Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth
Gunwharf Quays is a mixed use development in Portsmouth and is claimed to be UK's premier world class shopping, leisure and residential waterfront development. As a major tourist destination it attracts millions of visitors every year.
Even those who have never visited may well recognise its iconic landmark, the Spinnaker Tower, which forms a backdrop to many TV broadcasts of naval and yachting events.
However, few people will know that the site and many of its buildings have a very long history, some of which goes back to Henry VIII and the earliest days of the Royal Navy.
Michael Underwood, who was the project architect for the historic buildings, tells the whole story of the site and details the way in which the major redevelopment took place.
There is much content that will be of interest to construction engineers. The form, structure and techniques used to build the quay walls will be of interest to those interested in traditional construction. Also of interest are the ways in which the overall layout of the naval base has been changed and redeveloped over the centuries by military engineers for unexpected purposes and uses.
It would be a mistake to see the book simply as a glossy tourist guide; albeit that it fills that role admirably. Any engineer engaged in city redevelopment and masterplanning will find that it is an important case study into the ways in which a derelict facility, containing many listed buildings, can be successfully redeveloped for a new, civilian, use. These are lessons not to be ignored or overlooked.
