#car fortress — Page 2 of 2 — Modernist Delights

Panning across a parkade, Toronto, 1996

David Cronenberg filmed this shot specifically for me.

Textured concrete in Manchester, 2025

A gray concrete parking garage with rectangular windows and vents on the upper floors. The building has a slightly worn appearance. A yellow P parking sign is shown on the lower level. The sky above is overcast with thick gray clouds.

Angel Way car park, Romford, 2024

A multi-story concrete parking garage with a dark brick stairwell stands on a quiet, empty street. There are signs on the building, parked cars at the right, and trees with sparse leaves on both sides. The sky is overcast and gray.

A grey concrete multi-storey car park with open floors stands above the Romford Auction Rooms shop, which displays furniture and goods outside. Bunting hangs above the shop. A leafless tree and a one-way street sign are visible in the foreground.

A multi-story concrete parking garage with red railings, open sides, and multiple empty parking spaces in front. A single blue car is parked on the left. The sky is overcast, and the building has a utilitarian, weathered appearance.

It has all the mod-cons a car park needs:

Season tickets available
Business parking available
“Video surveillance”
Faded red detailing

Harbourside beauty in Weymouth, 2024

A large, gray multi-story parking garage with vertical concrete slats stands under a cloudy sky. In front, there is a bus stop shelter displaying a digital ad and various signs. Bushes and street signs line the sidewalk alongside the road.

A multi-storey concrete car park with vertical slats and five visible levels. The entrance is at ground level, marked by a blue sign. Yellow directional arrows are painted on the road. Bushes and trees border the entrance, and a pay parking sign stands on the right.

A large, gray, concrete multi-story car park with vertical slats covers most of the frame. The sky is overcast, and the surrounding area has some greenery, street signs, and empty roads. A blue P parking sign is visible on the building.

Spiral multi-storey, Romford, 2024

A circular, multi-story parking garage is lit by bright lights at night. Several cars, including a black SUV and a white sedan, are driving past on a wet road that reflects the lights. The scene is dark, with the garage dominating the background.

Goes to a new place; immediately goes down a back street and finds a car park.

Manors Car Park, Newcastle, 2019

A curved, multi-level concrete parking structure with vertical white pillars overlooks a road ramp leading to and from the building. A few cars drive on the ramp. Overcast sky and a modern high-rise building appear in the background.

Here’s another photo of Manors Car Park from a previous trip. I am absolutely devoid of any photographic talent, or even skills (if any of the photos on this blog don’t have my fingers in the frame, it’s only because I cropped them out), but in this moment the shot just lined up right. Even the since-removed sign for the Metro Radio Arena looks right. I like it so much it’s been my iPad wallpaper for years.

Manors Car Park, Newcastle, 2024

A curved, multi-level road descends alongside a tall concrete barrier on the left. A modern, rectangular building with many windows is in the background. Cars are visible below, and the sky is partly cloudy, creating a mix of light and shadow.

A curved, fenced pedestrian ramp with streetlights winds upward under a cloudy sky. Vertical concrete pillars line the outside, and the image is viewed through red metal bars in the foreground. The pavement appears empty and slightly damp.

A multi-level spiral parking garage ramp with concrete columns and metal railings. Sunlight casts shadows across the surfaces, and a Drive Slowly sign is visible. Colorful graffiti buildings and greenery can be seen through the gaps outside.

A multi-level concrete parking structure with tall vertical bars, winding ramps, and sunlight streaming through clouds above. Greenery is visible on the ground to the left, and city buildings are in the background behind the structure.

Curved ramp inside a multi-story car park with concrete beams and vertical windows letting in sunlight. A yellow pillar on the right has a blue directional arrow sign pointing left. City buildings and a blue sky are visible through the windows.

A curved, dimly lit concrete ramp with metal railings and vertical bars on the side, showing green plants growing through the bars. Light streams in from the left, and a ceiling light is visible above, creating a mix of shadow and natural light.

A close-up view of two adjacent concrete parking garages with multiple floors and open-air designs. Vertical and horizontal beams frame each level, and metal railings run along the edges. The sky is partly visible at the top left.

A large concrete overpass curves above an empty parking lot with vertical pillars supporting the structure. Sunlight creates shadows, and a multi-story parking garage with open gaps lines the right side. The overall scene appears urban and deserted.

A modern, curving concrete overpass and elevated roadway stand above a parking area. Traffic cones line the road on the left. The sky is bright blue with scattered clouds, and a tall brick building rises in the background.

Manors has to be my favourite car park yet. This wasn’t my first visit to it, of course, I don’t decide my favourite car parks on a whim! I’ve used this phrase before, I’m sure, but there’s just something pleasantly geometric about the whole space — not just the upright and cross beams of the car park itself, which repeat in such a mesmerising pattern, but how it fits into the space, too, and how the A167(M), the junction off it, and the pedestrian foot bridge (which affords great views of the car park) fits around its curves too. We were lucky to see it just as the sun came out after a rather grey morning, it looked extra beautiful.

The plaque at the entrance says “Manors Car Park — The first civic multi-storey car park in Newcastle Upon Tyne was opened on 27th July 1971 by Alderman Arthur Grey, leader of the city council.”

John Lewis car park, Sheffield, 2024

A large, gray, concrete multi-story car park with a blank, windowless facade, covered in graffiti at the street level. Several people walk nearby under a cloudy sky. Street signs and barriers are visible at the building’s base.

Pleasingly rectangular car park round the back of the old John Lewis in Sheffield. Angles so sharp I feel like I could cut myself on its’ corners. Tile-mania continues, too!