Imax watch: onlookers gathering to take pictures of demolition process

The demolition of the Waterfront complex, which was once dubbed England’s most hated building, is well underway and on schedule to be completed by the end of the month.

See inside the Imax as it was, browse our archive of pictures through the years and read all our coverage at bournemouthecho.co.uk/imax

The most dramatic scenes are on the beach side of the site, where half the building has now disappeared and the inside is completely exposed. Despite the cold weather, onlookers have gathered at the Pier Approach to watch the building being dismantled and take photos of the demolition process.

The building will be replaced by an outdoor events arena, which will officially open on June 29. A full programme of events is currently being drawn up for this outside space and more details will be released soon.

The planned events space that will replace the IMAX

Cllr John Beesley, leader of the council, said: “A programme is being put together and I’m confident that we will have a programme which will be wide-ranging enough to engage the vast majority of the Bournemouth residents.”

He said the dismantling of the Imax building was an extremely complicated process and the contractors were under orders to retain and recycle as much material from the building as possible. In all, 13,500 tonnes of building waste will be removed from the site, including 3,000 tonnes of steel and 8,000 tonnes of concrete.

“I drove past yesterday afternoon and I was very pleased with the progress that they are making, I think a lot of people don’t realise how complex it is to take down something of this scale.”

Members of the public can also watch the building coming down via the council’s live webcam on the council’s website. This page has been viewed almost 35,000 times this year.