Tib Street, Manchester

Tib Street, Manchester, originally uploaded by fotofacade.

Some comments extracted from flickr about this image make interesting reading. It is sad to see such a building disappear and yet fascinating to voyeuristically for a short moment in time peep into part of somebody's life and see the material remains of their existence. I imagine them strutting there stuff like an actor on a stage set.

view profile
kayork Pro User says:

This sort of picture always makes me sad.
Posted 24 hours ago.

view profile
fotofacade Pro User says:

It is sad - but also fascinating to see the blueprint of the whole elevation of a house and to think that somebody actually lived there - it was a home.
Posted 24 hours ago. ( permalink | delete | edit )
view profile

linfrye Pro User says:

My gracious ....it is always intriguing to see how others think and live ... I wonder as your words above prompt me, how these folks got through their days, what they thought, felt, did. Your photo is very evocative ....and prompts much thought...
Posted 21 hours ago. ( permalink | delete )
view profile

fotofacade Pro User says:

Yes Lin - it's like taking the front off a dolls house and having a peep. This sort of stuff always fascinates me.

Posted 21 hours ago. ( permalink | delete | edit )
view profile

Claire Howson Pro User says:

Fantastic shot of dereliction and development. It's great that you can still see the fireplaces.

Posted 3 hours ago. ( permalink | delete )
view profile

jonwild Pro User says:

I like the doll's house analogy, it is fascinating to peek inside and imagine how it was. Incidentally, Matthewbailey has a great example of eclectic decoration from a different time laid bare here.

East Manchester Regeneration

East Manchester Regeneration Area. Looking towards the site of the new Super Casino which will be adjacent to the City of Manchester Stadium (centre of pic). The development to the bottom centre is part of the New Islington regeneration scheme by Alsop - this bit is called Woodward Place by the Manchester Methodist Association designed by FAT


More info about the New Islington regeneration here

Manchester Stock Images on Alamy
Regeneration Stock Images on Alamy
My Manchester flickr set
Manchester on my del.icio.us

Andy Marshall is a professional architectural photographer. Most images can be downloaded 24/7 at Alamy as stock photography

1. Website
2. Portfolio
3. Search 7000 stock images....
4. Stock photography architecture themes....
5. Video's
6. The ARCHIPHOTOGRAPHICAL OASIS
   

All images are copyright Andy Marshall and must not be used without prior permission.

Illustrating Leeds UK Property Market

This image of mine is Leeds Bridge over the River Aire in Leeds City Centre, Yorkshire UK. It was recently used to illustrate a Times newspaper article on the move towards helping families settle in the area. The article penned by Graham Norwood says:

"A new scheme in Leeds promises to bring family housing to a city centre that has an oversupply of flats for single people, amid worries that other locations across northern England are suffering the same problem.

A £500m scheme by the developer Reland, to be built on two disused chemical factory sites totalling 20 acres near the Leeds-Liverpool canal, will include family houses and three- and four-bedroom apartments. There will also be offices and shops"

You can read the full article at Times Online here

You can view all my images of Leeds here

Andy Marshall is a professional architectural photographer. Most images can be downloaded 24/7 at Alamy

More about Andy Marshall
Contact Andy Marshall
Search all of Andy Marshall's Images

All images are copyright Andy Marshall and must not be used without prior permission.

New Life Out of Old

Here is a photograph showing a vibrant use of contemporary archtecture in Sporenburg Amsterdam, Holland. It has enlivened and regenerated a whole swathe of industrial islets just out of the centre of Amsterdam. Here a solution has been found through the use of exciting and rooted architecture a way forward with a place which had lost its soul.

Talking of souls I am cheered to see a similar project taking shape in London, but this project takes things one step further. It was Stephen Gardiner's article in Monday 17 July Times which alerted me to it.

