Question of the week: Question of the week: Tell us about one of your favourite London buildings "I think 30 St. Mary Axe, Swis-Re Tower, or, as it's almost universally called 'The Gerkin', is a beautiful addition to the London skyline.
I love the curves, the stripes, the shine, but most of all the way it looks incredible from every angle. Whether you see it soaring between the gaps between run-down buildings in the east end, surrounded by other modern buildings in the City, or juxtaposed with historic churches, it always adds rather than overshadows. Even from miles away, when London's nothing more than towers in the distance glimpsed from the motorway - one clump of towers in Docklands and a second, stumpier, set in the City - the Gerkin adds a note of grace, elegance, and style.
Unfortunately, getting a closer view is tricky. The only public area is 'the plaza', or, in other words, the grounds outside - everything else is restricted to the companies that lease the building, and the stunning restaurant and private dining rooms at the top of the tower command high prices to match the views.
City Hall, across the river, was built by the same architect's firm, and is also worth investigating. They have a remarkably open access policy for the working centre of London's local government, and they're opening up still more of the building for London's Open House weekend this coming weekend."- Miss Alice
* Gerkin photo by Paolo Margari, used under Creative Commons. City Hall photo photo by Stuiek, used under Creative Commons.
No comments:
Post a Comment