View allAll Photos Tagged HighWalk
The now closed City Boot Public House , Moorfields Highwalk, City of London. A former Davy's Wine Bar outlet. Closed due to the imminent redevelopment of the 1960's complex at 21 Moorfields.
Project 365 - 180/365
Taken for the RPS "Bleeding London" Project. As part of this project I decided to set myself my own
challenge and project to photograph everey street in the Square Mile- progress can be followed at bleedinglondoncity.blogspot.co.uk/
Another test of my new phone today - had a go with the superzoom, and it's alright! Lovely sunny day, and a nice walk through the Barbican complex to work.
Good way at work. Went to M&S with Char at lunch, and bought some new perfume, as mine's about to run out. We popped into Hotel Chocolat and got free samples again, too ;) I did actually buy something this time though - Easter treats for the family.
Also bought Tim some flowers in M&S. I'd thought about getting him some on Valentine's Day but everything's such a rip-off then, I decided to save it as a surprise for later instead. He was duly surprised! :)
St Alphage House, which has dominated the eastern end of the Barbican High Walk, swathed in protective webbing awaiting demolition. Behind the building is the highest free-standing crane in London. To the left of the building is the St Alphage High Walk which will also be demolished.
What a morning! You'd never think we were about to head into June - it absolutely tipped it down this morning, and it stayed so gloomy all day. Spoke to my sister just before I took this picture, and she told me it was lovely and sunny in Somerset and she had two loads of washing on the line. At least someone's got some good weather!
Also just before I took this photo, I had to take a really long route around the highwalk, as there was a *massive* puddle. I didn't really mind being back at work today, but I'd have loved to be wrapped up in a duvet at my desk. I made do by taking off my soggy socks and putting a big cardy on instead.
Had a good day at work, walked to the station with Char this eve, then came home and talked kitchens and bathrooms with Tim. Think we are now leaning towards a more 'make do and mend' approach than the alternative 'throw loads of money at it' approach. Hopefully we'll still end up with something pretty good, and it'll be satisfying to get a bit more hands on. Please remind me I said that when we're drowning in DIY....
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.
I've been wanting to capture this one for years, however I've never felt happy with this. This attempt is the first time the shot has come out really nicely.
Day 3 of the nature photography challenge. I decided to seek out a bit of urban nature today, and this moss on a wall at the Barbican provided my shot of the day.
Had a good day at work - and a good meeting this morning, too. Soooo tired again though - very glad to get home this evening.
Back to summer-y weather today :) Had a good day at work, and went shoe shopping with my friend Char at lunchtime. I bought some, but still need to decide if I really like them. I only really like (and wear) trainers, so it's an effort to find a pair of shoes I'm happy with!
Had a nice chilled out evening in with a very tired Tim. We took in a food shopping delivery, and I started researching our next photo printer (after the old one up and died on us a couple of months ago).
The minotaur's personal space was being encroached upon this morning. There was a little stage set up under the highwalk, I think (below where I was standing) - my memory is awful but I think it might have said London Symphony Orchestra on it.
SO tired today. Tim and I went to bed at 9:30 last night, and I had 9 hours' sleep, but it was still like trying to wake the dead this morning. I think it's this bug still - even Tim is still feeling a bit knackered a good couple of weeks on. Tempted to have another early night tonight....
Into the office today, to do my two colleagues' appraisals. Tiring day, but all good positive stuff, and lovely to see several of my lovely colleagues. I went over to the Barbican at lunchtime and found a couple of them there, and we sat and chatted in the sunshine - and another joined us, too. It was so warm!
Left work at the same time as my long-time colleague, Paul, and walked as far as Silk Street with him. I had a little time to kill before my train, so headed up onto the highwalk to get some photos. I was happy to spot this woman sitting upstairs at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and snapped a few shots with people passing by below.
We failed to exchange on our house again today :( Found out quite late in the day that the people at the bottom of the chain didn't want to exchange until 1 June as they have their money in a high interest account and would lose interest if they withdrew before the end of the month. Grrrr! And yet they still want to complete on 6th June - which makes securing our removals firm pretty tricky.
Very tired by the time I got home. I cooked dinner for me and Tim though, and then had a relaxing evening with him.
Feel the chill... Large and Dark. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!.