The project is St Paul's Church, Onslow Square, South Kensington, London. The church is to have a contemporary extension designed by no other than Norman Foster. It is to house a family life centre, theology college, bookshop, cafe and lecture theatre. Not only is this project revealing in the obvious changes in floor plan to reflect the changing liturgy and needs of the church in the C21st; but also, it is remarkable that this brand spanking shiny new C21st space is being added to a Grade II listed building.

The 'spirit' behind Historic Buiding Legislation has moved on a pace over the last 5 years. Previously it was extremely difficult (but not impossible) to have your own century represented on a historic building (especially a church) - even though most of our churches are an organic hotch potch of most centuries.

Now with contemporary design and new materials and a developing conservation philosophy we are witnessing a new era of regeneration where architects such as Norman Foster can help re-invent an enliven our most cherished of structures.

Andy Marshall is a professional architectural photographer. Most images can be downloaded 24/7 at Alamy

More about Andy Marshall
Contact Andy Marshall
Search all of Andy Marshall's Images

All images are copyright Andy Marshall and must not be used without prior permission.

Contemporary Architecture Amsterdam

Contemporary architecture Rietlanden Amsterdam Holland

More photo's here of contemporary architecture in Amsterdam

All photo's of Amsterdam

Andy Marshall is a professional architectural photographer. Most images can be downloaded 24/7 at Alamy

More about Andy Marshall
Contact Andy Marshall
Search all of Andy Marshall's Images

All images are copyright Andy Marshall and must not be used without prior permission.

Tadao Ando Screen Piccadilly Manchester UK

Andy Marshall is a professional architectural photographer. Most images can be downloaded 24/7 at Alamy

More about Andy Marshall
Contact Andy Marshall
Search all of Andy Marshall's Images

All images are copyright Andy Marshall and must not be used without prior permission.

Sporenburg Amsterdam Holland

Lively mix of contemporary living accomodation on Sporenburg, Amsterdam Holland

See here for more information on this area

More images of Amsterdam here

Saint Ann's and the Beetham Tower

Here is a photo of contrasts with the C18th tower of Saint Ann's in Manchester UK (which originally dominated the skyline of Manchester) and the massive bulk of the recently completed Beetham Tower (which now dominates the skyline of Manchester, Salford, and surrounding districts).
More images of the Beetham Hilton Tower

More images of Saint Ann's (and Saint Ann's Square)

Pathetic Fallacy?

I don't know what 'school' of architectural photography I belong to, but some might say that my personal work is a little indulgent at times.

I like to work on relationships between things, and express an opinion by setting up visual indicators of feeling. Such as this image taken last week. It is of our local war memorial and our local former grammar school (now being demolished). Two inanimate objects provide an extra dimension to the photography. Indulgency or photographers craft?

Whatever it is, I feel much the better for it after capturing the essence of my thoughts.

River Aire Leeds

I am amazed at the tide of redevelopment and regeneration of the industrial architecture along the River Aire in Leeds near to the centre. This photo is one of my latest sales to a magazine in the UK.

More photos of Leeds

Royal Armouries Leeds

The Royal Armouries (London and Leeds) house a remarkable selection of warfare weaponry and memorabilia.

This photo is one of my latest sales (to a magazine) and is of the Royal Armouries Leeds. It also shows some of the new development on Clarence Dock. Prior to the Leeds Royal Armouries being built the area was in poor condition with an urban industrial atmosphere. The introduction of such a significant venue has also enabled and encouraged other developments in the surrounding area, thus providing the spark for regeneration.

More pics of the Royal Armouries here

Behind the photo....

I visited the Albert Cuyp Market on my first day in Amsterdam. I always research my photo shoots of larger cities and I find that the best way to get into a city is to visit a local market and pick up the hustle and bustle of the locality. The Albert Cuyp Market is one of the best known day markets in Amsterdam and when I visited in 2005, it was celebrating its centenery.

Another reason to plan markets into you itinery (especially when your time is limited) is just in case the light isnt perfect - with a market you can always get interesting shots no matter what the light is like. This was the case when I visited the Cuyp - light was not good. On some shots I ended up post processing the images and leaving some colour in the celebratory awnings for better effect.

