Sunday 27 September 2015

Ark All Saints Academy / Camberwell

Architects: AHMM, 2013. Civic Trust Awards: Commendation 2015. Showing the Wyndham Road elevation. Ark All Saints Academy and Highshore School, London Borough of Southwark.


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St Michael & All Angels / Camberwell (x 2 pics)

Architects: AHMM, project architect Peter Mayhew, 2014. New modernist church for St Michael and All Angels, All Souls and Emmanuel Parish. Also serves as a chapel for the adjacent ARK All Saints Academy and Highshore School. The church and free-standing spire are clad in white brick.
Civic Trust award 2015 and shortlisted for 2015 RIBA London region. Wyndham Road, London Borough of Southwark.

[Both images: All Rights Reserved]

Saturday 26 September 2015

The Old Dispensary / Camberwell

A ceremonial stone under the right-hand window is engraved: "FOUNDED 1862, REBUILT BY VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS 1880". The building's original purpose was as a Provident Dispensary, helping the local poor with medical attention and medicine. Now a public house. 325 Camberwell New Road, London Borough of Southwark. 

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Snopake / Ghost Sign

"Snopake and no mistake" old sign at Loughborough Junction. Snopake is a correction fluid invented in 1955. London Borough of Lambeth.

Sir James Black House / SE5

Architects believed to have been Hunter & Partners, c.2005. Corner detail of residential building belonging to the Affinity Sutton housing association. The rooms and studios are rented to key healthcare workers. Near King's College Hospital,  London Borough of Lambeth.

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Friday 25 September 2015

Embassy Apartments / Coldharbour Lane

Powell Dobson Architects, 2012. Residential development of 108 flats, originally all for social rent or shared ownership, built with Skanska's 'ModernaHus' concrete panel prefabrication system. Uses biomass district heating. London Borough of Lambeth.

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Thursday 24 September 2015

Draper House / Strata

Left, Draper House designed by the LCC Architect's Department under Hubert Bennett, 1965. This 25-storey tower was part of a residential estate that also included four 5-storey blocks. The tower recently endured a difficult, expensive and prolonged refurbishment.

Right, Strata by BFLS Architects, 2010. This 43-storey residential tower was recipient of the 2010 Carbuncle Cup. With 3 wind-turbines at the top which I have never seen turning.

London Borough of Southwark.


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Pullens Buildings / entrance

Typical entrance to Victorian tenements built by James Pullens, c.1886. Arch ornamentation is of terracotta with high relief keystone and capitals, possibly the work of the Jennings Pottery of Poole, Dorset. Now part of the Pullens Estate Conservation Area, although it took direct action by locals to save the buildings from demolition in the 1980s. Penton Place, London Borough of Southwark.

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Wednesday 23 September 2015

Brandon Estate / Henry Moore

'Two Piece Reclining Figure No.3 1961' (LH 478) by Henry Moore, donated to the people of the Brandon Estate by the LCC in 1961. The bronze 2.39m piece is installed near the high-rise towers. London Borough of Southwark. 


(CC BY-SA - credit: Photo by George Rex.)

St Paul's Lorrimore Square / porch

Architects: John Wimbleton, H G Coulter, W W Chapman and Brian Walker, 1960. Showing the first-floor reinforced concrete porch and copper-panelled flèche. Grade II listed. London Borough of Southwark. 

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Tuesday 22 September 2015

Brandon Estate / SE17

Designed by Edward Hollamby, LCC Architect's Department, 1961. As well as six 18-storey point-blocks there were 40 low-rise blocks with shops, library and GP surgery. London Borough of Southwark.

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Monday 21 September 2015

Roundhouse / Myatt's Fields Park

Victorian park pavilion known as the Roundhouse, used for art exhibitions and children's parties. Also known as the Summerhouse. The park's original landscape architect was Fanny Wilkinson (1855-1951). Myatt's Fields Park, London Borough of Lambeth.


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Park Cottage / nr Myatt's Fields Park

Originally the Park Lodge, built c.1899 for occupation by the LCC Park Superintendent, but now privately owned. Red brick vernacular style with tall stacks and hanging tiles on upper storey. Within the Minet Estate Conservation Area. London Borough of Lambeth.