Another from the "do you remember how cold is was only six months ago" series in response to the sweltering heat that London has endured over the last couple of days - probably a mild day in comparison with the heat felt on a daily basis in other parts of the world but for London it's been quite exceptional (30.9 degrees at Heathrow, according to the Met Office and today we're at Level 3 - Heatwave Action don't you know.
The lampost here is on London Wall - I'll not expand more on London Wall in this shot since I've done so elsewhere and to be honest it's both highly improbably that any part of this is the original post and the building in the background isn't exactly clearly visible - I'll save more discourse for next time...
... but to stave off disappointment, in addition to the cooling picture I'm including a poem by Wilfrid Wilson Gibson (not to be confused with Wilfred Gibson (thanks to helen2006 for pointing out that one has an i and the other an e), violinist in the Electric Light Orchestra) war poet and friend of Rupert Brooke. So retire to Poets' Corner and...
.. enjoy
The Ice-Cart
PERCHED on my city office-stool,
I watched with envy, while a cool
And lucky carter handled ice. . . .
And I was wandering in a trice,
Far from the grey and grimy heat
Of that intolerable street,
O'er a sapphire berg and emerald floe,
Beneath the still, cold ruby glow
Of everlasting Polar night,
Bewildered by the queer half-light,
Until I stumbled, unawares,
Upon a creek where big white bears
Plunged headlong down with flourished heels
And floundered after shining seals
Through shivering seas of blinding blue.
And as I watched them, ere I knew,
I'd stripped, and I was swimming too,
Among the sea-pack, young and hale,
And thrusting on with threshing tail,
With twist and twirl and sudden leap
Through crackling ice and salty deep--
Diving and doubling with my kind,
Until, at last, we left behind
Those big, white, blundering bulks of death,
And lay, at length, with panting breath
Upon a far untravelled floe,
Beneath a gentle drift of snow--
Snow drifting gently, fine and white,
Out of the endless Polar night,
Falling and falling evermore
Upon that far untravelled shore,
Till I was buried fathoms deep
Beneath the cold white drifting sleep--
Sleep drifting deep,
Deep drifting sleep. . . .
The carter cracked a sudden whip:
I clutched my stool with startled grip.
Awakening to the grimy heat
Of that intolerable street.
Wilfred Gibson 1878-1962
Another bridge has been reinstated while I've been away! I was thinking I'd ended up with a tilt shift effect just by shooting through a dirty window, but now I've discovered I wasn't shooting in RAW as I'd expected, so perhaps I'd actually managed to activate a scene mode on my camera. Either way, it was a happy accident and I quite like it!
Really tired again today, but made it through the day and then had a really lovely evening out with my friends Sarah and Char, a belated birthday meal for Sarah (whose birthday was in November) at House restaurant in the National Theatre. Really nice restaurant and delicious food - and a lovely time with my friends :) Ran for the train just after 10pm, and Tim came and picked me up from the station.
Busy day at work - but managed to get quite a lot done, including various bits and pieces for myself (posting my nephew's birthday present, returning an Amazon order, etc). Our colleague who lost her dad recently came in this afternoon - it was so good to see her.
Popped to the shops near St Paul's this evening, so took this route along the Barbican highwalk to get there. Managed to get a good Christmas present for my boss - I've very nearly completed all my work Christmas shopping now. Phew!
Got home and Tim broke the news to me that our boiler was broken. Bugger. What crappy timing. Thankfully, British Gas can come out tomorrow, but I really hope they can actually fix it!
The Swiss Re Tower, officially called "30, St. Mary Axe", still under construction, and the "Tower 42", formerly called the "NatWest Tower" basking side by side in the afternoon sun in August of 2002.
I especially like how the crane above looks like it is there to pull the Swiss Re Building up to its intended height. In reality, it is completely unrelated and belongs to the much closer construction site at that time of Moorhouse, located at the north-west corner of London Wall and Moorgate.
The silhouette of the buildings flanking an alleyway leading to Moorgate provided the perfectly fitting frame for the subject.
This view has become impossible to achieve any more, since a new, shiny building (hence the cranes in the picture) now blocks the view. Since this view of a new building in London has become unavailable, the picture curiously qualifies for both groups New London and Lost London.
Moorfields Highwalk, The Barbican Centre, Moorgate, City of London, London, UK
I love these flowers on the Barbican highwalk, and they're in full bloom now. Couldn't resist stopping for a few quick shots on my way in this morning.
