Architectural highlights of London

[Roadkill]

@kyser - I believe that the bloke who runs Ye Old Mitre used to run The Minerva, in Hull. He was a grumpy old sod but a good landlord. I keep meaning to go in there and see if it is him.

 

[kyser_soze]

That sounds about right - all the staff wear natty little uniforms (white shirt & tie) and the landlord and his missus look like they were born to run pubs.

 

[nickolarse]

I'd take a quick trip out to Croydon, lovely!!

 

[ska invita]

I saw Peckham Library for the first time the other day and I would suggest not going out of your way to see it. Very boring masturbatory architecture, at least from the outside - didn't have a chance to go inside.

I really dislike Alsop's buildings.

I can see why you might think that - but as a local to both the Peckham Lib and the GOldsmiths building in New X I see them in a different light.

The reason for that is both sites are dirty and depressing in equal measure - these buildings really liven up the area, aren't intimidating, and in fact seem fun, what with their wacky colours and quirky design.

inside:

The fact that a library is the centre piece of Peckham architecure is great for Peckham - the library is a the heart of the community, and is appealing to kids. They've also done a good job of using glass walls, and covering them in a kind of chicken wire so the little blighters dont smash the windows everyday. That's good design.

The GOldsmiths art building likewise stands out on an otherwise drab landscape and adds a splash of nonconformity to the skyline.

It seems to me that Alsop buildings tend to be put up in poor areas - I know there is a similiar building propped up on stilts thats in a downtown Canadian spot - I think the context is what makes them.

This is the Canadian one - looks a bit OTT to me!:

Overall, Im glad for Alsop's buildings in South London -

 

[Crispy]

I went to a lecture by alsop once. what I gathered is that his job is to lounge around on the mediteranean sipping G&T's and doing little doodles, which then get turned into actual buildings by real architects back in his office.

I'm only slightly exagerating

 

[ska invita]

I went to a lecture by alsop once. what I gathered is that his job is to lounge around on the mediteranean sipping G&T's and doing little doodles, which then get turned into actual buildings by real architects back in his office.

I'm only slightly exagerating

I can believe that - probably not that unlike most artists these days either. Even Banksy's got people doing his bits for him now - nice work if you can get it, eh.

 

[Andy the Don]

London Development Agency Building by Southwark tube is worth a look..

 

[paolo]

St Pancras is worth a nosey if you are in the area.

 

[BrixiSteve]

The John Soane museum. I love it.

 

[ohmyliver]

take him round the backstreets between bishopsgate and brick lane, especially the street thats in between commercial street and brick lane

 

[ska invita]

The John Soane museum. I love it.

Sure Ive heard about this on the Rovert ELms show - never been myself - luckily the internet has a 360degree tour!: - gets very dizzy in there...
http://www.britishtours.com/360/soane-museum.html

London Development Agency Building by Southwark tube is worth a look..

I go by this one on the train - I think this is Will Alsop as well isnt it? Got a nice front door, but it looks a bit cumbersome overall.

Im hoping to find one of those tourist walking tours of the old city -i dont realy know where you find that sort of thing - time out?

 

[kyser_soze]

There's these fellas...

www.walks.com/

www.secretlondonwalks.co.uk/

And a Ciao review of City Of London Walks

http://travel.ciao.co.uk/City_of_London_Walking_Tour__Review_5330712

 

[ohmyliver]

oh and the Dulwich Picture gallery

 

[Brainaddict]

A complete aside, but I would never trust professional photos of buildings taken for the architects and/or developers. Of course I understand why they want to make the buildings look as good as possible. But honest? Never. The photographers could make a lump of shit look attractive if they wanted - that's their job. And if the photo is taken at night, I'm doubly suspicious. What hulking monstrosity are they trying to cover up by photographing it as a gleaming jewel at night?

That's a separate point from whether or not Peckham Library is a good building, but since we're on the topic, this might more approach the reality of how PL would usually appear:

Whether you like that or not is up to you, but I'll have none of these wanky publicity shots in a serious debate thanks

 

[hipipol]

Funny no ones mentioned........

 

[Crispy]

That's cos it's a bit crap, and a copout compared to the orginal design.

 

[hipipol]

Details here

or this

Lubetkins Spa Green Estate near Sadlers Wells, his Finsbutry Health Centre is nearby

 

[kyser_soze]

Finsbury Health Centre is a little gem.

 

[Treebeak]

Channel 4 . Another Richard Rogers building and the Big 4 has a heratbeat (if you listen closely!).

 

[DeadManWalking]

Do a boat trip, get a great view of loads of buildings.

 

[ska invita]

Channel 4 . Another Richard Rogers building and the Big 4 has a heratbeat (if you listen closely!).

Where is that? [should just google it - but then conversation would become a thing of the past!]

Whether you like that or not is up to you, but I'll have none of these wanky publicity shots in a serious debate thanks

Good point - althoughPeackham Library does look better in the sunlight, and at night.

 

[ska invita]

Another good South London one is the Laban centre by Herzog & de Meuron what did Tate Modern

http://www.laban.org/building/architecture.phtml

By day, the regular activities of Laban – training, rehearsals, research and workshops – are semi-visible through the walls from the outside. By night, Laban acts as a coloured lantern or beacon, radiating light out onto the surrounding area and along Deptford Creek.

Its starting too look quite nice round that bit of Deptford Creek these days...

 

[panpete]

London gherkin tower, as its meditative because of the visual impact of the tesselations.

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

Well it's pretty impressive for an area supposed to be the worst in Britain

 

[paolo]

Any clues as to what that is?

 

[paolo]

Where is that?

Horseferry Road, Victoria.

 

[ska invita]

Horseferry Road, Victoria.

ta

Well it's pretty impressive for an area supposed to be the worst in Britain

Sutton house, Hackney

 

[boohoo]

Gota freind coming over from the US in a couple of weeks whose an architect - wondering where might be good to take him in the few days he's in London.

I think the Tate modern is interesting as to how the insides been done, and then you can pop over to StPauls.

Take him to things he wouldn't see in America. The perpendicular gothic in the Henry 7th Chapel in Westminster Abbey is stunning ( pendulum fan vaulting!) And St Barts church for a bit of late norman ( would that be right??) church architecture.... Of Staples Inn down by chancery Lane for some re-worked timber frames...

 

[hipipol]

Lincolns Inn Fields

The Soane museum for a start

It also has some very houses in the Inigo Jones mould - the fields were getting enclosed around about the same time as the Convent Garden was being built over by Lord Southampton - hard to believe there were once fruit trees and veggies growing in midst of the bollocks that is Covent garden now

The feilds are surrounded by stuff like this

and thios lot on the north side
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photos/00/26/002622_134bfb81.jpg

 

[lang rabbie]

The feilds are surrounded by stuff like this

Umm... that looks suspiciously like Bedford Square, which is jolly nice, but it is not Lincoln's Inn Fields

Edited to add:

The house in Lincoln's Inn Fields normally attributed to Inigo Jones is this one...Lindsey House... built about 140 years earlier than Bedford Square.