inside on the outside

During the summer holidays I worked in the centre of London's financial district, I walked past this building everyday going to and from work - it was here that I saw the Lloyds of London building. Designed by architect Richard Rogers and completed in the late 1980's, it is an incredible piece of architecture, the principle concept being that the inside is on the outside. This is achieved in the utilities that you would normally design on the inside are placed on the outside structures to enable greater capacity inside. Visually, this piece is modern and highly industrial which suits the urban setting and the buildings use as an global insurance marketplace. I find this structure to be incredibly fascinating in its multi-angled viewings, it seems that there are hundreds of interesting nooks and crannies created by the metallic structures covering the framework. There's something quite futuristic about it, which considering this building is over twenty years old, is quite a feat.

Unfortunately Lloyds of London do not allow visitors into the building.

Key West, Florida Keys

Further down the East coast in Key West, the architectural style goes back in time somewhat with Art Deco influences alongside typical Southern American elegance. Stilted, wooden slatted structures are common in this area due to the hurricane risk, which enables the buildings to shift in harsh weather. They are beautifully constructed and display great detail in the decorative wood trimming which cover the fascias of all structures, putting Key West on the map for charming and stylised American architecture. I get a real sense of American building design in Key West, the quintessential white picket fence and porch are standard and a fresh, pastel palette of colours are evident - you get a distinct Southern feel where you know this place is like no other.

Bienvenido a Miami

The architecture commonly found in the city of Miami is of the classic Art Deco era - typically presenting soft curved plastered exteriors in bright, ice cream pastel colours, bold lines and squared structures. This area of Florida saw a boom in its tourism industry in the early 1900's on the advent of the 'vacation' for American families - the City Hall architects of the time wanted to create an unique architectural trend not seen anywhere in the States. There is a real seaside feel to the South Beach district where the coloured buildings create a vibrant, sunny atmosphere. The Art Deco style is said to have originated in Ancient Egypt where the extravagant designs in colour and form were a symbol of decadence and luxury - something that appealed greatly to the Americans.

The Geodesic

On my travels, I was able to inform my family that this structure which lay before us was in fact a Geodesic dome structure, developed by Buckminster Fuller in the 1930's.

The Shard

There is much talk about this new architecture on the South banks of London. My colleagues at Tommy's and I frequently discussed our opinions on the design and situation of The Shard and whether we felt it was a positive addition to the upwardly growing London skyline. Designed by Renzo Piano, it will stand 1,016 feet tall and will be the tallest building in Western Europe. It is set to "become a beacon for the city and a strong and vital center for commerce and travel." as well as in tourist commerce. In terms of design, there is nothing quite like it already in London, the Gherkin is somewhat 'old hat' now, and it would stand up against any other skyscraper that you would find in Dubai or Asia for example. It makes way for more innovative architectural design in London, which in time to come will mark out a new skyline. The form and sharp, open-ended peak of the structure break away from the boxed architecture which has been used for hundreds of years, I feel it shows a leap into the coming time ahead.

"I foresee The Shard as a small vertical city for about seven thousand people to work in, and for hundreds of thousands more to visit from all over the world." R. Piano