Richard Irwin - Photoblog
The Comedy
Posted by Richard Irwin (Belper, United Kingdom) on 25 October 2007 in Cityscape & Urban.
Modern Life......Sky Living
Maybe you can see the countryside from up there, but if not......maybe that rural picture will do !!!
e. from Washington DC, United States
Whoa, that building looks almost like a model building. Really neat shot.
25 Oct 2007 5:44am
Twelvebit from Victoria, United States
Nice shot. What I find interesting here is the notion of "translation," somewhat in the context of Shaw's quip that Britain and America are two countries separated by a common language --where in this case, one of the languages is architecture. It's funny how modern architecture can have its own dialect; although the signs up front are in English, I'd not place these buildings as being anywhere in the US.
25 Oct 2007 1:56pm
@Twelvebit: Thats a really interesting and perceptive comment. Indeed, these buildings are outside the US, they are in the City of Birmingham........thats Birmingham, England and not the one in Alabama.
There are lots of these apartment buildings springing up in Englands cities these last few years. I've seen new developments in Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham, etc, and the designs are about city and space and the conversion of old office blocks usually, but in this case in Birmingham, the idea of Sky Living I think is a brand new building. The architecture is different to what I've seen in the US, Europe or elsewhere on my travels, so perhaps it is a structure with a English accent......and a 'Brummie' one at that.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brummie
My interest was in the juxtaposition and interplay between the image of the canalside walk billboard, and the concrete surrounding it. I wondered whether you could see the countryside from right up there......perhaps not, Birmingham is Englands second largest city, the green fields are a long way off.
Amir from ?, Iran
Beautiful shot, the building is tilted a little and that is an amazing effect and perspective
25 Oct 2007 3:57pm
Reza from Montreal, Canada
Great rural shot. But what kind of cpmedy it is that tastes great? lol
25 Oct 2007 4:43pm
Brian from West Lafayette, United States
Beautiful shot. Such buildings are the way of the future, I'm afraid. But if they help preserve the countryside from sprawl, then maybe they are not such a bad thing.
25 Oct 2007 5:57pm
Lost Valley View from Kamloops, Canada
WOW! What an image...I do howver like some of the reflection in the building!
25 Oct 2007 9:18pm
Viewfinder from Bradenton, United States
It is not a future I would embrace with a passion; not yet anyway. IMO, what these will do is increase population density in our urban centers, which will not be a totally positive thing. Atlanta, GA is putting up similar kinds of buildings, although I have not heard the term "sky living" applied there. A friend is living on the 16th floor of such a new construction hi-rise and it's a very nice view, but it's so sterile and far-removed from the natural things and regular people -- you've got to be financially pretty well off to afford such a place -- and so for me it raises a question: where do the poor and middle class go?
I think this is a very nicely photographed piece of architecture; please know that I like it as an image. But I don't like the trend; I am reminded of the old Fritz Lang movie "Metropolis" -- or the darkly telling Gotham City of Batman fame. Something dehumanizing about the scale and the intent.
25 Oct 2007 10:18pm
Rebecca from Leicester, United Kingdom
Striking composition, and fascinating observation, with lots of food for thought (I do agree with many of VF's points here). Beautifully done!
26 Oct 2007 2:35am
Rags from Plano, United States
this is such a sharp contrast from the rural images that you have been showing us. Having been an almost daily visitor to your site and a big fan of your rural images, I actually feel like a country boy who has just been thrust into the city. i also do love seeing the city thru your eyes.
26 Oct 2007 3:29am
Twelvebit from Victoria, United States
Viewfinder's remarks remind me of Austin, where the same trend is also taking place. At this moment, there are at least five big construction cranes downtown building high rise living space for people with a lot of money. Compared to my own suburban living --and I live in a pretty nice house in a very nice neighborhood-- I'd have to pay something like twice the price for one-quarter the space, and I'd have no yard to let my dog out for a call of nature. I refer viewfinder to the recent British movie "Red Road" for a look at some of the dehumanizing aspects of modern urban culture, including high rise "council flats."
26 Oct 2007 3:23pm
amy from Rocky Mountain House, Canada
Wow, Richard, you sparked a bit of a controversy.. don't you love it when your photography can do that? Really want to put in my 2 bits worth but...
I do like the irony of the billboard showing the countryside in this concrete jungle... also love your framing of those buildings (and I like the converging lines... )
26 Oct 2007 4:14pm
