This week, with the help of our readers, our Architecture City Guide is headed to London. This is our second stop in Europe, and once again I had to capitulate and double the number of buildings that we normally feature. We could not feature all of the suggestions, and will be adding to the list in the near future. We really appreciate those readers who offered their suggestions and the use of their pictures to make up this list.
Samuel Johnson famously said, “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.” As home to a long tradition of kings and queens, the Royal Society, and the roots of the Industrial Revolution, it is not surprising that there is a rich tension and collaboration between the historic and contemporary architecture in London. This reflects a city and culture that has a strong history of celebrating the past while also moving forward. Conflicts often emerge, as the goals of one side clash with those of the other. This relationship, however, is why I find walking the streets of London so appealing - those beautiful moments when history and progress collide.
Once again, thanks to all our readers for your help. We encourage you to add more of your favorites in the comment section below.
The Architecture City Guide: London list and corresponding map after the break.
- Swiss Re Building / Foster & Partners
- London City Hall / Foster & Partners
- The Blue Fin Building / Allies and Morrison
- The City of London Information Centre / Make Architects
- Tate Modern / Herzog & de Meuron (Conversion of Sir Giles Gilbert Scott’s original factory design)
- Lloyd’s Building / Richard Rogers Partnership
- Laban Dance Centre / Herzog & de Meuron
- Grand Union Walk Housing / Grimshaw Architects
- Westminster Underground Station / Hopkins Architects (Previously Michael Hopkins and Partners)
- Donnybrook Quarter / Peter Barber Architects
- W London Leicester Square / Jestico + Whiles
- Stoke Newington School and Sixth Form / Jestico + Whiles
- Town Hall Hotel / rare
- CAFOD Headquarters / Black Architecture
- Central St. Giles Court / Renzo Piano & Fletcher Priest Architects
- Evelyn Grace Academy / Zaha Hadid Architects
- One New Change / Jean Nouvel and Sidell Gibson Architects
- Strata SE1 / BFLS
- Longford Community School / Jonathan Clark
- 10 Hills Place / Amanda Levete Architects
- Barbican Estate / Chamberlin, Powell and Bon
- London Metropolitan University / Daniel Libeskind
- The Great Court of the British Museum / Foster & Partners
- Millennium Bridge / Foster & Partners
