#not modernist still a delight — Modernist Delights

Aldersgate Court, City of London, 2025

An angular brick 90's housing block. A dark shadow is cast across the rightmost side of it by taller buildings out of view.

This 90’s housing block is by no definition modernist, but the shadows cast in this narrow alleyway were impossible to resist.

Posted on August 9, 2025.

On the New Jersey Turnpike

A love letter to a motorway (sorry, turnpike) in the New York Times (gift link) feels as if it was written specifically for me.

Posted on July 14, 2025.

“In the interest of good health, digest a few important facts about the potato” — Informational poster for the Potato Marketing Board, likely dating back to the 80’s or 90’s, displayed in a closed cafe in the Kirkdale Shopping Centre, Bradford, 2025.

Posted on July 9, 2025.

Moody Rochdale Canal, Manchester, 2025

Not modernist, but I have a sweet spot for canals.

Posted on July 5, 2025.

Stockport Exchange Station Car Park, 2024

A multi-level parking garage at night is brightly lit, with rows of parked cars visible through open sides. Streetlights illuminate the foreground, where a person walks near several parked vehicles. The surrounding area appears quiet and clean.

Not modernist, but I like how this one turned out.

Posted on June 19, 2025.

Panning across a parkade, Toronto, 1996

David Cronenberg filmed this shot specifically for me.

Posted on April 24, 2025.

Modernist album art, 2025

I don’t like the music of Antony Szmierek enough to own his albums in duplicate, but how could I refuse with gorgeous album art like that? This one’s going right in my Forton Services shrine. Nosy greyhound notwithstanding.

A black dog sniffs two vinyl records on a table. Both records are by Antony Szmierek, featuring snow globe artwork with futuristic buildings and colored spheres inside. The left record is numbered 067. A patterned cushion and gray blanket are in the background.

Posted on March 11, 2025.

On Nokia’s Weird Y2K Designs

Late 90’s/early 00’s technology, design, and marketing were all so weird in a very specific way. It’s a shame we lost that. 404 Media details the release of the Nokia Design Archive. I enjoy this one particularly:

A man on a couch asks a woman, “Can I use your wallet, darling?” The woman looks confused, pointing to a thin, foldable digital screen labeled wallet. Below, the foldable device is shown in various configurations and use cases with descriptive text. — *Tomahawk, presentation, 2000. Nokia Design Archive has been made possible by donations from Microsoft and designers.*

Is everything OK at home, Nokia?

Read full article

Posted on January 25, 2025.

On chasing villains

If your film doesn’t have a scene where the protagonists are chased by the villains across a brightly lit bridge set against an otherwise dark background, Scooby-Doo style, what are you even doing?

Silhouettes of two people run along an elevated walkway inside a building with bright yellow lighting. The scene is viewed from outside at night, with a large brick wall and blue-lit window contrasting the yellow interior.

A person in uniform runs across an outdoor walkway, backlit by a yellow wall. The scene is framed by a dark building with brick texture and a window glowing with blue light on the right, contrasting with the warm yellow on the left.

Posted on December 3, 2024.

Sign at Manchester Oxford Road station, 2024

This sign at Manchester Oxford Road is a high-vis and screwdriver jobbie for sure.

A yellow-lit sign reading OXFORD ROAD is mounted on a plain grey wall. Metal pipes run vertically and horizontally next to the sign. Modern office buildings with glass and brick facades are visible in the background.

Posted on December 2, 2024.