I had a wonderful day yesterday - a slow start after a good sleep. It has been great to catch up with Matthew - once again talk about Monti and summers in the sun, and about one of his latest passions - pottery and the design and creation of earthenware tiles. Some great examples were at hand potetially designed for use at the renovated Monti house.
Took the Tube into the city and walked along the Embankment for miles ... past Blackfriars Bridge, The Bridge was erected from designs by Robert Mylne, The first stone was laid in 1760, and the whole was completed in 1768, The length of this bridge is 995 feet; and consists of nine elliptical arches. It is quite a beautiful structure but is currently being duplicated to accomodate London's everincreasing traffic.to the Millenium Bridge, which is the first pedestrian river crossing over the
Thames in central London for more than a century.It is a 325m steel bridge linking the City of London at St. Paul's Cathedral with the Tate Modern Gallery at Bankside.This innovative "blade of light" was the design of architects Arup, Foster and Partners and Sir Anthony Caro.past the Globe Theatre In 1576 that the actor-manager James Burbage built the the first purpose-built playhouse in London. Shakespeare joined the resident troupe at the Theatre in the 1580s and after a number of disputes and changes over the years the building remained the home for Shakespeare’s old company until the closure of all the theatres under England’s Puritan administration in 1642. No longer of use, it was demolished to make room for tenements in 1644.In 1949, Sam Wanamaker (an American) came to London for the first time, he looked for the site of the original Globe and was disappointed not to find a more lasting memorial to Shakespeare and his theatre.
So,in 1970 Sam founded what was to become the Shakespeare Globe Trust, and in 1993, the construction of the Globe Theatre itself began. the building is a re-construction of the original design.to Tower Bridge In the second half of the 19th century, increased commercial development in the East End of London led to a requirement for a new river crossing downstream of London Bridge. A traditional fixed bridge could not be built because it would cut off access to the port facilities in the Pool of London, between London Bridge and the Tower of London. This bridge which was finally opened in 1894 is noted for its engineering feat of opening spans powered by massive engines. Unfortunately I was too tired and the queue just too long to visit the engine room.
and back up to St Pauls Cathedral -Built by court architect, Sir Christopher Wren, after the Great Fire of London in 1666, the cathedral miraculously survived the Blitz in World War Two when most of the surrounding area was flattened by German
bombing raids. Apparently, during the construction of the dome and galleries, architect Wren was wrenched up and down in a basket at least once a week to inspect the work in progress. By the time work was completed in 1708, Wren was 78 years old and watched on as his son placed the last stone in position.and then down to Liverpool Street where I headed for my long awaited visit to the famous Norman Foster Gherkin. 30 St Mary Axe in the City of London, affectionately known by Londoners as the Gherkin is located on the site of the former Baltic Exchange which was badly damaged by an IRA bomb in 1992. It can be seen from far and wide, its blue cigar-like shape providing a sharp contrast as it rises above box-like office blocks and familiar sights such as Tower Bridge, the London Eye and St Paul's Cathedral. My visit did not disappoint - but the weather did .. I had to use my imagination to picture this amazing construction against a blue sky.
To me the building looks somewhat like a bullet: circular, narrower at the base, widening on the floors above before tapering to its apex giving its distinctive outline on the London skyline. More than that, the building has been designed to use 50% less energy than a traditional office block. - why aren't we doing this in Australia?The day was exhausting ... I had forgotten to eat ... so the Vietnamese dinner with Dylan and Tessa in Shoreditch was badly needed and quite a nice change.
It's raining again today - so I'm off to the Galleries ... The Courtauld has an interesting exhibition ...so bye for now. Lx
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