{"product_id":"derwent-tower-dunston-miniature-concrete-model","title":"Derwent Tower, Dunston – Miniature Concrete Model","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eModel 087_Derwent Tower, Dunston – Miniature Concrete Model\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003eHand-cast in fine concrete. Shaped by memory.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eSome buildings disappear from the skyline but remain firmly in the memory of a place.\u003cbr\u003eDerwent Tower stood above Dunston, near Gateshead, as one of the North East's most distinctive post-war landmarks. Designed by the Owen Luder Partnership for Whickham Council, construction began in 1968 and the tower opened in 1971. Its unusual profile quickly earned it the local nickname \u003cstrong\u003e\"Dunston Rocket\"\u003c\/strong\u003e, a name that stayed with it throughout its life. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eIts form grew partly from the difficult ground beneath it. The 29-storey tower required an unusual sunken concrete caisson foundation and dramatic structural supports, helping create the powerful silhouette that made it unlike almost any other British tower block. Historic England described the building as unique in Britain, while its nickname reflected how strongly its shape entered local identity. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eThis model was about bringing that lost silhouette back into a physical form.\u003cbr\u003eI wanted to capture the strong vertical tower, the change in form through the building, and the distinctive supports at its base. Getting those proportions right took careful scaling and refinement, particularly because so much of Derwent Tower's character came from its unusual structure rather than surface decoration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eA small cast that keeps the Dunston Rocket part of the skyline.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeatures\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e• Solid cast concrete, individually hand-poured\u003cbr\u003e• 9\u003cspan\u003ecm high, 4.5cm wide, 4.5cm deep (approx)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e• Laser-etched cork base with building name\u003cbr\u003e• Comes gift-boxed for the perfect concrete gift\u003cbr\u003e• Designed, modelled, and finished in the UK\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMade for those who remember seeing the Rocket above Dunston, lived there, grew up with it on the horizon, or have discovered it through an interest in lost Brutalist architecture. It is a small way to hold onto a building that disappeared physically but remains part of the architectural and social memory of Tyneside.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e15% off when you order two or more models\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cem\u003eEU customers: please order via my \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etsy.com\/uk\/listing\/4578393761\/derwent-tower-dunston-concrete-brutalism\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Derwent Tower- miniature concrete model\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eEtsy shop\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etsy.com\/uk\/listing\/4545432481\/brunswick-centre-london-concrete\" title=\"Brunswick- miniature concrete model\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e due to customs regulations\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eBuilding Information\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLocation:\u003c\/strong\u003e Dunston, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArchitect:\u003c\/strong\u003e Owen Luder Partnership\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompleted:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1971\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStatus:\u003c\/strong\u003e Demolished in 2012\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBrief Overview:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eDerwent Tower was commissioned by Whickham Council as part of a wider housing development in Dunston. The 29-storey residential tower was particularly unusual because of the difficult ground conditions beneath it. Its foundations used a large sunken concrete caisson, a technique more commonly associated with harbour construction, while prominent structural supports contributed to its instantly recognisable appearance. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"auto\"\u003eAfter years of deterioration and problems with building services, residents were rehoused in 2007. An attempt to secure listed status was unsuccessful, and demolition began in January 2012 and was completed that September. Its loss made Derwent Tower another major Owen Luder-era Brutalist landmark to disappear from the North East, following the demolition of Gateshead's Trinity Square complex.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eALL EU ORDERS \u003c\/strong\u003eprocessed through our Etsy Store \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.etsy.com\/uk\/listing\/4578393761\/derwent-tower-dunston-concrete-brutalism\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Derwent Tower - miniature concrete model\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHERE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy concrete models are made to order and individually hand-cast in solid concrete. This means that each piece will have distinctive markings and textures from the curing process in the concrete. This is a natural part of the material and will mean that no two pieces are ever exactly the same.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eShipping:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eModels are all made to order and I aim to make and ship your order within 30 days. If you require your order by a specific date before this please let me know.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan color=\"#000000\"\u003e\u003cspan face=\"Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003cspan size=\"3\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eUK Express processing options are available at checkout for additional costs\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Spaceplay","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55667617759608,"sku":"MINI_088","price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0248\/2867\/4157\/files\/DERWENTTOWER_1.webp?v=1789816736","url":"https:\/\/space-play.co.uk\/products\/derwent-tower-dunston-miniature-concrete-model","provider":"Spaceplay","version":"1.0","type":"link"}