history

Abandoned

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The vast southern African country of Namibia has a myriad of attractions, from its stark, majestic scenery to colourful colonial era towns.

Kolmanskop is another of those gems. This settlement supported a diamond mine during the German occupation of the early 20th century. The last families moved out in the 1950s and it became a ghost town.

The Namib Desert’s dry climate has preserved the buildings and is slowly consuming them. Visitors are allowed to explore former dwellings from the hospital to a skittle alley.

Taking photographs is an unusual and slightly unnerving experience, while the pursuit of ‘abandonment porn’ is a popular one – see how tours of Chernobyl are now widely available.

A trip to Namibia should always include a visit to remarkable Kolmanskop.

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North Macedonia: Sunshine state

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Is this a trip to the tourist haven of Florida? No. It’s a nod to this nation’s vibrant flag – a yellow, beaming sun rising on a bright red background. It’s one of Europe’s lesser visited countries but is worth a glance.

This landlocked Balkan state has been known as North Macedonia since February, resolving a long dispute with neighbours Greece. It was the southern flank of Yugoslavia until that country began to fragment in 1991.

A short tour through North Macedonia took in the capital city Skopje, which is littered with grand buildings and countless statues, some of them peculiarly oversized. You have the sense this country is grasping for an identity.

Travel to the south-west of the country and you’ll find the tranquil shores of Lake Ohrid where North Macedonians take their holidays. The small city of Ohrid is laced with old architecture, churches and magnificent ramparts.

North Macedonia isn’t yet a tourist hotspot – surely the best time to visit?

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Return to Television Centre

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I worked in this iconic BBC building for many years until its closure in 2013.

It was sold off and underwent a lengthy redevelopment process which I witnessed first hand.

Television Centre is now open for business again, and I went to take a look on a flying visit to London.

It’s now an upmarket residential complex with smart facilities – a cafe now occupies the place I used to enter the building every day.

It was a disquieting visit, seeing the completion of such great change, contemplating memories and a past era…

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BBC Television Centre in March 2013

 

Byzantine brilliance

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Fitzrovia mosaicThis is a place tucked away in a corner of central London. It would be very easy to walk straight by and remain oblivious to its existence.

The Fitzrovia Chapel has just opened to the public for the first time since a major restoration. It was designed in 1891 and used to sit in the grounds of the Middlesex Hospital. While that complex closed and was demolished, the chapel remained intact and is now surrounded by the tall, angular structures of a contemporary redevelopment.

Resplendent in gold leaf, mosaic work and marble, this relatively small building is more of a nod to the opulence of the Byzantine Empire. Its soaring roof space is a thing of wonder. If you’re ever wandering around London, track it down and pay a visit. And don’t forget to bring your camera.

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The Photo Shop

Fit for a queen

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Greenwich in London is a remarkable concentration of architectural riches. In a small area you can visit the splendour of the Queen’s House, a handsome pile of majestic columns, crowned with the beautiful swirl of the Tulip Stairs.

It’s just a short walk away to the commanding site of the Old Royal Naval College, with its domed Painted Hall and fabulously intricate chapel. These gems may be full of the grandeur of old, but with symmetry and pure lines of their contemporary successors. A photographer’s joy.

And thanks to Cindy Eve of 3 Days in London for recommending the trek to this popular corner of the city.

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Gallery entrance