View allAll Photos Tagged HighWalk
London, England, UK - September 10, 2018: Pedestrians cross a main road on a pelican crossing painted with jaunty patterns ourside Barbican tube station in London.
Bit rainy on my way to work this morning. As I headed along the highwalk above Silk Street, the shiny pavements below caught my eye. I tried to grab a shot of these ladies' pink umbrella before its reflection disappeared from view - I did get one shot like that, but preferred all the lines and angles in this one, even without the umbrella reflection.
Good day at work. Cleared my desk a bit this afternoon, as I have someone coming to sit with me for most of tomorrow to do a data protection 'audit.' Eep.
An unusual occurrence on the Barbican highwalk this morning - not another soul in sight - so I got down low with my camera and made the most of the opportunity to capture it without feeling self-conscious!
Had a lovely surprise late morning - a phone call from my friend Mark (who moved to Australia last year and who I knew was back in the country but didn't think he'd have time to meet up), saying he was just down the road. I cut out of work for an early lunch and we went to the local pub. Really lovely to see him and catch up for an hour :)
Properly grim and rainy day today - summer really feels long gone now! Nice cosy evening in with Tim and the central heating.
Another busy day at work - plenty more to do before I go on leave, but I think I'm getting there.
Cooked a massive fried rice dinner this evening - enough for tonight and tomorrow, to give us more time for packing. Because we're going on holiday. Have I mentioned that?! :)
Busy day at work - mostly doing something our finance director should have done instead of dumping it on me and going on holiday. Grrr. Had a good day though. Sat in the 'meadowy' bit on the Barbican highwalk at lunch with Mags and Char, but had to cut it short when several wasps took a great interest in poor Char. Still nice to be out in the sun for a while.
Finished work a little early, had a super quick drink with a few of my colleagues, then headed home. Tim and I were due to go to Shropshire tonight, but the roads were looking so awful we decided to go early in the morning instead.
Walked to work from London Bridge again this morning - but it was this scene, on my usual bit of the walk, which made my photo of the day. These postboxes really stood out to me in the shaft of light, and with their slots sealed. Bit sad though - wonder if that means no more post collections from up here.
Had a busy, but good, day at work, and a nice chilled out evening with Tim. So glad it's the weekend at last!
I had fun lining people up in this rainbow 'O' this morning. I don't know why it's an O (if that's what it is) - there aren't any other letters around. But it's pretty and it makes for a fun photo (I think).
Good day at work. Felt pretty good after the drinks last night - a relief! Beautiful weather again, and I went to the 'meadow' on the highwalk with Char at lunch again. Lovely. We met Jack and Kamila on the way back too - they'd had the same idea and were sitting soaking up the sun.
My Mum texted me this afternoon to say she'd booked us theatre tickets for when I go to stay in August. Phoned her this evening to thank her, and had a nice chat on the way home.
Feeling a bit better today. Back into the office, and the sun was shining (on and off) again, too. I bought a load of cakey bits and ice creams on my way in, ahead of my birthday (that is, for my colleagues to eat), and Char and I went out to lunch - to a nice little pizza place near work.
So happy to have tomorrow off work, and to start the weekend early with Tim this evening :)
Swim in the repetition with St Alphage... Large and Dark. It's so much better large and dark. Go on. You know you want to!
It's been a good while since I posted a picture of St Alphage House - a building which I'm quite fond of and continues to teeter on the brink of demolition... walk past any morning and you can see the lights strung up inside, the air of dereliction and 'ready for demolition' and the desultory security guard sat at a trestle table in what used to be reception.
This area to the north of London Wall was almost completely levelled during the Blitz and was essentially a blank canvas for reconstruction. Significant to the redevelopment of the area was the Barbican of which there is more rambling elsewhere in my photostream.
For reasons best known to City planners the Barbican didn’t extend south right up to London Wall and instead this area became the “South Barbican development”, earmarked as a new business area for what was seen as a city reborn.
