Architecture

Fuerteventura: Island architecture

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I recently went on a good old-fashioned beach holiday to the Spanish island of Fuerteventura.

It’s a destination blessed with a sunny climate, beautiful beaches and has relaxation at its heart.

But on Fuerteventura’s Costa Calma, especially popular with German holidaymakers, I became fascinated with the resort’s architecture.

Could your attention be turned away from the beach? CONTINUE READING BELOW

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I stayed at the SBH Crystal Beach Hotel, a large confection of concrete and marble made for hundreds of holidaymakers.

It was a layer cake of whitewashed tiers, confusing to navigate, but boasted a beautiful view over the long beach.

The coast has been developed over the years with several large hotels and a little resort town, packed with white and pastel buildings guarded by sturdy desert plants.

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The neighbouring Taro Hotel took the prize for architectural exuberance, topped with peaked concrete slabs like southern Fuerteventura’s rugged mountains.

Down on the beach, the bright yellow lifeguard pods became something of an architectural obsession in their own right.

This little getaway reminded me of family holidays to Spain in the 1970s and 80s, when the big hotel was king and you didn’t have to go far.

The beautiful skies, stark lines and rich colours were a joy to photograph – it wasn’t all snoozing and swimming on this sunshine break!

Has your simple beach holiday turned into an architectural joy? Let me know :)

Inside Manchester’s history

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One of my summer highlights was the chance to see inside an iconic Manchester building.

Manchester Central – now an exhibition and conference centre – started life in 1880 as a grand railway station until its closure in 1969.

The building, with its lofty arched roof and station clock, was empty for visitors to marvel at its scale and the prowess of Victorian engineering.

It’s part of a complex which has hosted everything from rock concerts to the Nightingale Hospital during the Covid-19 pandemic and is a Mancunian landmark.

What do you think?

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An interior view of Manchester's former Central Station, a feat of Victorian engineering.

The historic Midland Hotel can be seen through Manchester Central’s vast window

Manchester's ornate Tower of Light rising above the roof of Central Station.

The Tower of Light is a more recent Manchester landmark next to the former rail station

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Rotterdam: Architectural dream

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I chose to visit Rotterdam for my first stay in the Netherlands, lured by a city positively brimming with eye-catching modern architecture. 

The city centre was almost completely destroyed during World War II and was reconstructed in the decades following the conflict. 

Rotterdam is now filled with modern buildings, many of them high rise with contemporary designs. Enjoy the photographs and read about my highlights below.

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Here are a few Rotterdam buildings that really caught my eye.

The Cube Houses are an unmissable Rotterdam tourist attraction with their blazing yellow colour and impossible angles. Surprisingly tricky to photograph while you can take a look inside.

Rotterdam Central Station with its sweeping curves and diffused light is worth spending time in as well as being your likely arrival point in the city.

Groot Handelsgebouw is a large block I stumbled across next to the station. Built in 1953, it’s quite tall, studded with windows and has an elegant concrete facade. I was captivated.

The Maastoren Skyscraper soars upwards from a low-level neighbourhood and shimmers silver, high above its riverside base. It’s also a great landmark to navigate your way around this district.

My advice would be to walk around Rotterdam and just keep looking up. There’s so much architecture to feast your eyes upon. Are you ready to make a detour from Amsterdam?

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Winter sunshine, Manchester

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Winter. Howling winds, driving rain and slate grey skies are no fun.

But when it’s freezing cold and the sun is shining, walks are bracing and photographs shimmer.

Here are the fruits of recent walks around Manchester when the light was beautiful.

Autumn leaves radiated, canals dazzled with reflections and new buildings were stellar against crisp blue backdrops. What a time to be alive with a camera…

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Manchester’s new skyscraper estate

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My Manchester apartment sits on the second floor of a low rise building. But very close by a new skyscraper neighbourhood is making rapid progress.

Here are some photographs of the newest towers which I finally got close to recently. What do you think of living in the sky? READ MORE BELOW

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The New Jackson neighbourhood links together the four more recent skyscrapers – the slim Blade, rotund Three60, broad Elizabeth Tower and squat Victoria Residence – with the existing Deansgate Square towers.

This crop of four high rises have dominated the local skyline for a few years now and regularly feature in my photographs.

With thousands of new homes and people moving to this part of Manchester city centre, amenities including a primary school and medical centre are being placed on site.

But is this enough along with these sparkling, sky-touching new buildings? 

Life in the city centre can favour younger people, who in my own experience may be less likely to connect with neighbours and their local community. Apartment living makes it easier to close the door behind you and forget those around you.

One thing is clear – the local skyline has changed for good. Is it progress for the better?…

The skyscrapers of New Jackson, Manchester, as seen from a roof garden.

New Jackson (right) as seen from a Manchester roof garden