Cannon Bridge House by Stiff + Trevillion

Cannon Bridge House by Stiff + Trevillion. Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

Location: Cannon Bridge House (The River Building) 25 Dowgate Hill, London UK.
Architect: Stiff + Trevillion
Developer / Contractor: Blackstone Group / Lend Lease
Photography Client: Structura UK

The multidisciplinary West London architectural and design practice Stiff + Trevillion have recently completed both an internal and external refurbishment of Cannon Bridge House, which is situated on the north bank of the Thames River in central London. As the internal fit-out was nearing completion the client Structura UK requested photography of the interior office spaces, with a focus specifically on the curtain walling system they installed.  

Cannon Bridge House by Stiff + Trevillion. Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

Cannon Bridge House or The River Building as it is now known had gone unmodernised since the early 1990's and was no longer suitable to cater for the demands of a 21st century office space. With the buildings central location it was a prime subject for redevelopment by the developer and owner Blackstone.

Cannon Bridge House by Stiff + Trevillion. Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

The alterations made to the original structure are succinctly noted by the architects: 

'Upgrading of the southern building elevation. Redesign of the existing building entrances on Cousin Lane. Improved  glass link on the 1st floor between the Atrium and River Building. Reduction in the size of the River Building atrium roof.'

Cannon Bridge House Interior. Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

One of the defining features of the building internally is the convergence of two diagonal panels of glazing, which at their meeting point command amazing views South of the Thames River. If that wasn't stimulating enough for the buildings soon to be occupiers there are also trains silently passing under the building as they cross the river along Cannon Street Rail Bridge. Internally it is hard to picture the building from the outside as its now modern interior contrasts sharply with its yellow brick exterior and the wide arches that perforate it at intervals.

Cannon Bridge House by Stiff + Trevillion. Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

Another exciting part of the development, which I am unfortunately unable to provide photographic evidence of, is the new roof garden which provides an area of respite for the busy office workers below. Unusually for a city often hidden beneath a horizontal wall of grey, watery vapour the sky garden has emerged as an essential feature of any new office development. This has given rise to all manner of extra curricular horticultural happenings taking place in the cities upper atmosphere, unbeknownst to the uninitiated citizens of the streets below. Adjacent roof gardens now rival each other for the most finely preened shrubs in an undeclared topiary showdown which has produced hedges of logic defying geometries.

Cannon Bridge House by Stiff + Trevillion. Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

Returning inside the building you are greeted by a central atrium which rises up two floors to be met by an arched, glazed roof allowing natural light to flood into the building. Unfortunately at the time i was photographing the site there were still on-going maintenance works around the atrium which limited the images I could capture.

Cannon Bridge House Atrium. Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

Leaving Cannon Bridge House that day after several hours of photography I couldn't help wishing that I might one day spend a day there as a worker, enjoying the view of the trains traversing the river below and popping up to the roof garden at lunch time for a spot of high-rise relaxation among the finely sculpted foliage. Having not seen the building internally before its makeover it is hard to visualise what existed in its place. What is evident though, is that Stiff + Trevillion's redevelopment has created a modern, light filled space which incorporates elements of the original structure, brickwork and steel, in a manner that gives prominence to them rather than hides them from view.  It is a great space, with many additional attributes provided by its location and history.

Victoria Gate by Acme Architects

Victoria Gate Shopping Centre. Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

Location: 44 Victoria Gate, George Street, Leeds, LS2 7AU
Architect: Acme Architects
Developer: Hammerson

London architectural practice Acme have recently come to prominence with the completion of a number of notable schemes across the UK, picking up several awards in the process. One such award was the RIBA Yorkshire Building of the Year 2017 bestowed upon their Victoria Gate Shopping Centre in Leeds. Formally completed in 2016, with the odd bit of ongoing work still taking place externally, the building has become a distinguishedlandmark for the city.

Victoria Gate Arcade, Eastgate Road Elevation. Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

Arriving in Leeds, weary and hungry, one early evening in late 2016 after working on several projects in Yorkshire i was greeted by a beautiful autumn sunset and a sky daubed with a wafer-thin layer of fluffy cloud. Realising this evanescent light would dissipate faster than i could satisfy my hunger i hastily ran back to my car to reunite with my camera. The following photographs, taken without a tripod, are what I managed to obtain during that brief moment.

Victoria Gate Facade. Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

Both internally and externally you are greeted by the kind of opulence and grandeur that wouldn't be out of place on a religious edifice of times past - it certainly doesn't conform to the mediocrity that is inherent in most shopping centres found around the United Kingdom. Acme say that the main body of the Victoria Gate shopping centre - the section cloaked in intricate panels of terracotta - was influenced by the Art Deco and Victorian buildings that sit adjacent to the site.

Victoria Gate John Lewis Department Store. Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

The John Lewis department store is adorned with an etched, white concrete, diamond-latticed facade, who's geometries again appears to be befitting of a structure of religious origin. Would it be too simple to conclude, here is the new Mecca of the 21st Century, one to consumerism? Probably it would. 

The asymmetrically placed diamond glass panels intermittently punctuate the concrete strips allowing natural light to enter the store. The varying depth and textures of these surfaces allow a cascade of light and shadow to gently trace their topography, making for beautiful photographs.

Victoria Gate John Lewis Diamond Latticed Facade.Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

One thing that becomes immediately apparent when viewing the buildings is that the developer Hammerson has spared no expense when it comes to the buildings construction. The materials it employs, their intricacies and abundance can not have been cheap and its nice to see a scheme that hasn't fallen victim to devloper cutbacks.

Victoria Gate Lattice Roof Detail. Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

Internally the architects maintain the grandeur found on the exterior - unfortunately due to the dimming light and lack of a tripod i was unable to photograph these areas. Designed to reference Leeds' historic shopping arcades the individual shops feature curving glass shopfronts and more high-quality detailing. Covering the arcade is a complex geometric roof formed of latticed steel and glass which allows natural light to illuminate the space below.

John Lewis Car Park Facade. Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

Adjoining John Lewis is a car park draped in spiralling sheets of metal, which in the afternoon sun began to look aflame. It was with this vision of fire in mind that i was suddenly reminded of food sizzling in a frying pan and my increasing hunger which accompanied such images. Putting away my camera I eagerly went in search of food. I hope to return to the site at a later date and photograph the building as a whole rather than simply focusing on details, since on this visit I was hampered by the lack of a tripod and the utility works cluttering the surrounding area.

Victoria Gate is a wonderful scheme by Acme which is likely to propel the relatively small and hitherto somewhat inconspicuous practice to a level of prominence which will hopefully see them receive further high-profile commissions where they can again demonstrate their innovative approach to design and architecture. For image sales of the Victoria Gate shopping centre please contact Alex.

St Helen's Tower AJ Retrofit Award Nomination

St Helen's Tower, City of London. Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

St Helen's Tower, a project which I photographed in late 2016 for glazing specialists OAG has recently been shortlisted for the prestigious Architects Journal AJ Awards 2017 in the Retrofit category. Here's wishing the architects TTSP all the best, its truly a great piece of design and deserves some recognition. For those more curious about the building and wishing to see photographs of the refurbishment you can find a detailed account in my earlier post on photographing 1 Undershaft.

Seventy Wilson by Astudio Architects

Seventy Wilson by Astudio Architects - Copyright © Alex Upton

Architectural Photography of Seventy Wilson

Location: 70 Wilson Street, London
Architect: Astudio
Developer: Stanhope / Threadneedle / Low Carbon Workplace Trust

I encountered the small architectural gem that is Seventy Wilson purely by chance, when for reasons which evade memory, I diverged en route from my all to familiar amble back to Liverpool Street Station via Broadgate. The building, designed by London architectural practice Astudio, is located on Wilson Street and replaces a 1980's office development once known as Summit House. Incorporated into the new office is the grade II listed, 4-storey building visible to its left. The fortuitous excursion that led to these architectural photographs of Seventy Wilson was also aided by a momentary break from the rain, the clouds parting just above the building as I walked past, as if inviting me to photograph it in all its rain soaked splendor.

Seventy Wilson Street View - Copyright © Alex Upton

Rather than completely demolishing the original structure the new building is in fact a refurbishment and extension of the original, which, considering its radically divergent appearance is quite an achievement. It also boasts enviromentally friendly credentials, Astudio having worked in collaboration with Low Carbon Workplace to create a highly efficient office space, which achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating based on its low carbon standards.

Seventy Wilson Roof Detail - Copyright © Alex Upton

The building's distinctive roof is just one of its many defining features, with rectangular, glass blocks seemingly pivoted on top of one another at opposing angles. The reflective glass beautifully captures the sky, while panels of pastel red cladding, some perforated, add interest to the facade. The building also incorporates a deceptive feature, as one walks past the refurbished Grade II listed building it at first appears to come to an end, but after a few steps down Worship Street it magically reappears, albeit in a somewhat different form and composition. Unfortunately, by the time I had made this discovery the rain had stubbornly resumed and hence no photographs exist to evidence it.

Seventy Wilson Facade Detail - Copyright © Alex Upton

Seventy Wilson, while possessing a name reminiscent of a 1980's production-line robot, is a wonderful building, which has utilised the existing structure and incorporated the Grade II listed element to great effect. It plays with levels, form and material in a unique way and offers technology companies a generous 71,000 sq ft of energy efficient, modern workspace. It is a great addition to the area and worth returning to, I will therefore endeavor to photograph the other elevation at a later date.

