#favourite

Details at the Barbican Estate, London, 2025

A sunlit shot of balconies covered with shutters on a curved building at the Barbican Estate. Most of the shutters are closed, but on the floor which is in the middle of the shot, several of them are open to differing degrees.

A sunlit ground-level shot of the corner of one of the towers at the Barbican Estate. In the centre of the image, the inflecting shape of the concrete balconies is captured. Several floors in the middle of the bulding are visible.

A ground-level shot of one of the concrete towers at the Barbican Estate. Many floors repeat up towards the top of the image, with the shapes of balconies visible.

Close up of 4 concrete balconies, with blue metal and glass balustrades. Behind each, are some rectangular brown windows and bright red doors. The shot is taken from ground level, looking up at the balconies, filling the image geometrically.

A shot of the Barbian Estate, with multiple parts of it visible. In the foreground, on the left, the edge of one of the buildings with corridors and stairways visible, as well as a concrete ventilation shaft on the right. Across the middle of the shot, a covered glass walkway. In the back, another concrete shaft and the conservatory.

A multi-coloured contraption for holding bike locks, mounted against a red wall. It has several sections, all of different colours, with labels in different fonts and of different ages. Some have bike locks attached to them.

Front-on close up of the Seddon House at the Barbican Estate, focusing on the ground floor and the 4 floors above that.

Posted on August 15, 2025.

Heatwave at the Barbican Estate, 2025

A wide geometric shot of flats at the Barbican estate. In the background, more modern glass buildings of central London. In the foreground, a fountain with water flowing into the pool beneath.

Wide shot showing many features of the Barbican estate. From left to right: Guildhall School of Music and Drama, an algae-green pool, a tall tower, a shorter tower with view of its balconies, and the main Barbican library building.

A shot from one of the balconies at the Barbican estate. In the very front of the shot, the concrete balcony is out of focus. Further out, there is a tree, a pool green with algae, and even further back, one of the apartment buildings and the modern glass buldings of the City of London in the background.

A shot of the Barbican estate, featuring greenery in the very foreground, followed by Barbican buildings further back, and the glass buildings of the City of London in the very background.

A shot of balconies, mostly covered with wooden shutters, at the circle-shaped building at the Barbican estate. In the foreground, concrete planters.

A ground-level shot looking up at one of the buildings at the Barbican estate, showing 6 floors of balconies full of plants.

A shot of one of the covered walkways of the Barbican. It is fairly dark, with light only coming in at the back of the image, where silhouettes of two people can be seen standing.

Posted on August 13, 2025.

Glazed staircase in New Mills, 2020

I delved into my photo library looking for something else, but instead I found this glazed staircase at the Swizzels Matlow factory in New Mills in intra-lockdown 2020.

A narrow canal runs beside old brick and glass factory buildings under a partly cloudy sky. The water reflects the buildings and sky. A dirt path lines the canal, with greenery and a corrugated metal fence on the right side.

Posted on April 10, 2025.

Barbican Estate, London, 2023

How could I have let this beauty linger in my photo library for a year?

Curved concrete walkways and angular buildings form a Brutalist architectural scene, featuring exposed concrete surfaces and sparse vegetation. A multi-story building with rounded roof elements stands in the center, under an overcast sky.

Posted on January 8, 2025.

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.

Posted on October 13, 2024.

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.”