The New A+A: It's Elfin's Tuesday Architectural Appreciation thread!!!

My old secondary school…top right hand 2 windows was where I spent my last few years.

Bottom row of windows…the classes where the kids who used to beat the shit out of us had their schooling. I’ve always had a fondness for the building though.

Barcelona Pavillion – a seminal work:

more images here: http://www.google.co.uk/images?client=safari&rls=en&q=barcelona+pavilion&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=-5FaTd3iLoyIhQfanpjFDQ&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCMQsAQwAA&biw=1680&bih=885

Around the South west i’ve seen many pieces of Old Architecture that amazed me. From the engine houses of the Cornish tin mines, to Berry Pompery castle perched on the edge of an inland Cliff.

Nothing really modern screamed at me and when i went to Edinburgh the whole City screamed at me from it’s Architectural greatness. The imposing Scott Monument, the columned building of the new town, the National Monuments(Edinburgh’s disgrace) uncompleted grandness.

I left Edinburgh passing the impressive Forth Rail bridge, itself a piece of Architectural beauty but nothing man made really does it for me in a way that natures own Architects and builders do.

The humble Wasp for example will build a piece so wonderful is truly amazes me every time i see one.
On the outside many arching pieces of chewed up wood create a shell to the nest.

Then on the inside the intricate design of the many tiers and Hexagon cells that makes up the comb.

Then there’s the elaborate towering termite hills..

Maybe all those years in the building trade have bored me of building a touch.

i’ve always liked a bit of Calatrava

Inmos Microprocessor Factory – Richard Rogers

The Barcelona Pavilion was built in the mid ’80s, from archive photographs and drawings as the original building was dismantled and shipped back to Germany and ……. who knows?
I remember that when I went there in ’87 I was amazed at the vibrant colour of the marble as until that time I’d only ever seen it in B+W photos.

Canary Wharf is the only tube station I’ve travelled to as my chosen destination.

that bridge looks familiar, is it in Seville ?

Love walking under these, Torres Kio in Madrid. I can see them from where I’m sitting:

Bit of an old photo, there’s a Calatrava Pylon thingy in the middle of the square behind the stone obelisk now.

Glasgow School of Art 8)

Harry’ next to the prison- are they building flats? (that block/scaffolding)- it would be a ‘interesting’ view wouldn’t it?

I was talking to a taxi driver once (who picked me up from Salford van hire) and his stories of the lags and partners round there was alittle hair raising

Both stunning inside and out

Trail monkey – yes it’s in Seville – it’s the Alamillo bridge

legend has it – Falling Water was designed as the owner drove up the FLWs office to check on the progress of the drawings.

A few pics I took in toronto last year. First the art college:

[/url]
Toronto[/url] by the accidental martini[/url], on Flickr

and the AGO:
[/url]
AGO Front[/url] by the accidental martini[/url], on Flickr

And the new bits of the museum are cool too:

[/url]
ROM[/url] by the accidental martini[/url], on Flickr

What a great thread Elf! Some fab photos, esp the ones of Manchester underground tunnels.

I love this structure – the perspective, the fact that seeing it means I’m going biking, and the colour – one day my new bike will be powder coated this colour 🙂

Plumber, my wife works at John Rylands. After a while it stops being beautiful and becomes a darks and miserable cave of a place.

Fantastic building for a casual visit though

Love this building, it’s near work and it sells beer. In fact I’m off for a pint now.

[/url]
Hub Bub[/url] by joanne.ferrari[/url], on Flickr

Wow!

After some of the negativity on here recently, it’s wonderful to see so many folk getting involved in this, and posting some stunning examples of the sheer diversity of Human creativity. The range of different styles displayed here is immense. Loving every one of them. And Sharki’s diversion into the world of Nature is fascinating; perhaps a ‘Natural Architecture’ future thread?

So pleased this has gone well. Think I’m gonna have to do this every week now! Great bit of participation by everyone who’s contributed. Thanks. But please put down the locations!

It’s difficult for me to see beyond London sometimes, so spoiled am I for architecture, but I’ve seen some great stuff abroad (Beyond the M25) too! 🙂

Vikingskipet (Viking Ship) in Hamar, Norway. Built for the 1994 Winter Olympics, as a speed-skating rink. Also used for track cycling; Chris Boardman broke the World Hour Record in 1993.

Gotta have a bit of Gaudi:

My fave building in New York:

that jumbo size dentist’s drill!!

Duomo, Florence

Millau Bridge

Marin Civic Centre

Love this building, it’s near work and it sells beer. In fact I’m off for a pint now.

Mossimus; that’s just down the road from me!! Great little venue.

They know how to do it in Iceland.

Best place I have ever lived.

Hull?

Hull?

😆

Wells Cathedral Chapter House

San Francisco you ignorami – is that word? If not can I make it up?

Buzz – that takes me back! I used to sing in there. The undercroft is directly underneath and shares the octagonal walls, but looks like a cave.

Brilliant thread elfin, wish I’d thought of it. I love buildings and structures, and there’s some fabulous examples here, and great photos too. Size isn’t always everything, though:

The bandstand in John Coles Park, Chippenham.

Pulteney Bridge and Wier, Bath.

Elfin should have no difficulty with this one

Or this

Cabot Circus, Bristol

And one a little older, Silbury Hill, Wiltshire.

Maxxi in Rome.

Speke Hall

Little Morton Hall

Selly Manor

Gawsworth Hall

Click on the pic:

Click on the pic: