Open House 2018

Another year, another Open House. This is the first year I’d not pre-booked most of my weekend (owing to being in Iceland when bookings opened), so I mostly played it by ear, planning an hour or two in advance.

This can be a blessing and a curse - you can see some gems you won’t have otherwise considered, but also quite a bit of meh. I got around 5 venues on Saturday and 7 on Sunday.

0. Carter’s steam fair #

A view inside of a vintage wooden fair ride.

Not strictly part of Open House, but Carter’s steam fair put on a short talk about the history of the artwork on their rides. They don’t use an apostrophe in their name, but I can’t bring myself to do that.

1. Polish Social and Cultural Association #

Not much photographically, but we were treated to a rehearsal for a Polish dance.

2. Hammersmith town hall #

The front entrance to Hammersmith Town Hall. The entrance has staircases on either side.

The entrance is the best bit. But I’m probably an outlier in that thinking.

Looking up at a grand ceiling.

3. 100 Victoria Embankment #

No photos and you can only go in the atrium.

4. St Andrew by the Wardrobe #

A church.

5. Bloomberg London #

Bloomberg’s new London headquarters. It’s by far the best finished building I’ve been in. Gorgeous entrance made from sweeping wood panels. Winner of the 2018 Sterling prize.

A detail of a curved wooden wall receding in to the distance.
The entrance to the Bloomberg building. There are sweeping wooden walls leading to another room.
A detail of a curved wooden wall. The panels have a regular pattern.
The ceiling in the Bloomberg building. There’s a staircase curving around it.

Every detail is immaculate. There’s walkways connecting each floor to encourage employees to bump in to each other.

A detail shot of the celing lights in the Bloomberg building. There lights are small LEDs surrounded by curved plastic.
A selection of Roman artefacts under glass.

Artifacts dug up from the Roman Mithraeum uncovered on site. They’ve got an excellent small museum dedicated to it nearby.

An interior shot of the Bloomberg building. There are walkways overhead.
The Bloomberg TV studio. There are several large cameras pointed at a desk, and several large LED displays.
A wide panorama of an auditorium room.

6. Islington micro flat #

A cool space-efficient studio flat. Nothing to photograph though.

7. Golden lane estate #

A 3d map / sign for the Golden Lane estate.

A tour I’ve wanted to do for years. The weather wasn’t great, so I’ll be going back to shoot it properly.

A shot under a covered walkway in the Golden Lane estate.
A photo looking down the edge of a tower block with a tower block with yellow trim in the background.

8. 4 Bayer House #

A great example of a flat on the estate.

9. 15 Clerkenwell Close #

Looking up at a wooden stairwell with large skylight.
A macro photo of some spiky leaves.

This building has been in the news recently.

1.0 Paxton Locher house #

My first experience of an entirely open (as in ceiling) living room. Large sliding glass roof. Crazy.

11. Priory Green estate #

Looking down the central courtyard of Priory Green estate.

Another 1950s estate. Less interesting than Golden Lane. Great to see from up high though.

Looking down on the central courtyard of Priory Green estate.
Looking down the side of a tower block in Priory Green estate.

12. Victorian waterpoint #

A photo along some railwaylines. There’s train tracks on the left and three red gas canisters on the right.
A photo looking down on a path curving away.

Originally a water storage tank, now home to the St Pancras Cruising Club. It was moved 700m in 2001 to avoid being demolished when the area was being redeveloped.

13. 45 Highbury station road #

A photo facing straight on in a kitchen, facing out towards a kitchen. There’s floor to ceiling glass windows, and a smart table in the foreground.

Last stop was close to home. A lovely little refurbishment of a small cottage.

Shot in London.