Creativity
and inspiring buildings - symbols of the modern ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½, says Greg Dyke
Creative
people need inspiring environments, a principle at the heart of
the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s new property vision said Director-General Greg Dyke today
(27 January 2003).
"As
one of the nation's great cultural institutions the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ has a responsibility
to apply the same creative rigour and ambition which we apply to
our programmes to our buildings. And that's why we are being bold
and confident so that we contribute again to the nation's architectural
and cultural heritage," he told the British Property Federation
Conference in Newport.
Mr
Dyke said he believed that in order to fulfil the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s ambition
of being "the world's most creative organisation" the
staff needed "working environments which inspire and excite
them... environments which expand their horizons, not limit them."
He
claimed there would be "no more Ceacescu Towers" - a reference
to the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s White City building opened 10 years ago.
The
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s long term property strategy, one of the UK's most ambitious
building and renewal programmes, is being undertaken at no extra
cost to the licence fee payer.
Mr
Dyke said the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ needed properties which were accessible to everyone,
especially the public.
"They
will make a difference to the people that work in them and the communities
that live around them," he said.
Radio
and television stations across the UK are being refurbished or moved
to more accessible city centre sites, such as the Mailbox in Birmingham.
Speaking
about the new plans for redevelopment of the Broadcasting House
site in central London, Mr Dyke said that while the emphasis on
quality and authority was unquestionable, the existing building
itself is "patriarchal, even frightening" and that "today
the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ needs buildings which connect with our audiences, not buildings
that frighten them".
He
added: "The "new" Broadcasting House will represent
today's ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ in today's Britain. Like the old Broadcasting House
I hope it will be a national landmark, an iconic building, something
which represents respect for our heritage and out passionate faith
in the future."
My
Dyke spoke of the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s new Open Centres as an example of places
which "reflect the values and ethos of the modern ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½",
offering welcoming access to a range of ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ services, local radio,
internet and on-line learning, to members of the local community.
Notes
to Editors
The
speech in full
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½
wins top architecture accolade (10.09.02)
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½
engages top architectural practices to realise architectural vision
across UK (25.07.02)
ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½
welcomes positive planning decision on Broadcasting House (28.06.02)
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