For inspiration the planners looked to Stockholm where, in 1946, a plan had been tabled to create a similar business area consisting of a line of five Modernist ‘slabs’ in the Hötorget (Haymarket) area – each a curtain-walled office block and all of them aligned alongside an arterial road. By the time construction began in 1952 the plans dictated that each should be 18 stories high (with all surrounding buildings limited to two) and all be of a very similar design… each was worked on by a different architect but the limitations imposed by the city meant that they looked pretty much the same.
Key to the scheme was the addition in 1953 of a series of raised pedestrian walkways, complete with shops and connecting bridges… which for anyone who’s been along London Wall will sound spookily familiar to the desolate raised pedestrian areas in the vicinity. London’s planners wanted their own Hötorget and similar restrictions were placed on the architects – as with Stockholm five blocks were built (Moor House (1961), St Alphage House (1962) and Lee House (1962) to the North of London Wall, 40 Basinghall Street (1964) and Royex House (1962) to the South) and each looked almost identical apart from slight variations such as the colour of the strips along the bottom of the windows, although the windows themselves were all identically sized.
As an aside, you can still find copies of the original plan from the early 50's and the 'first review' of 1960 for sale - I picked up copies via this site (no plug, just a link I found useful).
Worth noting that the rather funky “matchbox on stilts” that is Bastion House at the other end of London Wall wasn’t part of the original development, it being built some 15 years later… interesting also that, when it was built, there was still inertia behind the idea of a high-level walkway around The City. For the eagle eyed portions of the walkways can be seen at various locations and were included in the plans for a number of relatively modern buildings, including Tower 42... although these are increasingly becoming inaccesible and many have been closed.
In London the towers were angled to London Wall – rebuilt with four lanes as part of an abortive (thank god) inner ring road – instead of lined up in a row… and in London the scheme soon became a byword for the failures of this style of planning with the pedestrian areas turning into somewhat desolate and bland spaces devoid of the hustle and bustle intended. The same happened in Stockholm – there the city took action and closed the levels during the 1970’s… in the 90’s the lower areas were revitalised and the slabs stand today as a landmark in the city. They were recently used as part of the Emotional Cities installation where the colour of their illumination reflected the ‘mood’ of Stockholm. If you go to the link there are some impressive shots of the slabs together with a timelapse film of the colours changing.
The solution in London was on the whole rather less imaginative – three demolitions (soon to be four once St Alphage goes) and one refurbishment (rather successful – wrecker’s ball take note!). .
For this shot I had to trespass past the 'go away - demolition be here' signs and, since it had been raining, stand in a good inch of water which had gathered on the pavement - certainly worth the effort as the close up view is quite spectacularly repetitive. I'll leave you to feel mesmerised by the patterns and to...
… Enjoy
One of the imposing highwalks of the Barbican estate. Say what you will about the brutalist architecture of the Barbican, but it certainly makes for some impressive views.
See full report and comments for story.
Original report, 5/12/10
Walking along London Wall towards Bishopsgate I saw a City of London highwalk above and decided to take it, seeing if it was a shortcut to Liverpool Street. I went up the stairs that led off the street beneath it. At the top, there was a lit corridor through the building with offices either side, and I decided to see what was down it.
As I walked along it, a man in a suit carrying a walkie-talkie came out of one of the doors and asked me what I was doing. I said I was walking through the building and he said I had to leave. I asked why and he said it was private property. I said I hadn't seen any signs, and he said that the police had not allowed "us" to put any up. I thought this was a bit odd and asked for some identification. He refused and told me it was a criminal offence to be where I was, they had cameras on me, and I had to leave immediately. I went back the way I came and tried to leave via the highwalk but was told that this was private property as well. I again asked for identification but he continued to ignore me, insisting that I leave the building, so I went back down the stairs.
