#iphone 13 mini — Modernist Delights

Carlisle railway station roof, 2025

A historic railway station platform with an ornate glass roof letting in golden sunset light, casting warm reflections. The stone building has arched windows and doors, green trim, benches, and a bookcase. Railway tracks run in the foreground.

That’s enough of Glasgow – one more from the way home. I’ve passed through Carlisle station many times, but I’ve never noticed the spiral motif in the roof.

High Chelmer Car Park, Chelmsford, 2025

A large, multi-storey concrete car park with a “market” sign on the side. Colourful murals and bikes are near the entrance; trees frame the image. The sky is clear and blue, casting shadows on the building.

A low-angle view of a concrete building with repetitive square grid-like openings and balconies. The sky above is clear and blue, with leafy tree branches partially visible at the top right corner. Shadows from the trees fall across the building.

A multi-storey concrete car park with geometric, grid-like openings stands above a street-level market, which has a white awning and colourful market signage. The sky is clear and blue, with sunlight casting shadows on the building façade.

Springfield House, Chelmsford, 2025

A row of three-storey commercial buildings with shops on the ground floor, including Rohan and RUN Active, under a clear blue sky. People walk along the brick-paved pedestrian street, and leafy trees line the pavement.

A four-storey brown brick office building with two glass doors at the ground level, flanked by retail shops. A purple “To Let” sign hangs above the entrance. The building has many windows, some reflecting the blue sky.

A three-storey building with boarded-up top-floor windows, large white-framed windows on the middle and lower floors, and a colourful geometric mural along the bottom, with painted signs advertising indoor games like escape rooms and shuffleboard.

Derelict office block for a sunny Saturday afternoon.

Chelmsford Citadel, 2025

A modern Salvation Army building with a grey, angular façade and a tall tower featuring a white cross on a red and orange gradient. A sign with The Salvation Army is visible along the roadside, with a few trees framing the top edge.

A modern Salvation Army building with a metal facade and red accents. Large windows line the front, and THE SALVATION ARMY is displayed in bold red letters. The building sits on a sunny urban street with a clear blue sky above.

The less said about this one the better. A more favourable review from the church’s minister at the time of its opening, in April 2009, is available here.

Friars House, Chelmsford, 2025

A five-storey modern building with geometric grey facade patterns, large windows, and ground-floor shops. Cars and a van are parked in front. Hanging flower baskets decorate the street, and adjacent buildings frame the scene.

Former office block converted into housing, with an extra storey (dare I say, penthouse?) added. Check out the signage on the Christian bookshop in this photo from 2011.

The Ivory Peg, Chelmsford, 2025

A modern, white, wave-shaped building with large windows and metal railings houses a Waitrose shop. Hanging flower baskets decorate the exterior. People walk outside, and a bus approaches on the sunny street lined with clouds in the blue sky.

Wetherspoon pub in a former department store.

Renold Building, Manchester, 2025

A tall, modern white office building with large glass windows stands under a cloudy grey sky. Three cars, including a yellow one, are parked in front. Another white building and a green-roofed structure are visible in the background. Trees line the scene.

A tall, modernist white building with many windows and a zigzag side façade is seen under a cloudy sky. Snow is lightly falling. The letters “SYSTEM” are displayed vertically on the left side. Other buildings are partially visible on the sides.

A modern, multi-storey concrete building has large glass windows and a protruding glass stairwell. The word “ASTER” appears in black letters on the upper left corner. A leafy green tree partially obscures the lower left of the structure. The sky is grey.

I was having a lovely time mooching around Manchester on a workday… until the heavens opened.

Charles Street car fortress, Manchester, 2025

A multi-storey car park with exposed concrete, black columns, and bright blue stair railings. The central staircase is visible, zigzagging upward. Overhead, the sky is cloudy and grey. A tall, rusted lamp post stands in front of the building.

A large, grey, multi-storey car park with graffiti on its walls stands beside a wet, empty road curving to the right. The sky is cloudy, and modern, mid-rise buildings are visible in the background. The scene is deserted and urban.

A multi-storey concrete car park with exposed floors and railings. The lower level is covered in colourful graffiti. Overgrown plants line the base, and the sky above is cloudy. The structure appears empty and neglected.

Back where it all began.

Manchester Palace car fortress, 2025

A multi-storey car park with brown, corrugated metal panels and concrete floors. The lower level features brickwork, metal vents, and small windows. Vertical and horizontal lines create a grid-like, repetitive architectural pattern. No cars are visible.

A tall, narrow concrete stairwell with vertical grooves and tall windows stands next to a multi-storey car park. A yellow “Car Park Exit Only” sign is mounted on the wall. The sky is overcast and part of a red brick building is visible.

I can only imagine the name refers to the palatial nature of this car park, and not the Palace Theatre next door.

College Bank / Seven Sisters, Rochdale, 2025

Several tall, rectangular blocks of flats stand against a cloudy sky. In the foreground are trees, bushes, and a lawn with large rocks. A red car is parked on the road, and a building sign reads HALL COLLEGE on the left.

A low-angle view of a brown brick block of flats, showing several storeys with rows of rectangular windows and balconies in the centre. The sky above is cloudy and the branches of a tree are visible in the top right corner.

A tall, dark-brown concrete block of flats with many balconies and windows stands against a cloudy, overcast sky. Green trees are visible at the base in the foreground, and the building appears slightly weathered.

A cloudy day showing two tall, dark high-rise block of flats with many windows. A white car is driving along a curved street in the foreground, with trees and a few low buildings around the towers. The sky is grey and overcast.

In 2025 an independent structural survey deemed all seven towers unsafe, leading to plans for full evacuation in the coming months and growing uncertainty over the estate’s future.
College Bank, Wikipedia