View allAll Photos Tagged HighWalk
Sculpture by artist Christopher Le Brun, made in 2000. It stands on the highwalk at London Wall, outside the former Museum of London building.
Spoke to my Mum and my sister on my way into work today - had a good old catch up with them both :) On my way home, I surprised this little squirrel on the wall along the Barbican highwalk. I wish I'd got a photo when it first saw me - it ducked down the other side of the wall, with just its little paws and the tip of its tail showing. Very cute. It then popped its head back up for another look at me, got curious when it saw me pointing my camera at it, then moved in a bit for its close-up!
Dorothy Annan (19 January 1908 - 28 June 1983)
In November 2011, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) granted Grade 11 listed status to Annans murals on the front of the Fleet Building, 70 Farringdon Street, formally the largest telephone exchange in London. English Heritage advised the DCMS that the nine ceramic tile murals, which depict pylons, cables, telephone poles and generators, were of 'historic interest' to the telecoms industry and had 'relative rarity as surviving works of 1960s mural art'. The listing was supported by the Twentieth Century Society, and the Tiles and Architectural Ceramic Society, artist Frank Auerbach and Penelope Curtis, Director of Tate Britain.
The murals were commissioned at a cost of £300 per panel in 1960. Annan visited the Hathernware pottery in Loughborough and hand-scored her design onto each wet clay tile, her brush marks can also be seen in the fired panels.
The building is owned by Goldman Sachs, who wish to redevelop the site and oppose the listing of the murals.
Update:
Since this photograph was taken, all the Dorothy Annan murals have been carefully removed from the building by the Museum of London.
Thankfully, the City Corporation, English Heritage and the 20th Century Society were able to find an alternative location for the panels – the Barbican highwalks. You can find Dorothy Annan’s murals between Speed House and the Barbican Centre on the highwalk.
Catchy title, eh? Those were all the things that caught my eye this morning :)
Busy day at work, with several meetings - including with our new President. Interesting day. I attempted to phone my Mum a couple of times - once at lunch, and again after work - but no joy. I then missed a call from her while I was cooking dinner. Called her back afterwards and had a lovely catch-up. I've really missed phoning her while she's been in hospital. She didn't like to have calls on the ward before, but she's been there so ruddy long now she's decided it's fine.
Splash in the puddle in a large and dark styley. Suits the weather!
I'm so chuffed this made explore as I really like this shot - thanks everyone!
Wondering aimlessly around the High Walks one morning - as you do - I noticed that weather this summer had provided ample puddles and a bright morning sunshine which combined to produce some very clear reflections... and here we have the rather lumpen Alban Gate reflected in one such puddle.
I took the liberty to rotate and it's produced a rather pleasing effect - the water and the dark slabs below have enriched the tones in a very curious way... there's very little tweaking on this bar the addition of the black border as I wanted to preserve the effect to the full.
Twenty years ago this view would have been a reflection of Lee House - one of the original set of 'slabs' which lined London wall. Not being everyone's cup of tea this was demolished to make way for what must be an icon of the 'romantic post modern genre' (don't you know) - Alban Gate.
Designed by Terry Farrell (think One Embankment Place above Charing Cross, the GMTV building in Camden (now MTV) and the conversion of a former rum and banana warehouse to create Limehouse Studios - now demolished) it consists of two slabs joined at almost a right angle, one of which straddles London Wall as seen in my shot View - Interrupted. These combined offered around three times the amount of space in Lee House which was probably another reason for it's demise.
The building is clad in polished granite and is all about arches, curves, vaults and stepped rooflines - more of that in later shots I think as it's not entirely evident here other than on the stairway which runs from top to bottom, seen in the centre of the shot.
In contrast to other post-modern structures of the time the services and suchlike are all contained within although on the deck above London wall some of the steelwork of the structure is visible - I'd like to think this is a nod to the 'Hi Tech' style of Richard Rogers' neighbouring 88 Wood Street... a building which is growing on me for it's use of colour and absolutely breathtakingly huge amounts of clear (not blue) glass.
This deck also serves to preserve the highwalks and there are escalators to bring people up to that level where there is a building entrance and two (yes two) Pizza Express restaurants - clearly the employees of JP Morgan, now the sole occupant of the building, love their pizza.