You can see all of my shots of the Cuyp market here

You can learn more about the Cuyp market here

ARC Hull

One of my ongoing projects is photographing the architecture and environments of cities and towns along the M62 corridor. One of my favourite places is Hull, Humberside UK. Extremely underrated, Hull has a remarkable stock of historic buildings and brand spanking new contemporary structures. It is a city with a vision for the future, in much the same vein as Manchester was 10 years ago.

This is primarily the reason why I have just joined ARC (part of the national network of architecture centres) and I think I'll leave it up to them to explain what they are all about (I wish all places had a philosophy so enlightening)

"arc welcome

inspire inform support learn engage empower

The role of good architecture and design in regeneration, and the creation of sustainable communities throughout the Humber Region.

arc - a new project for Hull and the Humber advocating design and architecture, raising aspirations, and increasing a sense of ownership of buildings and public spaces.Design is everything from regional planning, urban design, through architecture to interiors. It is not just about buildings, but also high quality places to live, learn, work and play.

The big picture and the detail. We achieve this through environmentally sensitive advocacy and guidance, work in schools, community learning, and public engagement. We are part of the national network of architecture centres, and a first for Hull. Your street is as relevant to arc as large public places like Queen's Gardens, the A63 corridor, or Humber Estuary.While being a young organisation arc has already worked with several schools and community groups, helped organisations to select architects, and reviewed regionally important design projects. We are not prescriptive about design; through dialogue and debate rather than instruction we promote the importance of design, and its contribution to successful economic and cultural development, in Hull and Humber region."

You can view all of my images of Hull here

Stanley Dock Warehouse Liverpool

Sold this pic recently for an educational book. Its a picture of Stanley Dock Warehouse, Liverpool UK. Built in 1852-4 this is one of the first dock warehouses to be designed for rail transport and the use of hydraulic power.

You can see all of my dock photos here

Mapping Manchester UK

Lots more buildings added to my MAPPING MANCHESTER PROJECT. Including

• Museum of Science and Industry
• Former Congregational Chapel Castlefield by Edward Walters
• Saint Peters Church Ancoats by Isaac Holden
• Murrays Mills Ancoats
• Waulk Mill Ancoats
• Rochdale Canal Ancoats
  

Maine Road

There's no such thing as a typical Saturday, but one theme throughout is the myriad of ways I have invented to try and listen to or watch my local football team in spite of being at a wedding or a prize-giving or an art gallery or in Chinatown for lunch. Micro sized radio's help, what they don't do is remind you that your'e sitting in the reference section of a library when you whoop with joy as your team scores the winning goal in the 90th minute - something every man's got to do by 30. Talking about doing things by your 30 - I almost started a chant too, when my team was playing Lincoln and Lincoln had been given a dodgy free kick I shouted "The referee's from Luton" over and over again until somebody tapped me on my shoulder and reminded me that we were playing Lincoln (or was it the other way around?). I definitely did start a Mexican wave at my football teams former stadium Maine Road which was demolished recently.

A couple of years ago I took a short trip around the ground with camera in hand. I even got gripped by a local security guard for daring to try and photograph the remains of my hallowed ground. What is it about stadia that pulls the heart strings?

Anyway heres a lightbox of images of Man City's former football ground Maine Road

Ive also put a marker on my Mapping Manchester wayfaring map - if you click the satellite button you will actually see that Maine Road is still there..... old photo? or ( like the proverbial Elvis sitings), might it still be there.....?

And we're losing 1-0......

Sheffield

I sold this photo last week on my stock site. Sheffield is in the north of England and was centre of the steel industry up until the end of the C20th. What is remarkable about Sheffield is that it has single handedly re-invented itself with the regeneration of an urban space outside the existing Town Hall. The space consists of the award winning Peace Gardens (this shot is taken from there) and the Winter Garden (large glass structure in background). The Winter Garden is apparently one of the largest inner city glass structures in Europe.