At the bottom of the stairs I photographed the entrance to the stairwell, showing no signs indicating it was private property. He was standing on the stairwell but refusing to answer me when I asked for ID, so I reentered to ask him face-to-face. At this point he started yelling at me at the top of his voice to get out of the building, which I did immediately. Following me down the stairs, he yelled at me to put my camera, which was in my hand, into my pocket. When I did this, he yelled at me to keep it in there and not to take it out.
He ran down the stairs after me and followed me out onto the street - the pavement next to a bus stop and some Hire Bikes. He continued yelling at me to move on, and I pointed out I was on the public street. He yelled that he was calling the police, that they had 180 (around that) cameras on me; that it was illegal to photograph the building under the Terrorism Act; that I was going to be arrested. All this from three feet away, shouted, with his fists balled like he was going to hit me. It was quite frightening.
He told me that the police were on the way, pointing at his walkie-talkie, which made some noise. He continued to yell at me to move away from the building. Then he said again that he was going to call the police, and I said I'd call them myself to sort this out, because I hadn't done anything wrong (unfortunately, my phone was out of battery - I probably would have done at this point). He immediately started walking away, so I asked him again for some identification.
He walked round to the front of the building, 99 Bishopsgate, and I followed him. When I got to the front he had gone in and out of sight, so I knocked on the door and another guard, at the desk, beckoned me to come in. I explained that I wanted to know the name of the security company he worked for. He asked why and I explained that his colleague had behaved threateningly towards me in the street and refused to show any identification.
The first guard returned while the second guard asked me what I had been doing. I said I just wanted the name of the company. He said that because I had been taking pictures of the building they thought I was a terrorist. He asked why I was taking photographs of the building, and I said because I like taking photographs of London (this is God's honest truth and I can't help it). He restated the question. He asked if I was a student and I said No and he asked me what I did and I said I was a writer and publisher and he asked me if I had any ID and I said of course I do, and he had the good grace to look non-plussed at that.
He said that because I was taking photos of the building and didn't have a reason they must assume I am a terrorist. Then he asked me to leave again. I was quite upset at this point, so I did.
It's an old story and I'm sure you've heard it before, but it's still quite frightening when it happens to you.
****************************
UPDATE 14/12/2010
I received a response to my complaint from the Building Manager at 99 Bishopsgate:
Dear Mr. Bridle
In response to your complaint dated 5th December, I would advise that
the Security Officer concerned has been spoken to and advised that he
was incorrect in stating that the walkways are Private Property.
However whilst the walkways are public rights of way it is considered
that if to much interest is being given to the interior / exterior of
the building then the person(s) concerned would be approached by my
Security.
I am sure that you are aware that there is a lot of concern relating to
terrorists and activists conducting hostile reconnaissance in the city
and any such person showing more that a passing interest in the building
and its interior will be warned off. This would normally be reinforced
by calling the City Police who would attend and reinforce my comments to
the person concerned.
I have also reviewed the CCTV footage and from what I can ascertained
get the impression that in the first instance he had requested that you
decline from taking photographs in a polite manner however it is clear
that this normally polite and unassuming Security Officer does display
an aggressive attitude towards you and this has been pointed out to him
however, he, in his defense comments on your attitude towards him?
Whilst I appreciate that you have a right of way to transit the high
level walkway that goes through the centre of 99 Bishopsgate I would
state that I do have a responsibility to protect the building and that
my Security team are employed to do just that.
However I would apologise for any inconvenience that you may have
experienced.
Kind regards. (Signed)
****************************
UPDATE 2 14/12/2010
I forwarded both of the above to the City Police. The Community Policing team have promised that "one of [our] officers will attend 99 Bishopsgate and speak with the building manager. We will seek clarification of the incident concerned and will reinforce the message that I am communicating to you, that we will provide advice, not 'warn off' [members of the public]."
