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Contrasting Styles

2007.07.21
The old...

...and the not so old.

One of the things I love about London is the contrasting architectural styles right next to each other.

I think these two shots highlight what I mean – in the heart of the City of London. On one side of the street is St. Helen’s Bishopsgate church. This was founded in 1210 as a Benedictine priory – my picture is of a recent extention completed in 1633!

Just turn round and on the other side of the street is one of the icons of modern architecture – the Swiss Re building at 30, St. Mary Axe, otherwise known as the “Gherkin”, designed by Norman Foster and completed in 2004.

I have said things in other posts about modern architecture I don’t like in London but for me this is a wonderful example of the art and shows how the old and the new can co-exist.

Beautiful, or what?
20 Comments
RodolpheDeus Oh my godness. Stunning!!!
RodolpheDeus · 2007-07-20: 08:29
davidcardona Great subject! Nice shots! Well done!
davidcardona · 2007-07-20: 08:31
lennonf A great pair. Good stuff
lennonf · 2007-07-20: 08:37
deleted090307 Most definitely beautiful...

I am always more of a fan of older architecture, but love some new stuff too...'the gherkin' is something I like because it's different; it's not some 500 storey, plain and boring tower block, with some poncy architect shouting it's modern... (rant over :)) )
deleted090307 · 2007-07-20: 08:40
garysktam omg... the second I like most..
garysktam · 2007-07-20: 08:59
Lindyart I do think both are beautiful .. but much prefer older.. the second is stunning in it's design and has a certain beauty but the first is absolute beauty to me.. great thoughts and post ...:)
Lindyart · 2007-07-20: 09:37
Ed1973 I think the old and new can co-exist - but the emphasis is now on the new to try to compliment the old (which we should work harder at protecting!) Great shots - especially the second!
Ed1973 · 2007-07-20: 13:49
dweiskir Beautiful. I love seeing the old and the new coexisting in harmony.
dweiskir · 2007-07-20: 18:28
ajoeh Really nice angle, the old and new, nice tone in #1 and interesting pattern in #2.
ajoeh · 2007-07-20: 21:23
longimanus You walk really with open eyes... Once I`ve got a book as a present with photos of contrasting buildings (built next to each other!) all over Europe... This post just reminds me of that!
longimanus · 2007-07-21: 00:59
noptek Buildings say so much about the time they were built.
Here are two good examples.
Nice pictures
noptek · 2007-07-21: 02:57
KC727 In my view, this is a character of the city. I love Norman Foster's design, lines of the facade is very beautiful. The contrast is great.
KC727 · 2007-07-21: 03:46
storytaylor they are beautiful indeed. my passion is the norman foster building. another vision from london. thanks davids
storytaylor · 2007-07-21: 04:50
jet28 I do love modern architecture but in London it's the old that does it for me every time :-)
jet28 · 2007-07-21: 05:00
vmathewk Great composition.
The old and the ultra modern architecture live in harmony!!.. Great set.
vmathewk · 2007-07-21: 06:44
SuperG Gherkin I suppose is polite. Very nice contrast found here that matches your opinion. Cool.
SuperG · 2007-07-21: 12:35
noemi Beautiful...
noemi · 2007-07-21: 16:28
sandmoon great shots, esp 2...
sandmoon · 2007-07-22: 08:27
burbulz the second one is just great - perspective, tones, lines
burbulz · 2007-07-22: 22:45
giulicrevatin May be that in 1633 the church's recent extension have been seen as something too much "modern".
giulicrevatin · 2007-07-25: 02:11
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