Sunday 20 September 2015

Longfield Hall / Lambeth

Architect: George Hubbard, 1889, in a classically-influenced style. Single storey plus semi-basement using stock and red brick with stone dressings. Buttressed, semi-circular front with part-conical roof. Grade II listed. London Borough of Lambeth.
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Woolley House / from Wyck Gardens

LCC Architect's Department, Housing Division, 1955, part of the Loughborough Estate council housing development. The estate provided over 1,000 dwellings in medium and low-rise modernist blocks of flats and maisonettes. Loughborough Junction, London Borough of Lambeth.


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Saturday 19 September 2015

Y:Cube / Mitcham (x2 images)


Architects: Rogers, Stirk, Harbour & Partners, 2015. The 36 prefabricated units were assembled on-site in about 5 months. The scheme was commissioned by the YMCA for single people in housing need. The charity hopes to develop further similar schemes across London and other parts of England.
The  mainly-timber units are stackable and provide good heat insulation. Inexpensively built, weekly rent is said to be about GBP145, about 65% of typical market rate.  Mitcham, London Borough of Merton.

Friday 18 September 2015

Glynde Reach / WC1H

Twelve floor residential block built 1958 by Tersons Ltd. Exterior refurbished c.1998 including new aluminium roof and windows, insulation and render over-cladding. Kings Cross Estate, London Borough of Camden.

Thursday 17 September 2015

21 John Street / canopy

Architect: Denis Edmund Harrington, 1938. Showing a set-back top storey with projecting canopy inset with glass blocks. Grade II listed. London Borough of Camden.

Wednesday 16 September 2015

Hotel Astoria / Vesterbrogade facade

Architect: Ole Falkentorp (1886-1948) in a Functionalist style for Danish State Railways, completed 1935. The winged-wheel with crown finial was based on the then DSB logo. Near Central Station, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Black Diamond / Harbour bus

'Black Diamond' extension to the Royal Library by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects, 1999. 

Harbour bus which provides public transport between the Royal Library (Black Diamond) and Nordre Toldbod and stops in-between.

Copenhagen, Denmark.

Tuesday 15 September 2015

CPH Living / Copenhagen

Floating hotel in central Copenhagen. Consists of 12 double rooms on a converted barge with sun-deck above. 1C Langebrogade, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Monday 14 September 2015

Glass Hall / Malmö Centralstation

Architects: Metro Arkitekter, 2011. Extension to the station hall for access to subterranean platforms 1-4 which include trains using the Öresund Bridge/tunnel link. Main materials are steel, concrete, slate and tinted glass. Malmö, Sweden.

Sunday 13 September 2015

SVT-Huset / Malmö

Conversion by TEMA Arkitekter, 2009. An historic 1950s machine shop of the city's shipbuilding era successfully renovated for use by Sveriges Television AB. West Harbour, Malmö, Sweden.

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Turning Torso / Malmö (2 pics)

Architect: Santiago Calatrava, 2005. Landmark office and residential tower, at 190m high, the tallest building in Scandinavia.  Malmö, Sweden.

Saturday 12 September 2015

Centralposthuset / Malmö

Central Post Office building designed by Swedish architect Ferdinand Boberg, 1906, in the National Romantic style. Main materials of dark brown brick, stone dressings and copper cladding to roof features. Listed 1935, now with multiple occupation and with modern extension to rear. Malmö, Sweden.

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Friday 11 September 2015

Palm House / Botanical Gardens

Attributed to architect Peter Christian Bønnecke, 1874, although Johann Carl Jacobson and Tyge Rothe may have had design input also. Built of iron and glass and said to have been influenced by London's Crystal Palace.  Botanisk Have, Copenhagen, Denmark.


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'Athena & Marsyas' / Botanical Gardens

The original bronze sculpture was by Myron c.460 BC when it stood close to the entrance of the Parthenon. This re-creation shows Athena having thrown down her flute  (which she had invented) and the satyr Marsyas preparing to retrieve it. Botanisk Have, Copenhagen, Denmark.


