex inAdmiralty.This commission, announced byMargaret Thatcherin 1988, held significance as Britain's lasting presence in Hong Kong following the 1997transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong.[16]

TFP Farrells developed a strong reputation in urban transportation infrastructure beginning with the design forKowloon station(opened 1998) and the associatedUnion Squaremaster plan, one of the largest air-rights developments on earth which includes the tallest tower in Hong Kong, theInternational Commerce Centre.The Ground Transportation Centre atIncheon International Airport,Seoul (2001) serves five different rail systems and won several awards. The firm subsequently won commissions to design additional MTR stations in Hong Kong (namelyTsuen Wan West,Kennedy Town,To Kwa Wan,Sung Wong Toi) in addition to railway stations in Johannesburg (threeGautrainstations) and Singapore (Punggol station). In recent years the firm has expanded intoMainland China,opening a Shanghai branch office and completing two of Asia's largest railway stations:Beijing South(2008) andGuangzhou South(2010).

Beijing South railway station (2008)

In addition, the firm has designed numerous landmark skyscrapers in Asia. TheKK100tower inShenzhen,completed 2011, is the tallest building ever realised by a British architect.[17]TheVattanac Capital Tower(2014) is the tallest building inCambodia.The 528-metreChina Zunin theBeijing central business districtwill be the tallest building in the Chinese capital upon completion in 2018.[18]In 2014, the firm won a competition to design the first six skyscrapers to be built in theQianhaispecial economic zone, two of which topped out in 2015.[19][20]InJinan,Shandong, TFP Farrells is designing a 518-metre tall tower forEvergrande Groupwhich will become one of China's tallest buildings upon completion.[21]Though these Chinese skyscraper commissions represent a major shift in tempo from the firm's earlier work in the United Kingdom, the projects attempt to retain human-scale and pedestrian-oriented characteristics with an aim to achieving urban vibrancy.[22]

The Hong Kong office has grown steadily over the past years and, despite handling all the firm's growth in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions, maintains a significant presence in local Hong Kong architecture. Working in partnership with Swiss architectsHerzog & de Meuron,the firm was among six teams shortlisted for the competition to design the prominentM+museum at theWest Kowloon Cultural District.Their design won in 2013 and construction of the museum recently commenced.[23]TFP Farrells has been retained by theMTR Corporationfor numerous ongoing projects including station upgrades, theSha Tin to Central Link,theExpress Rail Link,and theWest Island line.TheKennedy Town Swimming Pool,opened in stages between 2011 and 2016, is one of Hong Kong's most recognisable new public buildings, bearing a triangular form that has been likened to a futuristicspaceship.[24][25]

Notable projects

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Vauxhall Cross, London (1994)
The Deep aquarium, Hull (2002)
Guangzhou South railway station (2010)
Kennedy Town station, Hong Kong (2014)

Notes

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  1. ^"Awards".Farrells.Retrieved3 March2015.
  2. ^Farrell 2004,p. 64.
  3. ^Farrell 2004,p. 112.
  4. ^Stevens, Ted (11 December 1980). "Putting the tech into architecture".New Scientist.
  5. ^Waite, Richard (2 September 2013)."Farrell and Grimshaw's Bath factory listed".Architects Journal.Retrieved12 February2015.
  6. ^"Farrell Grimshaw first".Architects Journal.10 January 2002.Retrieved12 February2015.
  7. ^Davies 2013,p. 75.
  8. ^Allinson, Ken; Thornton, Victoria (2014).London's Contemporary Architecture: An Explorer's Guide.Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.
  9. ^Davies 2013,p. 81.
  10. ^"1982–90 Comyn Ching, Seven Dials, Covent Garden UK".Higgs Young Architects.Archived fromthe originalon 16 February 2015.Retrieved16 February2015.
  11. ^Lyall, Sutherland (July 2010)."Grand plans are afoot in Earls Court as Terry Farrell reveals his masterplan".The Architectural Review.
  12. ^"The Farrell Review".Farrells. Archived fromthe originalon 10 February 2015.Retrieved16 February2015.
  13. ^Mark, Laura (1 April 2014)."Farrell Review: the 60 recommendations".Architects Journal.Retrieved9 April2015.
  14. ^Hopkirk, Elizabeth (10 March 2015)."Parliament to create built environment select committee".Building.Retrieved9 April2015.
  15. ^Rosi 2008,p. 11.
  16. ^"'Street level style' for consulate ".South China Morning Post.11 August 1992. p. 3.
  17. ^Glancey, Jonathan (31 January 2012)."The tower and the glory: Terry Farrell's KK100".The Guardian.Retrieved16 February2015.
  18. ^"China Zun (Z15)".Arup.Retrieved3 March2015.
  19. ^"Farrells to masterplan two sites in Shenzhen's Qianhai financial district".Dezeen.13 February 2014.Retrieved3 March2015.
  20. ^Zhang, Xiaoyu (5 February 2015)."First buildings in Qianhai".Shenzhen Daily.
  21. ^"Terry Farrell sets sights over 500 metres with new Chinese skyscraper".Dezeen.16 May 2014.Retrieved3 March2015.
  22. ^"The One Excellence Master Plan".Indesign Live.14 January 2015.Retrieved3 March2015.
  23. ^"Construction Updates".West Kowloon Cultural District Authority. November 2014.Retrieved3 March2015.Following the award of foundation work contract, the M+ building has moved from detailed design to construction.
  24. ^"Structural Excellence of Re-provisioning of Kennedy Town Swimming Pool (West Island Line)".Hong Kong Institute of Engineers. Archived fromthe originalon 17 April 2015.Retrieved3 March2015.
  25. ^Lam, Anita (20 May 2009)."Swimmers will be charged just HK$19 when luxury pool opens in Kennedy Town".South China Morning Post.Retrieved3 March2015.
  26. ^"Qianhai and Hong Kong Are Complements to Collective Growth".Colliers International.6 August 2014.Retrieved3 March2015.
  27. ^Clark, Tim (20 February 2017)."Farrells scoops Singapore high speed station".Building Design.
  28. ^Braidwood, Ella (24 February 2017)."Farrells bags Singapore high speed station".Architects' Journal.
Bibliography
  • Davies, Emma, ed. (2013).Collage and Context.London: Laurence King.ISBN9781780672755.
  • Farrell, Terry (2004).Place: A Story of Modelmaking, Menageries and Paper Rounds.London: Laurence King.ISBN1856693325.
  • Rosi, Adele (2008).UK > HK.Hong Kong: MCCM Creations.ISBN9889984296.
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