Modern London, post Great War (WWI) and post WWII shows us the death of Victorian ideals and a move towards functionality and rationality in the architecture and buildings. As with most things, it was delayed coming to London by about 20 years. Since London was very poor after the two World Wars, they moved towards glass and concrete as materials due to their cheap cost.
Our first stop was the housing center, Brunswick Center. Built from 1952-1972 by Patrick Hodgkinson, these building were seen as monumental and awe inspiring for the time.
With its jutting out balconies, green room style coverings and diagonal features, people really loved these buildings. In addition to this, in the modernist style, they have huge ventilation towers, are very large in their scale and are bold and in your face.
Built in 1931, we then moved onto the Senate House.
Universally commissioned and built by Charles Holden, the Senate House is the culmination of a plan to centralize education in London. This is the Administrative center of the University and the Library as well. As you can see, the tower is staggered in an Egyptian ziggurat style.
We then moved onto the British Museum. The outside was built by Sir John Burnet in 1907 and is in a neo-classical style to fit in with the rest of the museum that was already standing.
Moving inside, we saw the Greater Court. Originally laid out by Robert Smirk as a public court, this neo-classical room shows the covering of the original library (circular building) and Norman Foster's genius architecture in the roof and rest of the court. The reason for the covering and expansion is because the museum got too big and expansions were required.
Our next stop was in Finsbury at the Charles Rowan House. Build in 1930 out of brick, this was a building for police housing and a move towards modernism.
After this, we walked deeper into Finsbury to take a look at the Finsbury Health Center.
Built by Lubetrin from 1935-1938, this free healthcare hospital was a flagship for the radical modernist movement. Although it doesn't look like much now, back when it was built it was something people hadn't seen or had before. And since it doesn't look like much now, there is much debate over whether it should be restored and used again or if London should leave it how it is and let it continue to rot away and die.
We then moved over towards the housing estate, Golden Lane Estates, build by Chamberlan, Howell and Bond from 1952-1962. This area was almost completely destroyed during the blitz, they removed the rubble and built this modernist style, cheap public housing.
Not only are they colorful and once vibrant, but it shows a move away from 1930's quaint architecture and a move towards multiple materials per building. This is pre-brutalism and in a new style with no true ground level since the ground was dug out and steps and floors were put below the traditional ground level.
Next to the Golden Lane Estates was our next stop, The Barbican. This is the upscale part of the construction effort in post blitz house planning. It is a very large area with the ground raised up. They were built with a bigger budget for higher class citizens and took much longer to build. With a lot of concrete showing, this is the brutalist style and although it is 10 years apart from the Golden Lane Estates, they are a world apart in appearance and style.
Our next stop took us to the Broadgate Estate. Built by Arup Associates after the deregulation brought trade to London, causing a boom in the economy and a rebuilding craze. Again, this has an amphitheater influence and was privately financed and built from 1985-1987. It is the main offices for many financial institutions and is made of granite.
Our last stop took us to two of the biggest and most recent buildings in London. The first one was the Lloyds Building. Build from 1976-1986 by Richard Rodgers and partners, this is in the high-tech style. All of the guts of the building and the technology like ventilation, elevators, etc. are actually on the outside. It is both innovative and deliberate. It is made of aluminum, glass and steel.
The final building, across the horizon line, was The Gerkin. Built in 2004 by Norman Foster and partners, this is the building for the private Swiss bank. It is clean, elegant and smooth. It has a streamlined feel and has a flawless glass exterior.
Our first stop was the housing center, Brunswick Center. Built from 1952-1972 by Patrick Hodgkinson, these building were seen as monumental and awe inspiring for the time.
With its jutting out balconies, green room style coverings and diagonal features, people really loved these buildings. In addition to this, in the modernist style, they have huge ventilation towers, are very large in their scale and are bold and in your face.
Built in 1931, we then moved onto the Senate House.
Universally commissioned and built by Charles Holden, the Senate House is the culmination of a plan to centralize education in London. This is the Administrative center of the University and the Library as well. As you can see, the tower is staggered in an Egyptian ziggurat style.
We then moved onto the British Museum. The outside was built by Sir John Burnet in 1907 and is in a neo-classical style to fit in with the rest of the museum that was already standing.
Moving inside, we saw the Greater Court. Originally laid out by Robert Smirk as a public court, this neo-classical room shows the covering of the original library (circular building) and Norman Foster's genius architecture in the roof and rest of the court. The reason for the covering and expansion is because the museum got too big and expansions were required.
Our next stop was in Finsbury at the Charles Rowan House. Build in 1930 out of brick, this was a building for police housing and a move towards modernism.
After this, we walked deeper into Finsbury to take a look at the Finsbury Health Center.
Built by Lubetrin from 1935-1938, this free healthcare hospital was a flagship for the radical modernist movement. Although it doesn't look like much now, back when it was built it was something people hadn't seen or had before. And since it doesn't look like much now, there is much debate over whether it should be restored and used again or if London should leave it how it is and let it continue to rot away and die.
We then moved over towards the housing estate, Golden Lane Estates, build by Chamberlan, Howell and Bond from 1952-1962. This area was almost completely destroyed during the blitz, they removed the rubble and built this modernist style, cheap public housing.
Not only are they colorful and once vibrant, but it shows a move away from 1930's quaint architecture and a move towards multiple materials per building. This is pre-brutalism and in a new style with no true ground level since the ground was dug out and steps and floors were put below the traditional ground level.
Next to the Golden Lane Estates was our next stop, The Barbican. This is the upscale part of the construction effort in post blitz house planning. It is a very large area with the ground raised up. They were built with a bigger budget for higher class citizens and took much longer to build. With a lot of concrete showing, this is the brutalist style and although it is 10 years apart from the Golden Lane Estates, they are a world apart in appearance and style.
Our next stop took us to the Broadgate Estate. Built by Arup Associates after the deregulation brought trade to London, causing a boom in the economy and a rebuilding craze. Again, this has an amphitheater influence and was privately financed and built from 1985-1987. It is the main offices for many financial institutions and is made of granite.
Our last stop took us to two of the biggest and most recent buildings in London. The first one was the Lloyds Building. Build from 1976-1986 by Richard Rodgers and partners, this is in the high-tech style. All of the guts of the building and the technology like ventilation, elevators, etc. are actually on the outside. It is both innovative and deliberate. It is made of aluminum, glass and steel.
The final building, across the horizon line, was The Gerkin. Built in 2004 by Norman Foster and partners, this is the building for the private Swiss bank. It is clean, elegant and smooth. It has a streamlined feel and has a flawless glass exterior.
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