Architecture!

[Fatty Facesitter]

Despite the sheer travel chaos that can be found within the interior, the exterior of St. Pancras station is mesmerising. Beautifully crafted.

Love a good viaduct - Glenfinnan viaduct in Scotland is qute unique because of it’s curve and the setting itself is spectacular. 

 

[Chest Rockwell]

The (relatively) new terminal at Abu Dhabi airport is amazing. Looks so cool. It's like a space station but with all the influences from traditional Islamic design. Hard to find a photo online that does it justice.

http://designconfidence.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/auh1-700x400.jpg

 

 

http://www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/pictures/2017/Abu-Dhabi-Airport.jpg

 

(I don't know why two of those won't embed)

 

[Gus Mears]

I don't think I have ever been as impressed by seeing a building in the flesh than Cologne Cathedral. There are significantly larger buildings, but you would struggle to find something as imposing. It's dark and oppressive, but undeniably beautiful with it. A triumph of gothic architecture. 

[Devon Malcolm]

11 hours ago, Rule One said:

Spotted it last night whilst searching through the Manchester City Council Photo Archives.(Links to their Flickr page.) The picture was dated 28/7/64 and this building is long gone now, if you stood in the same position today, you'd be staring at the entrance to Aldi on Market Street, Manchester city centre. Ignoring the ground floor shop fronts, I love its symmetry, the brickwork and my idea with the right dressing, it would make a fine snooker hall/parlour.

I'll be looking at that a lot differently now when I head down Market Street! Amazing how much it's changed there.

[Onyx2]

13 hours ago, Chest Rockwell said:

I don't know why two of those won't embed)

 

The board software won't embed images from insecure links (non-https).

[Devon Malcolm]

16 hours ago, Fatty Facesitter said:

Despite the sheer travel chaos that can be found within the interior, the exterior of St. Pancras station is mesmerising. Beautifully crafted.

Absolutely love that building, stunning inside as well.

The Uzbekistan government recently lifted a ban on photography inside Tashkent's metro station. There's a page full of these on the Guardian's website (their Urban Eye feature is superb) but look at these:-

[Guy Bifkin]

Just back from Edinburgh where I never tire of the brooding gothic rocketship that is the Scott Monument.

 

[Carbomb]

I'm surprised, especially at the Londoners, that the first example of brutalism mentioned wasn't the South Bank Centre, which is what I immediately think of:

 

[PunkStep]

On 9/9/2018 at 9:13 AM, Devon Malcolm said:

It's obvious to see why it wouldn't appeal but I love Brutalism, especially when it's a formless construct like Habitat 57.

I'm really not a fan of Brutalism but that looks quite special. Really like the look of that.

 

On 9/9/2018 at 11:05 AM, johnnyboy said:

The Barbican Estate is probably one of the best examples of brutalism isn't it? 

And this is probably the best example of why I don't generally like Brutalism. I can't stand the Barbican Estate, I think it looks depressing and run-down.

I think the main reason I don't like Brutalism is that for some reason it screams 'Thatcher's Britain' to me, and everything going to shit in the 1980s. Conversely for the same reason I can see why some people see beauty in that, especially from a nostalgic standpoint.

I've become more and more interested in European architecture over the years and my wife and I try and visit European cities whenever we can. Seen some fantastic buildings and monuments over the years but none have wowed me as much as the Gaudi-inspired architecture in Barcelona. Not just the obvious showcases such as Sagrada Familia and Parc Guel, but so many more buildings across the city. Even little things like lampposts stand out and awe you. Here are a couple of pics I took a few years ago of Gaudi-style buildings:

 

[Carbomb]

Brutalism's from a lot earlier than Thatcher, but I can see why you'd feel that way. The Brunswick Centre near Russell Square is an example of brutalist architecture re-vamped to actually look quite welcoming and habitable - it looked like the grim housing estate in A Clockwork Orange about fifteen years ago.

Despite what I've posted, brutalism isn't my favourite form of architecture. My tastes flick between super-modern and classical/ancient. I loved what @SpiritOfTheForest posted earlier, reminds me of some of the beautiful buildings I saw in Andalusia - obviously, the Alhambra is the prime example:

 

[Keith Houchen]

Went for a drive along Snake Pass at the weekend and pulled in to the Derwant Valley.  This was the Dam there, looked really foreboding in amongst the glorious scenery.

 

[Onyx2]

I was in Cardiff a couple of weeks ago and was struck by a couple of buildings from different worlds (that are about a hundred yards apart).

First the Millennium Centre which is fucking huge, yet carries this swirl atop like a giant snail.

I'm at the bottom of that pic in the middle, with my daughter running along. It's quite inspiring. Here's another view:

And just over the yard is the Pierhead Building, which crashes circular and boxy constructions in a really pleasing way. The colour leaps off the skyline too. It's so striking and Victorian:

 

[PunkStep]

2 hours ago, Carbomb said:

Brutalism's from a lot earlier than Thatcher, but I can see why you'd feel that way.

Well yes obviously and most of the brutalist buildings we're familiar with in London are from the 60s, some earlier. But it reminds me of going through London as a kid in the 80s to visit my cousins in Bermondsey, where he had to change our route every time because of the latest IRA bombing, and you had these brutalist tower blocks everywhere.

[Carbomb]

I'm lucky to have this gorgeous, historical, and downright useful place just down the road(ish) from me. Venue, ice rink, exhibition centre, birthplace of television, and just all-round lovely place to visit:

[Devon Malcolm]

Love this. A run of buildings in the seaside town of Swakopmund in Namibia.