Turn it up... turn it up loud... well OK,
Another from the St Alphage site - this one adjacent to a spanking new corporate headquarters and a stone's throw from Moorgate station, through which a gazillion folk stream on their way too and from work... and I'd be unsurprised if any but a fraction who pass by this stop and look and think lordy - look at those patterns in the concrete... and think better look long as this will be gone soon... because it will be gone rather soon.
I went to take a photo and there it was... gone. But if you want to get there now, head for "Moorfields Highwalk"... crazy name, crazy place.
I'm no civil engineer but there's probably an interesting explanation to the water stains here... and probably a much less interesting explanation as to why the window got broken.
On a related note... an update on my findings - seems that JP Morgan aren't going to move onto the site after all according to the Corporation of London note here.
From Monday 21st October work will commence on dismantling the visionary but ultimately unsuccessful St Alphage Highwalk. A child of 1960s town planning to separate pedestrians from cars on London Wall (London, England) the scheme was never successful and for at least the last 20 years or so has been a high level desert, much unloved and unused. The demolition of the high walk will make way for new buildings and will have one major benefit in that it will finally open up the ruins of St Alphage at street level so that they can be appreciated. Still, for me this is the passing of an era. From a brave new concept of urban living to a return to road and street together. It is planned that a replacement walkway is part of the complex being built but as far as I can see from documents published by the corporation of London, commitment is vague and it is recognised it may be years before replacement walkways are created to connect the stubs lefts behind by the removal of the existing high walk. London is a City of constant evolution, one cannot stand in the way of its continuous redevelopment. One can still shed a silent tear for the passing of one era and the commencement of another.
Bit of a tense day at work today - it was due to be decision day for my colleague who's (potentially) being made redundant, but she's asked for more time, so the consultation period's been extended. We had a staff meeting this morning though, which was also a little tense, with various questions and answers about it all.
My friend Char was off sick today, so I took a little wander on my own at lunchtime, and ended up on the Barbican highwalk (for a change!) This delicate little flower caught my eye as I walked past this wall.
After lunch, I did my colleague's appraisal (which I was also feeling a little nervous about - I'm not a natural manager - but it went really well). I called Char on the way home to fill her in on the situation at work, and to see how she was doing. She sounded ok - hope she'll be back soon.
Busy evening with Tim, reinstating various things in our kitchen. When I got home, he'd already plumbed the washing machine back in, then after dinner we plumbed in our new dishwasher, too. The electrician more or less finished everything today - so we now have new lights in the bathroom, and in the kitchen, and all new sockets in the kitchen, too. Oh, and a new fuse box!
Spotted this man making a video call on the highwalk 'bridge' over London Wall this morning, so sneaked a quick shot of him.
Had a full day of training on our new CRM today - which all went OK, until we started discussing whether or not we can really stick to our (latest) go-live deadline of next week. A few things came out of the woodwork which made us think that 'no' is the correct answer - and then more things came out of this afternoon's training that sucked away any remaining confidence. What a sh** show.
Somehow Parliament managed to trump us by actually approving Boris Johnson's Brexit deal today. Unbelievable!
I've been exploring the Square Mile a bit recently, looking for places I haven't seen before, in the hope I'll find some good shots for the 31 days.
Once I saw this mini roundabout, and the people walking the wrong way around it, I added it to my list of places to revisit..
This was taken from one of the many 'highwalks' around the area - this one is just off London Wall..
Late to work this morning - I was running slow due to not feeling well, and apparently the trains must have been under the weather too, as they were also running slow. Joined in with my team meeting when I got in; I hadn't missed too much.
I decided to give Pilates a go at lunch, as I'm just bored of feeling ill now - it was hard-going but not too bad, and I think I'm glad I did it (though also exhausted!) Poor Char had to go home with a killer headache today.
Spotted this pink window on the way home this evening, so took a few shots on my way up onto the Barbican highwalk. (Spotted a purple one round the corner, too.)
It was a beautiful sunny morning today - I took a quick detour down off the Barbican highwalk on my way to work and took a few photos in the nice light.
