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Interested in any memories of Trent's Newton Building prior to the 1980s, when I worked there - I was told it was originally designed in the 1930s, but the plans had to be mothballed due to the war/lack of finance after, hence construction being delayed until the late 1950s. Previous to starting at Trent Poly, I worked at Loughborough University; my boss there had trained at Nottingham Tech, and told me that in the city it was known as 'the Kulturpalast' due to being thought similar to Stalinist architecture of the period! I was also told that originally it was planned to be the centre one of triplets, with the buildings on either side being angled so the 3 formed an arrowhead. Given the topography of that bit of Nottingham, I doubt this last, but I would certainly like to hear any stories anyone has about the place!

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In my opinion it's easily the ugliest building in the city even though it's just had a multi million pound refurb. Others may have a  different view and it has been granted 'listed' status so someone must think it has merit. Strange to say although I attended when it was the tech and the NTU I've never actually been inside it.

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2 hours ago, letsavagoo said:

I would consider myself a traditionalist but I have to say I do rather like the Newton building. 

I'd agree. There are quite a few ugly monstrosities in the city centre worse than that.

 

9 hours ago, Fishfinger said:

 I was told it was originally designed in the 1930s, but the plans had to be mothballed due to the war/lack of finance after, hence construction being delayed until the late 1950s. 

I've read that somewhere as well. It certainly wasn't built in the late 40s as this shows - Newton would occupy the white space in the centre.

iFkQG2S.jpg

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My first recollection of the Newton Building was in the late 1950s when on a school trip to the Nottingham Playhouse which was then on Goldsmith Street. The Newton building was opposite, big and very impressive (to me then, anyway). I felt quite envious of the students I saw in there and remember wondering if I would ever be amongst them.

Fast forward to 1962 and I found that I had been accepted on the full-time GCE 'A' level course at the then Nottingham and District Technical College. I spent two quite successful years there based in the Newton Building.

I then found myself going part-time day release based in the old University College building (Goldsmith building is it called now?) but using the facilities provided by the main Newton building (library, canteen/restaurant, Students Union). This was up until 1968.

The Newton Building always struck me as being 'pompous' - having a grandeur it didn't deserve - somewhat akin to the municipal buildings encountered in Southampton.

I wouldn't say it's the ugliest building in Nottingham - there seem to be an awful lot of contenders for that 'honour' which have sprung up since I left.

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I don’t mind the look of the building, so much better than other monstrosities they threw up a few years later.   The Peregrine Falcons enjoy rearing their young up there too, lovely to watch the proceedings on the installed cameras.

Despite once owning a Tech College scarf when I was a Mod in the 60s I’ve only ever been inside the building once and that was to see Geno Washington and The Ram Jam Band play in 1967/68

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I must be a minority, I've always admired it. It was very possibly an earlier design as mentioned, the Art Deco style was outdated when it was built late '50s. The architect, Thomas Cecil Howitt was also responsible for some other striking buildings you may be familiar with, the Council House and Nottingham University Portland Building. Oh, don't forget Home Brewery too.

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I remember the the Building first appearing in view from my classroom at Padstow school,,,some 5 miles away,, late 50s.

                               Just read up on Thomas Cecil Howitt,,,interesting local man ,, born Watnall road,, Hucknall,, and died in the village of Orston Notts.

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22 hours ago, Jill Sparrow said:

Pity it wasn't there when the Luftwaffe paid a visit to that area but, had it been, I suppose we would now have something even worse!

Oh, you would! I've had the dubious pleasure of seeing the proposals made in the 1960s for the new 'civic centre', which would have stretched from Newton up to the crossroads with the St Ann's Road on Mansfield Rd, along the bottom of the Arboretum, and back up Goldsmith St. They make Maid Marian Way look like a model of sympathic planning in scale with the rest of the city - horrendous! :(

 

I personally rather like Newton myself - I always think it's like a big dog that's so ugly you can't help being fond of it, and certainly, there are far worse monstrosities in the city from the Brutalist era, definitely designed with malice aforethought, and mostly already decaying badly!

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