Had a busy day clearing my office and moving all my stuff upstairs. Very hot and sweaty by the end of the day, then had to hurry over to the Barbican cinema with Char to meet Tim. We were seeing Yesterday; a fun film. Char wasn't overly impressed, but Tim and I both enjoyed it.
Architects: Chamberlin, Powell and Bon, 1970s, Grade II listed. Barbican Estate, City of London.
(CC BY-NC-ND - credit: Images George Rex)
The Barbican Centre is a major performing arts center and a prime example of Brutalist architecture in London. It's part of the larger Barbican Estate, which was built on a 35-acre site that was extensively damaged during the Blitz in World War II. Designed by the architects Chamberlin, Powell and Bon, the Barbican was conceived as a "city within a city," a visionary plan to transform the urban landscape. Its construction began in the 1960s and the arts center was officially opened in 1982 by Queen Elizabeth II, who reportedly called it "one of the modern wonders of the world." The complex is now a Grade II listed building, recognized globally as an architectural icon.
What makes the Barbican so distinctly Brutalist is its use of "béton brut", or raw concrete. The concrete surfaces were hand-finished with a bush-hammering technique, giving them a rugged, textured quality that reveals the stone aggregate within. This honest display of materials is a key tenet of Brutalist design, which prioritizes function and the raw beauty of a building's construction over decorative elements. The Barbican's structures are monumental, with a fortress-like quality, but their design is also incredibly intricate, featuring complex angles, curved edges, and a repeating rhythm of horizontal and vertical lines.
The Barbican's design is characterized by its layered approach and separation of pedestrians from vehicles. The entire complex is raised on a series of podiums and walkways, known as "highwalks," which create a new ground level for pedestrians, allowing them to move throughout the estate unimpeded by street traffic below. This "slab urbanism" was a radical idea at the time, aiming to create a peaceful, self-contained community. The elevated walkways and bridges connect the residential towers, terrace blocks, and various cultural venues, forming an urban labyrinth that invites exploration.
Despite its tough, concrete exterior, the Barbican has a surprising sense of softness and an abundance of green spaces. The brutalist structures are contrasted with tranquil water features, lush courtyards, and the stunning Barbican Conservatory, one of London's largest indoor gardens. The interplay between the hard, geometric architecture and the organic shapes of the plant life and water creates a unique and harmonious environment. This blend of raw urbanism and natural elements has made the Barbican a sought-after residential area and a celebrated destination for art, culture, and architecture.
Back in the office again today - two days in a row! Found out on the way in that one of my colleagues is self-isolating having developed a cough, but figured I might as well still go in, as a) I haven't seen him for ages, and b) I have been quite obsessively washing my hands after touching anything at work. Poor Brian; it was his birthday, too, but I don't think he's feeling too bad - another colleague told me he was very happy to have got a crate of beer for his birthday, and a new PlayStation game ;)
Had a super busy day at work, and ended up staying until 7pm, along with Char, who also had tons to do, preparing for the upcoming audit. We walked to Bank together and I popped into Tesco for a few bits and pieces - then caught the train home to begin the weekend, and our holiday (whatever that shapes up to be - no idea if we'll make it to Devon as planned, as Tim is ill - I phoned my Mum this morning to tell her not to expect us).
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 rather buggy today - I was running for the train this morning and felt like I might faint. Oops. Needless to say, I stopped running (but still made the train). Felt OK the rest of the day, although super knackered - and a bit wobbly on the way home.
We had a full orchestra playing in the building next to ours all day today. Not great at the start when they were all warming up, but pretty impressive by the afternoon. I ended up staying at work until 6:30 in order to get a huge email sent out, and they were playing for most of that time.
Beautiful light this morning - a proper crisp, clear, chilly Autumn day. I took this shot (and a few others) looking down from part of the Barbican highwalk onto London Wall - loved the shadows and reflections.
Good, busy day at work, although a bit sad for my friend who's had to fly back to Colombia to visit her ill mother.
I finally did pilates again at lunchtime.. Our instructor has stepped it up a bit since I last did it. Ow!
Poor Tim headed home a little early this afternoon with the beginnings of a horrid cold. I forewent my leftover pie and cooked us a good spicy pasta dish instead, to warm his poorly cockles.