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Thursday 10 September 2015

Railway Square / Ørestad

The Ferring/Neroport building to right designed by Henning Larsen Architects, c.2001. The square was designed, I believe, by Jan Gehl Architects.  Ørestad metro station is to left.  Ørestad, Copenhagen, Denmark.

AC Hotel / Bella Sky

Architects: 3XN, 2011. Landmark hotel with leaning towers, situated at Bella-Center, near Ørestad, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Wednesday 9 September 2015

Skybridge / Nordea HQ

Henning Larsen Architects, 2000. The harbour façades are clad in large copper panels intended to eventually weather to green. The elevations towards Christian's Church are clad in polished sandstone. Landscape architect was Sven-Ingvar Andersson.  Christianshavn, Copenhagen, Denmark.

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Room Copenhagen / Christianshavn

Picturesque former warehouse built 1806, now occupied by a Design Studio. Building is listed. Overgaden Neden Vandet 19A, 1414 Copenhagen K, Denmark

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Blue Corner Housing / Christianshavn

Architects: Tegnestuen Vandkunsten a/s, 1989, social housing at corner of Dronningensgade and Store Sondervoldstraede. Christianshavn, Copenhagen, Denmark.

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Tuesday 8 September 2015

Det Kongelige Biblioteks Have / The Royal Library Gardens

Søren Kierkegaards Plads 1, 1016 Copenhagen K, Denmark 

Black Diamond / The Circle Bridge (3 images)

'Black Diamond' extension to the Royal Library by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects, 1999.

'The Circle Bridge' (Cirkelbroen) by Olafur Eliasson, with Sebastian Behmann, Robert Banović and Jan Bünnig, 2015. 
Vista along the Christianshavn Canal to the new Circle Bridge (Cirkelbroen). The pedestrian/cycle bridge has an unusual swing mechanism and tall mast-like towers. Copenhagen, Denmark.
Part of the footbridge swings open to allow for taller crafts' passage. The circular platforms are to encourage people to linger while crossing — and to slow down the cyclists!

(All pics All Rights Reserved)

Monday 7 September 2015

Havfrue / by A M Carl-Nielsen

I prefer this mermaid to her more famous sister as she has such a lovely surprised expression. I suppose it's the new library extension close-by that's astonished her! Havfrue (Mermaid) 1921 by Anne Marie Carl-Nielson (1863-1945), bronze copy of 2009. By the Black Diamond, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Royal Pavilion / Nordre Toldbod

One of two pavilions on the Nordre Toldbod (north custom house) waterfront, built 1905 and attributed to Danish architect O.V.R. Langballe. Apparently still occasionally used by the Royal Family. Copenhagen. Denmark.

Mærsk Headquarters / 2 images

Architect: Ole Hagen (1913-84), built in the 1970s. Clad in natural stone, with blue reflective glazing facing the harbour. Copenhagen, Denmark.
(Both images: All Rights Reserved)

Frederiks Kirke Dome / from Amalienborg fountain

Architect: Nicolai Eigtved, designed 1740 in the Rococo style, eventually completed in 1894. The dome is said to be the largest in Scandinavia and has a touch of St Peter's Basilica about it. Frederiksstaden, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Sunday 6 September 2015

P Berg / Seil Flag og Compasmager

Polychrome transom relief above door of an erstwhile "sail, flag and compass-maker".  On the left appears Hermes, representing here the god of commerce with a cornucopia, symbol of abundance. Possibly the goddess to the right is Demeter, regarded as the Earth and its riches.  Date 1737 inscribed on keystone. 65 Nyhavn, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Copenhagen Opera House / IV

Henning Larsen Architects, 2004. Viewed from the Playhouse, inner harbour, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Royal Danish Playhouse / III

Lundgaard & Tranberg Arkitekter, 2007. RIBA European Award 2008 and many others. Ekvipagemestervej 36, 1250 Copenhagen, Denmark.

Saturday 5 September 2015

Nykredit HQ / Copenhagen (2 images)


Schmidt Hammer Lassen architects, 2011. Nykredit's new headquarters, Krystallen (The Crystal). Hambrosgade, Copenhagen, Denmark.
The public space around — and under — the building is called Under Krystallen (Under the Crystal).