Mr Farrell had initially requested that Wood Street, which runs to the South of the building and contains the remains of Christopher Wren's St Alban church from which the building takes it's name, was pedestrianised. Looking at the scheme now and the cluster of buildings close by I think this would be a grand move - a time now to bring the pedestrians down from the highwalks and back to the streets where they belong.
The current spate of wetness may lead to more opportunities like this - I'll be out with my sowester and brolly shortly so I'll leave you to...
.. enjoy
Back to work today - felt mostly OK, but still a bit under the weather, and exhausted by this evening. Had a very productive day though. Also, when I got to my desk this morning, Char had left a sweet little poinsettia plant for me - a lovely surprise :)
These stripes of light (reflected from the London Wall Place building) on London Wall caught my eye as I went up the escalator onto the highwalk this morning - so I walked halfway down the ramp back to just above street level and took a few shots. Quite like this one where the only real colour comes from the man's jacket and the pedestrian crossing thingy (what are they called, anyway?) and matches quite nicely.
My lovely friend Katherine got married today :) I texted her this morning to wish them well and she sent me a photo later in the morning of the (small) wedding party outside the venue - such happiness :)
The entrance to Barbican Underground station shortly before the present office building and footbridge from the Barbican Highwalk was built above it.
...on Salter's Hall, from the Barbican's windows.
More lovely cold, crisp, sunny light this morning. Had a really busy and tiring day at work - my colleague Rosie and I gave a presentation to another organisation, over the phone in the end, as they couldn't get the video call to work. It went well, but I do find these things really tiring - think it's all the nervous energy I burn off doing them!
Phoned my Mum at lunchtime and had a nice quick catch up with her. She's feeling pretty good, having made it back to her keep fit class yesterday for the first time in many months, and is looking forward to visits from a couple of friends soon. Good to hear her sounding happy :)
I was due to go to a talk at LSE with Rosie tonight, but flaked and came home instead. So tired and also fighting off a cold, so thought a night in might be a better idea.
Dorothy Annan (19 January 1908 - 28 June 1983)
In November 2011, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) granted Grade 11 listed status to Annans murals on the front of the Fleet Building, 70 Farringdon Street, formally the largest telephone exchange in London. English Heritage advised the DCMS that the nine ceramic tile murals, which depict pylons, cables, telephone poles and generators, were of 'historic interest' to the telecoms industry and had 'relative rarity as surviving works of 1960s mural art'. The listing was supported by the Twentieth Century Society, and the Tiles and Architectural Ceramic Society, artist Frank Auerbach and Penelope Curtis, Director of Tate Britain.
The murals were commissioned at a cost of £300 per panel in 1960. Annan visited the Hathernware pottery in Loughborough and hand-scored her design onto each wet clay tile, her brush marks can also be seen in the fired panels.
The building is owned by Goldman Sachs, who wish to redevelop the site and oppose the listing of the murals.
Update:
Since this photograph was taken, all the Dorothy Annan murals have been carefully removed from the building by the Museum of London.
Thankfully, the City Corporation, English Heritage and the 20th Century Society were able to find an alternative location for the panels – the Barbican highwalks. You can find Dorothy Annan’s murals between Speed House and the Barbican Centre on the highwalk.
Dorothy Annan (19 January 1908 - 28 June 1983)
In November 2011, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) granted Grade 11 listed status to Annans murals on the front of the Fleet Building, 70 Farringdon Street, formally the largest telephone exchange in London. English Heritage advised the DCMS that the nine ceramic tile murals, which depict pylons, cables, telephone poles and generators, were of 'historic interest' to the telecoms industry and had 'relative rarity as surviving works of 1960s mural art'. The listing was supported by the Twentieth Century Society, and the Tiles and Architectural Ceramic Society, artist Frank Auerbach and Penelope Curtis, Director of Tate Britain.
The murals were commissioned at a cost of £300 per panel in 1960. Annan visited the Hathernware pottery in Loughborough and hand-scored her design onto each wet clay tile, her brush marks can also be seen in the fired panels.
The building is owned by Goldman Sachs, who wish to redevelop the site and oppose the listing of the murals.
