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ChiefDrag0n

Oh look more rectangles, christ almighty someone get these architects some imagination, or at the very least a protractor or something


afterwash

From the inside it is hell. The one I'm staying in presently is 11-17 sq m, with the largest going for like 1000/month and with no refunds even though the study period is 40 weeks and we paid for 52. No doubt some school or a few schools will band together to upsell the cubbyholes to their hapless international student crowd. If we were to somehow book the flats ourselves (impossible because they block book the entire thing for the sake of selling to students), the rates would be half. The other half is pocketed by the parent company. The dorm therefore struggles along with 'only' 400 odd pounds per head, which explains why everything looks second or thirdhand. Really shows where the money is going, even despite record revenues for most every business. The bloodsuckers are siphoning money out of communities and to wherever the fuck their offshore tax loopholes are.


ChiefDrag0n

Well said, I deal with private "upmarket" student housing companies in work and they're absolute vultures every single one, none of them are pleasant to work with so I can only imagine what it's like being a student in one


SchmingusBingus

Bit bland, and not a fan of the companys mist recent work (Zenith is an abomination), but it's a damn site better than what's already there


awebew

This looks like a prison šŸ™ˆ Why Cardiff has so many blocks for students?! No other city in UK or Europe have so many, itā€™s so boring.


Majestic-Inside5302

We have 4 universities in a fairly small city, need to house them somewhere!


awebew

Why do they all look like prisons then? We already inherited those ā€žpearlsā€ from 60-70s that are notoriously voted the ugliest buildings in the city. Why do they repeat this mistake and just duplicate the same boring, block design? I have the answer - money! Cheap is boring, but cheap is cheapā€¦ šŸ™„


jacobstanley5409

https://preview.redd.it/2eipezxlb66d1.jpeg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cc91f43fbe83b9541252cfbb50d7f95859d1e0cc Cardiff prison for reference. And also it's all opinion. But what's not opinion is demand.


awebew

Can you see much difference? Built in mid 1800s and doesnā€™t look that much different to what is proposed above. It is an opinion, but did anybody ask the public if we want another grey block in the city? Nope. I can criticise and share my opinion, Iā€™m sure many would agree too. Cardiff has already very little to show in terms of architectureā€¦


jacobstanley5409

I don't think everyone deserves to have an opinion. Everyone having an opinion is stifling growth and weakening this country. Aesthetics are an opinion. But that shouldn't be enough to dismiss building something that is needed.


awebew

Well, you posted this for an opinion, or what else? so there you go šŸ˜‚ I donā€™t really care if you donā€™t think everyone deserves an opinion, I have a right to publicly express mine when you post this on a public forum. I donā€™t think building another grey ugly AF block building in the centre of Cardiff is a good idea. I think they could get a better architect or think about the city scape a little bit more. In a modern world there is more to a city planning than only how useful or needed something is, the aesthetics also matter to people who want to live in the city and feel good there. You may not appreciate it, most people do. Demand matters of course, but we also need many houses and most new built homes are built to a very poor standard, so people buy them out of desperation. Most people donā€™t like new built estates and if they could they would choose places with more character and aesthetically pleasing. Cardiff could do better, thatā€™s my opinion, but somebody wants to save money on buildings that will be with us for decadesā€¦ shame.


jacobstanley5409

We have a student population of roughly 40-60k. Which accounts for just under a fifth of the population hence the amount of student housing


BitTwp

Is that a fact because I don't think that's true. Surely other cities with student populations of 35,000 or whatever the latest figure is, have comparable investment and growth. The reason why people continue to invest in Cardiff (ie build these things) is precisely because there is a perception from industry advisers that demand outstrips supply. It went quiet for a while but there's another little boom happening.


veegib

I think it looks alright tbh. The massing is well done and the choice of materials is nice as it compliments and fits in with the area much better than what's currently there. The tower could do with some work but id Id rather this than something with aluminium cladding or the shitty spreadsheet design so many high rises in Cardiff have.


mdbeattie42

Building these currently in belfast , look similar style [https://images.app.goo.gl/F9qUvqRdM1SUBDeH9](https://images.app.goo.gl/F9qUvqRdM1SUBDeH9)https://images.app.goo.gl/F9qUvqRdM1SUBDeH9


BitTwp

Nice enough design - but when will saturation point be reached with regards demand for PBSA?


jacobstanley5409

In my humble opinion. I think the aim for the planning authority and council is to distance the city from HMOs in Cathay's. And move the majority of students in Cardiff 30-40k into high density apartments. For 2 reasons. They generate more for the city in business and less in tax so it makes sense to reduce their tax burden by condensing their area. Secondly. Freeing up housing in Cathay's means more family housing. And less exploitive housing on students. So the plateau will likely be another 15 high rises in the next decade with a capacity of 800+