Yet another busy day at work - I seem to be doing a lot but not quite breaking the back of it. Really hope I can get caught up before I go on holiday next week. It's going to be a challenge as we have a staff away day next Monday and I've got a load of meetings, too. Help!
Tim was still off sick today, but feeling a bit better by this evening, thankfully. I came home a little bit late again, but then cooked us salmon with horseradish mash - and we watched another episode of Fargo before bed.
Had a pretty good day at work, a nice lunch at the Barbican with my friends Sarah and Char, and then a really lovely evening out with the same friends, who took me out for a delicious birthday meal. We went to Chino Latino in Vauxhall - incredibly tasty food - and then on for a quick 'nightcap' (I had hot chocolate) in a really cool bar in Lower Marsh St near Waterloo, before heading home - and Tim came and picked me up from the station. Perfect evening :)
As I'd always recommend - hit the L for the Large and Dark view...
The view here is of the site of what was 63 Moorgate - a rather uninspiring office block, but one which hosted one of the ever dwindling sections of the pedway (or highwalk)...originally planned to total over 30 miles in length it strove to "take the pedestrian above the traffic and into the clear air above".
Conceived during the post-war planning of the 1960's the scheme was quite substantial. Apparently there is a somewhat enigmatically titled document called Drawing 3400B which illustrates the full extent planned - to run from Fleet Street to Tower Hill across the whole of The City of London.
Unfortunately the scheme was doomed from the start as it relied on the piecemeal rebuilding of the City to join together sections as they were planned and executed. This meant that there were always gaps... and these became more and more difficult to bridge as the cost of building and maintenance escalated and the momentum of the conservation movement made the destruction of old buildings which stood in the way more and more problematic.
As time went on other problems surfaced - access for emergency services, the increased costs of lighting and change in architectural fashion. This said there is a remarkable amount still around although this is being gradually eroded.
There is much rambling on the Pedways and Highwalks elsewhere in my photostream and across Flickr - m'learned friend Blech is a fan of the Highwalks and has a set dedicated to those around Moorgate and the Barbican. Beechlights and Homemade both have excellent shots of the area too.
Anyway - back to the ill-fated Number 63, now demolished to allow for reworking of Moorgate Station as part of the Crossrail project. The neighbouring building out of view to the right - the combination-of-curves that it m'lord Foster's Moor House - included in it's construction an enormous concrete box designed to house the ticket hall for the station and a 100ft deep ventilation shaft to connect to tunnel which is only now under construction . The scale of the engineering is truly monumental - the foundations of Moor House go down 200ft and are some of the deepest in London, this to provide stability during the construction of Crossrail, and the design includes a platform with a booking-hall at each end... one at Moorgate and the other at Liverpool Street.
As for the site here - I've no idea what the replacement for No. 63 is going to look like... some "challenging and thrusting office environments" along with "retail space" in a tower which makes a "bold statement by contrasting with the surroundings" no doubt.
As a contrast here's a repeat of the link to The Living City - a publicity film for the City of London from 1970 which I stumbled across on YouTube. If you're pushed for time slip forward to around the 16 min mark as there's a secion on the Barbican and area there.
Alternatively grab a cuppa and watch the whole half hour!
Enjoy
Back to the office today :) Bit knackered, but felt ok otherwise. Had quite a busy day and got quite a lot done, too.
London EC1 & EC2. John Trundle Court of The Barbican Estate to the right.
Sony A7II + C/Y Zeiss Distagon 35mm f/2.8 MM
Today at work I found out I'm losing my final salary pension, but in other news I sold a photo for $4 on Flickr. So, you know, swings and roundabouts....
Agfa Isolette III, Adox CHS 100 Art - which is very nice stuff actually.
Interestingly I had a comment on on the previous picture saying they liked it but thought it was “a bit grey”. Being a scan of black and white film I can assure you that it is 1/255 Black, 1/255 white and 253/255 grey, so in fact very much mostly grey.
No graphics many thanks