It was the last chance to see Gatesheads car-park landmark this weekend before demolition, and finally a chance to get to the top... there was quite a turn out. I've never seen so many cameras!
Not sure all of these people were happy about being photographed!
Soon as I see the car park or hear the word Gateshead I start to hum the Roy Budd theme music to the 'Get Carter' film. Its that iconic a place. However, as a piece of architecture, right on the skyline, I am not so sure. Being a Conservation and Design Officer in a local authority (other side of the pennines from you) I feel I should be a bit more certain as to its merits or otherwise but I never am. 60s concrete is just not my thing, especially when it's as stark a construction as the multi-storey car park. Its real cultural value seems to me to be more associated with cine history and not pure design so I always err on the side of it just not being significant enough. Still, when all the 60s designed buildings are nearly gone, we'll no doubt get around to re-evaluating them.
The film and the incident portrayed made the building. Probably the best British film noir ever made. It is an ugly early 1970s multi storey car park fitting a bleak and ugly early 70s period and psyche but it matched the "era to come" exactly. Shades of T Dan Smith and John Poulson.
We happened to park there on a freezing cold drab day in February without at first realising where we were. Ironically and reflecting the theme of the film, the wife and I were in Gateshead to attend my cousin's funeral.
The film is so iconic that even my 28 year old son asked immediately on my return if I had photographed it and he wasn't born until 9 years after the film had been made. He has the film and soundtrack.
I talked to the attendant( a native and of about my age) that day of my visit and he had perfected the Michael Caine accent for a few well know phrases. Not easy for a Geordie but he had worked at it. That's how much the film had got to him as well.
If you haven't seen the film the first time around and lived through the era that was about to dawn on Newcastle/Gateshead and Britain as a whole to some extent, then its an ugly and meaningless building but if you have then it's a powerful icon and made all the more poignant because a good number of the actors are now dead and although it seems like yesterday to me, it suddenly hits you that it is history and history is something that you can still feel if you lived through it but you cannot convey the zeitgeist to others who haven't lived throught it, forcing you to seek out those who were there with you for a "fix" which the brain cells demand.
Hell in my book is defined as living 40 years longer than any of your contemporaries and having only well meaning people trying but utterly failing to empathise with your emotions. The "empty nods of the heads" that young attendants in old folks homes give when "Old Joe" recalls a WWII experience and realising the futility of the recall then wishes he were dead.
There will be a few more of the carpark when i get a chance to develop the next couple of rolls. Apparently demolition doesn't actually start until later in the year. There will still be access up-to the 7th floor until June.
Jim Thanks. I am pleased you've been able to confirm this. The attendant that day in Feb said as much and when I saw your shot and details I thought I had lost any chance of another visit. I never did take a picture then and I'll maybe go back if I get a chance,knowing I have a little time left.