Restoration of the King’s Cross engine shed has revealed astonishing views through the massive window overlooking the station.
Monthly Archives: February 2012
Aquatics centre will be Olympic winner despite strange spectator wings
The Aquatics Centre will be the most arresting building on the Olympic Park. Frustratingly the finished design will not be seen until after the spectator wings are removed at the end of the year when these ungainly extensions are replaced with glass. I t is curious to commission a building to celebrate the Olympics whichContinue reading “Aquatics centre will be Olympic winner despite strange spectator wings”
Wind powered floodlights could be a better symbol of the Olympics than the arcelormittal orbit
The arcelormittal orbit nears completion but like its name, communicates little. This picture taken after the London Prepares diving championships also shows the rather more elegant combined floodlights and wind turbines.
Excellent Open City photography walking tour
Went on a great new Open City walking tour led by photographer Grant Smith this afternoon. Here are some of the results..
Sticky backed plastic designed to look like a green wall on the way to the Olympic Park
Strange green walls have been glued to the upper levels of the Westfield Centre in Stratford. Designed to look like leaves, they appear to be good old sticky backed plastic. There is also a strange selection of potted plants on the way to the stadium? This is a pity as the real landscape looks asContinue reading “Sticky backed plastic designed to look like a green wall on the way to the Olympic Park”
A beautiful swimming pool but plastic flowers in stainless steel hanging baskets greet visitors to the Olympics
Why spend £9billion on the Olympics and then add plastic flowers in stainless steel hanging baskets on lamposts? The Aquatics Centre is stunning but what you have to look at on the way there is pretty miserable.
Paternoster Square becomes a maze of riot barriers
Elizabeth Frink’s Paternoster surveys a square composed entirely of riot barriers. In an effort to keep Paternoster Square both open and closed a maze of metal barriers has been set up so that pedestrians can walk but not have the space to pitch a tent. A particularly warped logician must have dreamed up this pattern.
The campaign to save Gaby’s in the Charing Cross Road has significant support
The campaign has masses of supporters, excellent media coverage and a celebrity profile but is this enough to persuade the Marquess of Salisbury to change his mind?
Rebuilt King’s Cross nearly open
Four views of King’s Cross concourse as it moves to completion.
This recycling bin broadcasts stock market prices but does it use more energy than it saves?
These recycling bins have appeared near to Cheapside. They show share prices and provide news updates on two digital screens. They do not appear to be solar powered. So is the energy saved by encouraging recycling undermined by the energy expended in providing the information service?
