Hammersmith Society 2019 Environment Awards Open

2018 winner - Queen's Wharf Building

Nominations for the Hammersmith Society 2019 Environment Awards are now open.

If there is a new building in our neighbourhood that you like and admire - or even one you loathe - now is your chance to put it forward: for an Award - or a Wooden Spoon.

The 2019 Awards will be presented at the Society’s  AGM at Olympia on 12th June at 7.00pm at Olympia. The deadline for nominations is 15 May.

Hammersmith Society Awards 2018

Queen's Wharf building - award winner

The Hammersmith Society, guardians of good architecture in our neighbourhood, recently announced the 2018 winners of its annual awards.

There were two Main Awards given in 2018, for the Queen’s Wharf (see photo left) and Riverside Walk, Hammersmith, W6.

And, of course, there were wooden spoons for the new buildings which make our neighbourhood worse, not better.

Vanishing Hammersmith & Shepherd's Bush

Crane on Shepherd's Bush road

One remarkable feature of London life is the speed with which old buildings are demolished. You walk down a street and you see a big hole, and wonder - what used to be there?

This happened to me on Saturday, walking down Shepherd's Bush Road from Hammersmith, watching a huge crane (left) building another huge crane, on top of a huge new building site on the west side of the street.

What building had been there before, prior to demolition? Something beautiful? Something ugly? I could not remember.

Hammersmith Society 2018 Awards Now Open

Nominations for the Hammersmith Society 2018 Environment Awards are now open.

If there is a new building in our neighbourhood that you like and admire - or even one you hate - now is your chance to put it forward: for an Award - or a Wooden Spoon.

The 2018 Awards will be presented at the Society’s AGM on 5th July, 7.00pm at the Bush Theatre, Uxbridge Road, Shepherd’s Bush. The deadline for submissions is 16 May.

Sad News from the Hammersmith Society

Tom Ryland

Tom Ryland, chair of the Hammersmith Society, the organisation that campaigns for better architecture and better living spaces in our neighbourhood, has died.

Tom Ryland had been on the Committee for many years, and Vice Chairman for some twelve years, before becoming Chairman nearly three years ago - a role to which he brought his knowledge as an architect, a lively interest in local affairs and a belief that it was always possible to do things better.

Consultation on Cycle Superhighway 29 Jan

Cycle Super Highway

Concerned about the proposed new "Cycle Superhighway" that will cut a swathe through Chiswick?

If you want your voice to be heard, show up at the Town Hall on Monday 29th January 1t 7pm, when there is to be an "interim report" to the Council’s (snappily named) "Community Safety, Environment and Residents Service Policy and Accountability Committee".

Sounds dull? It might be, but it might also be a rare opportunity to have your say on the proposed new cycle route. You can see full details here:

http://democracy.lbhf.gov.uk/documents/s97710/CS9%20PAC%20report%20290118.pdf

Hammersmith Society Awards

Last night the Hammersmith Society announced this year’s winners of its annual awards, presented by Cllr Michael Cartwright, Mayor of Hammersmith and Fulham. The ceremony was held at the Hammersmith Society AGM on Wednesday 21 June.

Every year the Hammersmith Society hands out awards for good architecture in our neighbourhood - and wooden spoons for bad projects which make our urban environment worse.

So, who were the winners (and losers) this year?

Hammersmith Society 2017 Environment Awards

Nominations for the Hammersmith Society 2017 Environment Awards are now open.

If there is a new building in our neighbourhood that you like and admire - or even one you hate - now is your chance to put it forward: for an award - or a wooden spoon.

The 2017 Awards will be presented at the Society’s AGM on Thursday 21 June, 7.00pm at the Dorsett Hotel, Shepherd’s Bush Green, W12.

Awards from The Hammersmith Society

Last week we reported on The Hammersmith Society's "wooden spoon" awards, for new architecture in our neighbourhood which got it wrong, and missed an opportunity to enhance our streets.

But the Hammersmith society doesn't only blow rasberries. Their Environmental Awards are primarily designed to praise good architecture which enhances our public spaces and adds to the beauty of our neighbourhood. Right now, there is a lot of building going on, and this year four awards were handed out for excellent schemes which helped to make our Borough a better place to live.  

Wooden Spoons from The Hammersmith Society

Last night The Hammersmith Society, the organisation that campaigns for good architecture and good civic design in our neighbourhood, announced the winners of its annual "Wooden Spoon" Awards. 

A bit like the "Razzies" in Los Angeles (an award that no Hollywood film-maker wants to win) Wooden Spoons go to buildings which have made our neighbourhood worse, not better. Wooden Spoons are a way of "naming and shaming" the new build which misses a chance to improve our streets.  

This year the Hammersmith Society awarded three Wooden Spoon awards.

Former Hammersmith Society Chair Launches Clean Air Petition

London Fog - how it used to be

Rosemary Pettit, former chair of the Hammersmith Society, has launched a petition to clean up London's air. The petition is titled: "Mayor of London: Clean Up London's Air", and aims to persuade whoever wins in the May elections to prioritise the improvement of air quality in London.

Rosemary was appointed by our Council to be chair of the the Hammersmith & Fulham Commission on Air Quality last year.  Her position is non-political and she takes no position on who should win in May.

What Is The Hammersmith Society And What Does It Do?

1950s London saw a great expansion of road building, with multi-lane highways blasting their way through the city. The Great West Road opened in 1955, and was closely followed by the Hammersmith Flyover in 1961, severing Hammersmith in two and smashing much elegant Victorian housing.

The Hammersmith Society was founded in 1962 by local residents who had fought the roads, seeking to oppose any further destruction of their neighbourhood. Chairman Tom Ryland explains why its work still matters and where the new battle lines are drawn.