Category: Urbanicity

Images of architecture and urban fragments from around the world.

Faces

I don’t really take photographs of people unless I am a long way away, it feels intrusive to me, though I do admire other photographers’ street photography. Faces are so fascinating.

I needed to be more to the right to get this face full-on, but then the tree got in the way!

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The Rocks area in Sydney is a very interesting area to explore on foot. There are a lot of little cobblestone streets and alleyways in The Rocks and a lot of references to the past era around, in information panels, plaques and art. Each helps explain the site’s history and evoke the past. At the opposite end of The Nurse’s Walk to Suez Canal, the route ends at Globe Street, where you’ll find some amazing street art by contemporary artist Vhils on the stairs up to Harrington Street. He has painted a portrait of Sydney environmental activist, Jack Mundey, who worked to preserve some of Sydney’s built environments too, like Victoria St, Potts Point and other areas in the inner city.

Windows at Wightwick

It has been a while since I found some interesting windows to post, but at last here are some from the marvellous Wightwick Manor in Staffordshire (near Wolverhampton) which is designed in the Arts and Crafts style.

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Just look at those carved faces on the header photo and all the detail in the window frames. You have to admit it is much more beautiful than uPVC windows. Continue reading Windows at Wightwick

Ear, Eye and Throat Hospital

I haven’t written much about Shrewsbury, Shropshire’s county town, but I have been in the process of a post or three for several months, during which time I have been preparing many photos for the blog. The town contains some very interesting architecture from medieval black and white timber-framed to very elegant and simply styled Georgian properties. (And some 1960s carbuncles, but we won’t talk about them). This distinctive red-brick Victorian built building is along the Town Walls. The Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital opened in 1881. It earned a reputation for its high standard of treatment and during WW1 was a major clearing centre for troops with eye injuries, treating up to 800 soldiers a week. It closed in 1998 and has been turned into flats.

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Built in the style of the Arts and Crafts Movement with ornate decorative bricks and tiles/panels, the style placed great value on the work, the joy of craftsmanship and the natural beauty of materials.

Little Italy San Diego CA

is historically home to Italian Fishermen and their families, many who arrived there from San Francisco after the devastating 1906 earthquake. The area went into a severe decline during the 1970s when the Interstate 5 was constructed destroying 35% of the neighbourhood. Now it is a very popular area. India Street is lined with restaurants featuring cuisines of both Southern and Northern Italy, including Sicilian dishes, and there are cafés with secluded courtyards serving good coffee, paninis and gelato. Delis offer a selection of foods, wine and delicious deli sandwiches and traditional Italian foodstuffs and there are some great local boutiques where you can find unique clothing, jewellery and small craft items.

Angel Mural: (Filippino Lippi)

One great thing about Little Italy, is the abundance of public art displays . Walking around the district you can’t help stopping to look at and photograph the walls. This mural can be found on the corner of Juniper and India, and was created by Dawn Morrison Wagner, a chalk artist.

This is my interpretation of paint for Ailsa’s weekly travel theme.