Belmont House Refurbishment by TP Bennett

Belmont House, Uxbridge by TP Bennett -  Copyright © Alex Upton

Architectural Photography of Belmont House

Location: Belmont Road, Uxbridge, London.
Architect: TP Bennett
Developer: Aviva Investors
Clinet: Taylor Maxwell

As winter was drawing to a close i received a commission by client Taylor Maxwell to photograph Belmont House, located in Uxbridge Town Centre, West London. Upon my arrival i experienced a flashback to one of my previous architectural photography jobs: West Croydon Bus Station. Again i found myself confronted with a building situated amidst a busy transport juncture. Each time as I carefully composed my shot and the decisive moment approached, I would be confronted by a blur of red as an unconcerned bus driver divided the space between my camera and the building. Fortunately my brief was to focus on the facade, which mitigated some of the frustration and prevented an architectural photographer having a tantrum by the road side.

Belmont House Roadside Elevation, Uxbridge by TP Bennett -  Copyright © Alex Upton

The site on which Belmont House stands was formally home to a 1980's office block, rather than completely demolishing the existing building developers Aviva Investors commissioned London architectural practice TP Bennett to design and undertake an extensive refurbishment of the original structure. Stripping back the building to its concrete frame the architects then set out to modernise the space to cater for contemporary office requirements. At the rear of the building an additional floor was added, taking it to 5-soreys in total providing 145,000 Sq Ft of office space. The Grade A redevelopment cost a total of £30 million.

Belmont House Facade, Uxbridge by TP Bennett -  Copyright © Alex Upton

The buildings facade, which i was commissioned to photograph, utilities Taylor Maxwell's innovative CORIUM cladding system. Where time and site restrictions may prevent the use of traditional masonry the CORIUM panels, which are formed of genuine facing brick, slide into place on a frame attached to the structure. Belmont House is distinctive for its use of irregular-shaped windows which divide the space between these brick panels. Arriving at the site at just the right time, with the sun hanging low in the sky, it generously scattered a beautiful array of colour over the buildings facade.

Belmont House Roof Terrace, Uxbridge by TP Bennett -  Copyright © Alex Upton

With refurbishments its understandable how an existing structure could lead to restrictions in the creative process, but with Belmont House architects TP Bennett have created a distinctive space which utilises a restrained set of materials to great effect. The building manifests no signs of its former life and makes a great addition to Uxbridge's Town Centre. To see more of my architectural photographs of Belmont House please head to the projects section of my portfolio.  

New Ludgate by Fletcher Priest & Sauerbruch Hutton Architects

One New Ludgate: Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

Development: 1 & 2 New Ludgate
Architects: Fletcher Priest & Sauerbruch Hutton Architects
Location: New Ludgate, City of London
Developer: Land Securities

The winter months can be both cruel and kind to the architectural photographer. With the sun reclining lower in the sky early afternoons can provide some of the year’s best light for photographing buildings, with golden hues and dynamic shadows tracing their every surface illuminating them in a manner to which the summer sun does not cater. Yet in the absence of these infrequent conditions a stubbornly persistent smudge of impenetrable, uniform grey often hangs over the city leading to many rescheduled shoots. On such days it seems appropriate to catch up on some neglected updates from projects I photographed earlier in the year, one such project is the New Ludgate development in the City of London.

One New Ludgate: Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

New Ludgate is a mixed use development by Land Securities combining both office, retail and restaurant space within two distinct yet complimentary buildings. Situated in the City of London just a short walk from St Paul’s Cathedral the site was once home to the 15th century Belle Sauvage public house and coaching inn. The master plan for the site was drawn up by Fletcher Priest Architects and takes into account the sites sensitive location; their building – One New Ludgate – steps back from the protected view of St Paul’s reinstating the streets curvature which was used by Wren to show his building to full effect. 

Two New Ludgate: Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

The Portland Stone façade of One New Ludgate stands in contrast with the colourful amber glass façade of it’s neighbour - Two New Ludgate - designed by Sauerbruch Hutton Architects. The fact that both buildings utilise a grid like structure to cover the façade brings about a convergence in their design which would otherwise have been lost. From an architectural photographers point of view it is these glass shutters and external masonry which make for some of the most interesting images.

New Ludgate Public Realm: Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

Although the site is essentially restrained by its relatively small footprint and the need to maximise floor space there is still adequate attention given to the public realm which offers stone seating to the city workers on their lunch breaks and trees which return a bit of nature to densely urban part of the city. The surrounding paving is made up of quadrilateral polygons of different shades which when hit by the light reflecting of the buildings create a nice interplay of light and form.

One New Ludgate: Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

Collaborative efforts in architecture can often be fraught with competing visions and a sense that one needs to outdo the other, but on this site both buildings are addressed in a sensible and restrained manner leading to a distinct yet harmonious outcome. As both buildings retreat from the views of their iconic neighbour they become slightly more animated and playful yet still retain their dignity in the presence of their elders. To see more of my architectural photographs of New Ludgate please head over to the projects section of my portfolio.