Euston is light, airy and spacious - why is it so unpopular?
Ike Ijeh鈥檚 put-downs ( 鈥� (21 June, page 36) include that the station that it is 鈥渁nodyne and inhuman鈥�, 鈥渃offin-like鈥�, 鈥渕onolithic鈥�, 鈥済loomy鈥�, 鈥渟terile鈥�, and 鈥渟eething with architectural spite and aggression鈥�.
Clearly he doesn鈥檛 like Euston and is dismayed that it is not to be re-built as the London terminus of HS2. The architectural establishment have never liked it either, so he is ingood company.
But why is it so unpopular? Despite running over three pages, his article doesn鈥檛 get round to actually telling us which of its features fail.
Between 1964 and 2000, Euston was my regular portal when visiting London, and I always found the concourse all that a major national station should be: a light, airy spacious box, built of robust materials. Pedestrian communication from platform to the street, the Undergound or the taxi rank were all excellent. It compared well with Waterloo and Paddington. Do St Pancras or King鈥檚 Cross provide anything better, or just a great architectural experience and a lot of expensive shops? A major disadvantage was the hassle of getting to Euston Square, but the refurb will cure that.
What the invective does not mention is the grim platform zone with its low concrete soffits. And, inexplicably, that Euston as HS2鈥檚 terminus will not be connected to Crossrail.
Perhaps on mature reflection, we might agree that HS2鈥檚 decision not to re-build was not such a bad idea?
Malcolm Taylor FRICS, Lancaster
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