Byzantine brilliance

September 27, 2015April 8, 2016 / mikeosbornphoto / 23 Comments

This 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.

Click first image to view the gallery

Between the pillars

October 9, 2014October 30, 2014 / mikeosbornphoto / 17 Comments

Olympia in west London is best known as a vast space for exhibitions and conferences – a space where people come to congregate, browse and buy.

We looked around one corner of the complex on Open House London weekend which would usually go unnoticed. The Pillar Hall is an incredibly ornate room with beautifully plastered walls and ceiling, held aloft by sturdy, magnificent Corinthian columns. Even the signs for the restrooms are elegant.

Click to enlarge

But my favourite image from this brief visit was supposed to be a candid of Dermot – but I was caught out at the last moment as he glanced up. He is beautifully framed in the light of the window, its long drapes and one of the pillars to the right of the shot. Architecture does not always win the day…

Open House London

October 27, 2013 / mikeosbornphoto / 17 Comments

For just one weekend each year, you can roam around hundreds of London buildings – and are given free rein to take photographs.

I close an eclectic clutch, from a daunting 1960s tower block to old properties with grand, lofty ceilings. You can read more about the individual buildings by following the links beneath the gallery.

Click first image for the full gallery experience

Strand East Tower

Balfron Tower

Apothecaries Hall

Balfron Tower

30 Crown Place

Bishopsgate Institute

Strand East Tower

30 Crown Place

Balfron Tower

30 Crown Place

Balfron Tower

Custom House

Strand East Tower

Balfron Tower

30 Crown Place

Custom House

View from Balfron Tower

30 Crown Place

Custom House

Strand East Tower

30 Crown Place

More on my Open House London visits:

A brush with Brutalism

Buttercup ceiling

The wooden tower

Office envy

The light fantastic

Buttercup ceiling

October 26, 2013 / mikeosbornphoto / 6 Comments

This is the grand ceiling of the Long Room, the centrepiece of Custom House in London.

The building, set by the River Thames, belongs to Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. This vast room is used as a regular, everyday office space and is filled with desks, computer terminals and chairs. A very opulent setting for the business of collecting money for the public purse.

On Sunday I’ll round up this year’s Open House London discoveries with an eclectic gallery of this city’s architectural gems.

Office envy

October 13, 2013 / mikeosbornphoto / Leave a comment

The City of London is bristling with sophisticated, expensive business premises, many of them high-rise – soaring testaments to the wealth brimming in the capital.

On my Open House London explorations, I visited 30 Crown Place, just one of those buildings, constructed in 2009. It’s a cool edifice of blue glass and steel, while the interior space is occupied by a commercial law firm.

An organised tour whisked me in a capsule lift to a sophisticated suite of boardrooms, coolly resplendent with sleek lines, sumptuous materials and clean details.

There is also a terrace which overlooks London’s business centre, currently a maze of building work as the regeneration continues.

This pinnacle of corporate finery may have been a smokescreen – I didn’t see the regular offices, most probably a tangle of computers, chairs and desks covered in clutter, just like everywhere else.