Tag Archives: architecture

Natural History Museum

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The end of the year is the time when there is an exhibit of the wildlife photographers of the year. The display is held at the Natural History Museum in South Kensington. We went to see the images and there were some truly amazing shots that had been selected. It was also a chance to have a wander around the museum while we were there. Having lived in South Ken as a student, it was a nice return to familiar territory.

With a historic building like this, things don’t change dramatically but credit is due for the improved entry route that they have created from the subway that comes in from the tube station. The ramp brings you up through a nicely landscaped area which I am pretty sure was nothing like that when I lived there. Then again, I didn’t make the most of the museums when they were on my doorstep because you figured they would always be there.

It was a lovely day when we went so the light on the gothic structures was really good. However, I became quite fixated on the internal architectural elements. There are so many details to find whether it is the large-scale stuff like the roof framing or the little details on the railings and walls. Even if the exhibits are not of interest, you could spend an age checking out the building itself. Of course, a skeleton of a whale or a dinosaur is not going to pass you by while there.

Lyon Saint-Exupery Airport TGV Station

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I took the rail service from the heart of Lyon out to the airport. It dropped us off next to the TGV station from which it was a short(ish) walk to the terminal. (The sign doesn’t lie about how many minutes it is to get to the terminal, but it doesn’t highlight that the time is to the beginning of the terminal and the bits you want are quite a bit further on to walk!) Anyway, I digress. The TGV station itself is a really stunning piece of architecture. The curves and vaulted ceilings are really cool. There is a central atrium but then the wings that come out each side for the platform access are equally lovely. If you find yourself travelling through the airport and have a few minutes, do pay it a visit!

Some Downtown Buildings in Cleveland

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I had to go to Cleveland for a conference recently.  I have been to the Cleveland area in recent years, but it had been a long time since I was last downtown.  The center of the city was not overly busy but there was enough going on to keep us occupied when we weren’t busy with the reason for being there.  However, I was impressed by some of the architecture.  If I had been able to spend more time, I would have wandered around and taken more photos, but I only had occasional opportunities and the phone was all I had with me.

LA Architecture

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My work trips to LA were mainly spent in the office but we did go out sometimes to get some lunch.  As we walked through the downtown, I got more of a look at this area than I have had before.  The buildings in the heart of downtown are often quite old and have some nice architectural styles.  Many have been either well maintained or refurbished more recently and they look very nice.

We went through an arcade of shops and food outlets when getting lunch one time.  It had a lovely look to it.  The architectural finishes on the outsides of buildings were good too.  One of the buildings has been converted into an Apple Store.  The inside of that was remarkably grand.  I wonder how many people come in to buy products and how many are just checking the building out like us?

Top and Bottom of the Conference Center

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The conference center in Pittsburgh was my destination for a rail conference in June.  I was there for several days but it was only on the last day that I managed to get some time to head up to the roof area of the center.  It had some interesting gardens with views across the roof structure and some art installations.  It also had a great view across the river.  The top wasn’t the only interesting spot.  There was a route under the center too which I found on my first day there when I was struggling with how to actually get into the place.  It was not very intuitive which, given the nature of the place, seems rather odd.  I saw a few people riding bikes through this lower level, but I never went down there.

Unusual Shaped Buildings in Vancouver

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There area few buildings in Vancouver where the architects have been a little adventurous.  Some of them are visible from the shore as you walk around Stanley Park and I grabbed some photos from a distance.  There is one that is near the bridge as you drive towards Granville Island.  You can see part of it from the Island but a good view is on the road as you drive by.  I asked Nancy to try getting some shots as I was driving.  The tapered edge makes the building feel like it is hanging over the road.  Very interesting engineering!

Tacoma Narrows Bridge Art

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Driving home from Steilacoom, I went up the coast rather than cutting straight in to the interstate.  My route took me up towards the Tacoma Narrows bridges.  The original bridge is well know to any engineering student and many people will be familiar with the footage of it collapsing in moderate winds.  That bridge was replaced and, more recently, a second bridge was built alongside it.  In the early evening light, both bridges were nicely illuminated so I stopped to get a few shots.  Zooming in on the towers at the near end, I really liked the shapes of the towers and the pattern work on their surfaces.

Anacortes Castle

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Driving through the back roads in Anacortes, I came across Anacortes Castle.  I think it is actually just a house but it is certainly one that has been styled to look like a castle.  You probably couldn’t defend it from marauders very easily and the turret seemed to have a lot of open space inside but it is still an interesting looking building.  It sits on a normal residential street so is quite out of keeping with the rest of the houses.  Still, it is a talking point, I am sure!

1930s Architecture at Its Best?

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There was a building at the bottom of the dam at Grand Coulee that was part of the dam infrastructure.  Looking down on this building, it seemed so in keeping with a certain generation of architecture.  Concrete buildings were in vogue at that time and they were very functional and lacking in much in the way of aesthetics.  Given that this was part of the work generation program of the Great Depression, maybe the focus was on function rather than form.  I wonder what someone would do with such a requirement if they were commissioned to design such a building today.