Question of the week: Tell us about one of your favourite London buildings “London, as you’ve probably noticed, is a bit cluttered: there are buildings on top of buildings behind buildings shoved in between buildings on top of buildings. All sorts of architecture exist here. It’s possible to find sections of the Roman wall, Christopher Wren’s glorious seventeenth century reworking of St. Paul’s Cathedral and 30 St Mary Axe (winner of the 2004 Royal Institute of British Architects Stirling Prize and commonly known The Gherkin because of its similarity to a giant blue pickle) within walking distance of each other. After all that, it can come as a bit of a surprise that people live here too.
Like every other type of building, housing has gone through a lot of important changes in style and not all of it has been successful (you probably have your own opinions about K-M). The most fascinating building in London at the moment is one that hasn’t really survived: it’s been insulted, emptied, isolated, boarded up, vandalised, condemned to demolition and now filled with copper sulphate crystals.
At 151 - 189 Harper Road, you’ll find a dilapidated block of former council flats transformed into an shockingly wonderful cave of bright blue crystals as part of SEIZURE, an artwork by Roger Hiorns. It’s something between being trapped in a giant amethyst and drowning.
It’s only open until 18th October but, fortunately, it’s also got him shortlisted for the Turner Prize 2009, one of Britain’s most prestigious art awards, which means you’ll be able to see examples of his work at Tate Britain from 6th October.”
- Phillippa
Edit to add - good news - Seizure is now open until the 3rd of January
* Photo by Sela-V, used under Creative Commons.
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