#staircase

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Newcastle Civic Centre & details, 2024

A person with a backpack stands on a brick plaza in front of a modern building with a cylindrical structure and a rectangular wing. A large wall sculpture of a figure is visible between the two sections under a cloudy sky.
A view looking down a concrete stairwell with angular turns and metal railings. The stairs are weathered, and shadows obscure the lower levels, giving a sense of depth and geometric patterns formed by the steps and rails.
A narrow passageway between two brick buildings features a tall, greenish, weathered copper panel above the entrance. The panel has a patterned, rectangular texture. Trees and a pathway are visible through the passage in the background.
A tall, modern building with a concrete tower featuring a green metal sculpture on top stands beside a glass office block. The sky is overcast. In the foreground, there is a geometric metal sculpture, and brick buildings are partially visible to the left.
A large window set in a gray stone building reflects trees and another building. Above the window are old, worn blinds. A white security camera is centered above the glass. In front, a metal railing runs along a brick walkway.
A grey, overcast day outside a modern building with vertical metal slats and large windows. Two white vans are parked in a lot with yellow lines. A person walks near an entrance, and a tall, windowed building stands on the left.
A concrete staircase with white railings leads to a closed entrance of a gray building. A sign at the top of the stairs reads: ATTENTION DOORS LOCKED THIS ENTRANCE IS NOW CLOSED. The sky is overcast and the area appears deserted.
A closed, dark wooden garage door with vertical slats is set into a grey stone wall. The door has a small overhang and a rectangular light fixture above. The surrounding ground is paved with concrete tiles, some areas mossy or weathered.
A passageway with marble steps and a green handrail leads to a modern metallic gate with vertical, irregularly spaced bars. Fluorescent lights are set in the ceiling above, and part of a person’s head is visible in the lower right corner.

My iPhone’s camera really can’t convey the heft of those double main doors at the end. It’s definitely a tactile experience, not a visual one.

I also suggested to my boyfriend that we get married here, on the strength of its’ modernist credentials, and he literally did not dignify that question with a response. 😒

Killingworth Telephone Exchange, 2024

A modern, elevated building with gray concrete and glass walls sits on thick pillars. A spiral staircase leads to a door on the side. People stand nearby on a grassy area, with a black metal fence and shrubs in the foreground. Red brick houses are visible in the background.
A modern, gray concrete and brick building with tall windows sits above a sloped support wall. A person in a brown jacket and jeans walks on the green grass under a cloudy sky. Some bushes grow near the buildings base; a parking lot is visible in the distance.
A close-up of a gray building exterior featuring pale brickwork, a central tall window, two smaller vents, textured dark panels, and a slanted concrete support wall at the base with a small vent, photographed from ground level looking up.
A modern building corner with gray rectangular tiles and dark textured trim. The window is large and trapezoidal, set at an angle with a wooden frame, reflecting blue sky. Green moss grows on the lower edge; leafy branches are visible to the left.
A spiral metal staircase leads to a door on the upper floor of a modern, gray brick building. The door opens directly onto the stairs, with no landing. Bushes and a black metal fence are in front of the building, and the sky is overcast.

Let’s go to the North East! Over the next few days I’ll post the highlights of my trip to Killingworth and Newcastle with The Modernist.

First up, the Killingworth Telephone Exchange. The tiny type at the side and the circular concrete staircase (another favourite of mine) are particular highlights!

Staircase in Preston, 2024

A red-brick building with three floors, each featuring a large vertical window revealing an interior staircase. Sunlight casts the shadow of a domed structure onto the building. Cars and a street sign are visible on the left; a green sign is mounted on the wall.

 
Preston special dispatch! I made my boyfriend and I veer off course through an industrial estate because I saw a staircase through a window, my beloved 😍