Western-Super-Mare’s new Grand Pier opened in 2010, after the 1904 structure made headlines when it was destroyed by fire in 2008. Angus Meek won the design competition with what seemed like an exciting proposal (above), keeping some classic pavilion elements like the corner towers but with a design for Western’s future. A highly glazed front to draw you in and bright colours to take you down the boardwalk to the side of the pavilion.

Recently I visited the pier. Having grown up with Penarth Pier on my doorstop (about to start its own redevelopment) I was interested to experience something similar but on a grander scale. In reality, I found the final build uninspiring. Gone are the modern corner towers; I was presented with domed white structures with small spires. The dark semi glazed entrance did little to invite me in and sadly the only way to get the best views was dining in an empty but uninviting events room.

Photographs on Flickr.

Winning Concept © Angus Meek

Having watched Tron: Legacy, I was struck by the epic sets and both futuristic and semi-dystopian cities. I was new to the world of Tron but the film and visuals were captivating. A quick search finds out that it’s directed by Joseph Kosinski who studied architecture at GSAPP Columbia followed by starting a web design firm. Ahhh! this makes sense.

Sam Flynn’s container home caught my eye the most, with me still in a love-hate relationship with container designs. Sadly it was a temporary structure in South Vancouver and was torn down. Flynn’s approach on his bike and garage door entrance are brilliantly shot.

“The shipping container house style was chosen because [director Joseph Kosinski] and our production designer, Darren Gilford, couldn’t find a house for Sam Flynn in Vancouver with suitable architecture and as designers both were interested in retro-fitted shipping containers as living spaces.”

The lighting and views of the bridge are stunning, however my issues with container homes still stand: they are sold on being ‘green’. Recycling containers as buildings must be ‘green’, right? Not necessarily. In actual fact there are many additional cost and materials needed to insulate and create usable living space from a thin metal shell – but screw it, they look sweet.

The design has been compared to the Quik House by Adam Kalkin a prefab house ‘kit’ which seems like an awesome project ‘delivering’ houses anywhere in the US/UK. Now, go watch the film.

Source: jetsongreen.com / Concept Art ©Disney Enterprises, Inc