Update:
Since this photograph was taken, all the Dorothy Annan murals have been carefully removed from the building by the Museum of London.
Thankfully, the City Corporation, English Heritage and the 20th Century Society were able to find an alternative location for the panels – the Barbican highwalks. You can find Dorothy Annan’s murals between Speed House and the Barbican Centre on the highwalk.
Feeling coldy and achy today. I kept nearly phoning my boss this morning to see if I could work from home today, but in the end decided to go in, and I got on ok. Felt really ropy by the evening though - so much so I didn't even have the energy to edit my photos. That's when I know I'm ill!
My favourite kind of weather - when the sun comes out after the rain - great for puddle reflections! This caught my eye on the way to work this morning - St Mary Aldermary church reflected in lots of mini puddles on the pavement. Got a couple of reflection shots up on the highwalk too :)
Busy day at work, with an initially very frustrating then very constructive meeting this afternoon. Quite a busy evening too, cooking dinner, taking in an Ocado delivery and attempting to catch up on my photos (as ever).
Located at one end of Bryer Court, a terrace block in the Barbican. The exposed concrete and heavy iron railings and gates are found throughout the complex. The Court is named after W Bryer & Sons, gold refiners and assayers, whose premises were demolished to make way for the building.
The Barbican Estate, or Barbican, is a residential complex of around 2,000 flats, maisonettes, and houses within the City of London. It is in an area once devastated by WWII bombings and densely-populated by financial institutions, 2.2 km north-east of Charing Cross. Originally built as rental housing for middle and upper-middle-class professionals, it remains an upmarket residential estate. It contains, or is adjacent to, the Barbican Arts Centre, the Museum of London, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the Barbican public library, the City of London School for Girls and a YMCA (now closed), forming the Barbican Complex. The residential estate consists of three tower blocks, 13 terrace blocks, two mews and The Postern, Wallside and Milton Court.
The entirety is a prominent example of British brutalist architecture and is Grade II listed (apart from one added apartment tower - The Heron). The flats reflect the widespread use in Britain in the 1960s and 1970s of concrete as the visible face of the building. The complex is also characteristic for its total separation of vehicles from pedestrians throughout the area ('slab urbanism'). This is achieved through the use of 'highwalks' - walkways of varying width and shape, usually located 1-3 stories above the surrounding ground level. Most pedestrian circulation takes place on these highwalks, while roads and car parking spaces are relegated to the lower level.
I've missed walking around the Barbican, its layered concrete here resplendent with overhanging blooms
(I wish I was - it looks like fun!)
Lovely last day of summer today. I forced Char to go and sit in the sunshine with me at lunchtime, knowing that the weather would be taking a turn for the colder and wetter soon. We had a nice chilled out lunch, sitting on a patch of grass on the Barbican highwalk.
Got loads done today, which was a relief as I have got absolutely tons to do. My boss was out at a meeting this afternoon, so I had the office to myself and just ploughed through everything.
Had a busy evening too. Cooked and ate dinner, then helped Tim cover our carpets with sticky plastic stuff, to protect them for all the work he's about to start on at the weekend (while I'm away). Took in a food shopping order next, then attempted to get caught up on my photos a bit - a never ending battle!
Yet another busy day at work. Went for a quick walk through the Barbican and back along the highwalk at lunchtime, with my two colleagues.
I detoured to Paternoster Square on my way home this evening, to photograph the glowing daffodils that have been 'planted' there in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care. I did get quite a nice shot looking up at St Paul's with the daffodils in the foreground, but I also quite liked this sneaky shot I got of this very keen phone photographer - and I'm thinking I'd like to go back with my wider angle lens for another go at the other shot. Watch this space....
Spent ages looking at Irish holiday cottages again tonight. Haven't made a decision or a booking yet though!
The new highwalk bridges are looking so ready for use now - surely it can't be long before they're opened up? For now I'll settle for pressing my nose up against the railings and trying to see all the way along them.
Very glad to have made it to Friday. Still exhausted (someone change the record!), but had a really lovely meal out with Tim this evening at our favourite Indian restaurant. We were out for ages! Came home and watched a bit of telly, but then got off to bed pretty handy for a damn good sleep.