#not modernist still a delight — Modernist Delights

Mulberry Street, Manchester, 2025

A two-storey brick building with tall windows, wooden and shingle details, and a decorative green metal archway beside a black garage door. The building is flanked by older red-brick structures and a black streetlamp stands in front. Parked cars line the street.

Walking out of my hotel, I found this charmingly detailed building, featuring horizontal brickwork on the ground floor, and wooden panelling and shingles on the first floor. Appearing to be used as a dwelling, I was surprised to see it amongst much larger, and much older (not least St Mary’s RC Church of 1794, next door but one) buildings, as well as modern 21st century high rises of central Manchester.

Mulberry Passage, which passes underneath it, is also part of a network of passages decorated with public art in tribute to scientist John Dalton.

World War II pillbox, Peaked Tor Cove, Torquay, 2025

A concrete structure with graffiti sits on a wooded slope overlooking a calm body of water. Dense green trees and bushes frame the scene, whilst clouds scatter across a blue sky. Distant land is visible across the water.

A concrete and brick structure stands among dense greenery. Graffiti, including the word “OAKS,” is spray-painted on the wall. Metal railings and stone steps lead up to the building. The blue sky with clouds is visible above the trees.

Holiday pictures of World War II brick pillboxes: 2
Holiday pictures of my partner and I: 1

These structures formed part of Torbay Home Guard’s World War 2 defences. From here, sea mines protecting Torquay Harbour could be remotely detonated in the event of an attack.

The Imperial Hotel & environs, Torquay, 2025

A large white hotel named “The Imperial Hotel,” with multiple storeys and blue awnings at the entrance. Several cars, including an orange pick-up truck and a small grey car, are parked out front. Flagpoles with flags and palm trees are near the entrance.

A low, flat-roofed concrete car park with a red and white barrier at the entrance. Trees and bushes partially surround the building, and the sky above is partly cloudy with patches of blue visible. Gravel covers the foreground ground.

A rectangular vent with geometric concrete designs sits in a rough, pebbled grey wall. Bare vines criss-cross the vent, and cables run below it. Green spiky plant leaves partially obscure the right side of the image.

1860’s hotel with a faded 1960’s exterior, pleasantly squat multistorey car fortress, and decorative vents.

Millennium Bridge at 25, Lancaster, 2026

A modern cable-stayed footbridge stretches over a calm river at sunset, with orange and pink clouds filling the sky. Trees and buildings line the riverbanks, and a paved walkway follows the water’s edge on the left side of the image.

Happy birthday, bridge! Lancaster’s Millennium Bridge opened on this day 25 years ago, and celebrated with a beautiful winter sunset on my way back from the supermarket.