You can see my images of this area here

To see a virtual 360 deg image of the Winter Garden go here
To see a virtual 360 deg image of the Peace Garden go here

Arcam

Arcam is the Amsterdam centre of architecture (architectuurcentrum) located at Pris Hendrikkade. It was built in 2003 by R.H. van Zuk.

I love this building, it seems to grow organically out of the ground. It is of the ground and not on the ground.

It is a vibrant and dynamic piece of contemporary architecture which lies at the gateway to the Eastern Docklands (Oostelijk Havengebied). The area consists once consisted of heavy industrial buildings and processes with a raft of artificial peninsulas which were constructed in the late C19th and early C20th.

Today the distinct areas of the Docklands (Abattoir, KNSM, Java, Borneo, Sporenburg, etc) have been regenerated into a vibrant mix of residential, business and cultural activities. The sites are anchored by keynote developments of the highest quality; and even more importantly the whole area is 'synergised' by integrating artistic and cultural elements into the warp and weft of the built fabric. There is a useful architectural guide to the area available via the arcam website.

It notes that the aim of the development ' was that art should not be experienced as a value added on afterwards. In order to integrate art, architecture and urban design successfully, it was decided that the art projects should be included in the early development at an early stage. Moreover, a link up was sought with the areas past and the relationship between art, public space and architecture was stimulated.'

This image is of the bridge linking Sporenburg and Borneo Island.

Both images were taken in June 2005 as part of a project on regeneration

You can view all images taken of this project here.

BEHIND THE PHOTO....

This was taken during a high period of optimism for Manchester UK - during the Commonwealth Games. I wasn't poaching - I had just completed shooting a building nearby and was having a sandwich minding my own business. Suddenly the sun came out and the rainbow appeared. I waited for the Children to run across. They do look as though they are jumping over the rainbow. It was taken with a Bronica ETRSI, 40mm lens on fuji velvia film.

Regenerate

Here in the UK it is just possible that we might be about to commit the same mistakes as we did in the 1960's when we bulldozed our way through large swathes of Victorian architectural heritage.

Apparently tens of thousands of 'terraced' properties are under threat, especially in the North of England - the traditional bastion of the terraced house. As was the case last century, many communities that are held together by the warp and weft of the terraced street are facing social dilution.

It is all too easy to provide a no-brainer solution such as demolition, especially when there is the golden ticket of prime real estate. The real cost of such a solution may be the continued fragmentation of our localities.

After all it isn't just about the terraced house - is it?

The proportion and scale of a group of C19th terraces; the stylistic expression and hierarchical use of the doors and windows; the meaning and use of name plaques; the messages contained within the group pattern - all can contribute to social cohesion.

Current legislative guidance for England notes that identity is an important factor. Planning Policy Guidance 15, (Planning and the Historic Environment 1994) notes that ' The physical survivals of our past are to be valued and protected for their own sake, as a central part of our cultural heritage and a sense of our national identity'.

The feeling one has whilst walking through the terraced houses of the north of England is obviously different than walking around, lets say, Cantebury Cathedral. Nevertheless, there is a feeling; especially for the families within the tight network of streets who were rooted into the community by the proportional and spatial dynamics which led to such symbolic and domain charged acts as donkey stoning the front door step. The sight of the worn curve of a doorstep for ex-residentials going back to such a place might bring about emotions just as powerful as those experienced with that of high architecture. Communities grow and evolve, and by a process of osmosis the built form interacts with such communities helping shape and create identity.

The Burra Charter (adopted by the Australian National Committee of ICOMOS) introduces the idea of 'cultural significance'. It talks about the importance of 'less tangible aspects of cultural significance including those embodied in the use of heritage places, associations with a place and the meanings that places have for people.'

If this is the case then the North of England is about to lose much of its cultural and social identity.

All images by Andy Marshall