Open House London

Art Deco decadence

/ mikeosbornphoto / 8 Comments

120 Fleet Street, London is an address that conceals a piece of glittering architectural detail. It’s a glass office block that used to house Express Newspapers when this city thoroughfare was the heart of Britain’s press.

They moved out in the 1980s, but the stunning 1930s foyer remains in all its glory. Gold and silver friezes adorn the walls, the ceiling is gloriously decorated – even the floor is made to catch a dozen reflections.

And if you walk up the marble plinth past the Art Deco lift, there is a bonus in the shape of a tightly spiralled staircase from which light floods in. This is all in the style of a bygone age, but to see this decades later was a pleasure – and very beautiful to photograph.

Click on the first image to launch the full size gallery

The Express Newspapers building is usually closed to public visitors, but they were recently welcomed – and encouraged to take photographs – as part of the annual Open House London weekend. What a memorable visit.

SEE ALSO: LAYERS OF SECRECY

Layers of secrecy

/ mikeosbornphoto / 5 Comments

This photograph makes me feel uneasy. It reflects the feeling of unease experienced when I took it. The numerous partitions are not even saved by the warming sunlight hitting the floor beyond.

The shot was taken in the Freemasons’ Hall, an imposing and grand building near London’s Covent Garden. It is a principal meeting place for the Freemasons, popularly conceived as a shadowy and secretive order which remains tight-lipped about its rituals.

The place in the photo acts as a changing room for members of the order, and I felt the need to shoot and run. Something made me feel as though I shouldn’t be there.

However, the hall invited the public through its doors as part of the annual Open House London weekend, when you can poke your nose around numerous buildings which are usually off limits – and photography is wholly encouraged. In upcoming posts I’ll share images and thoughts from the buildings that we had a look around.