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One of the benefits of this collaboration is that I'm able to return to Nottingham once in a while to work on the odd project or two and that was partly the reason behind my recent trip to the UK. During the visit I was able to take up an offer of a quick tour of the university's new campus in the city, the Jubilee Campus, which didn't exist when I lived and worked there previously. I was told that I might find the architecture "interesting" and I certainly did!
The old campus I used to know is still the same and possibly the most beautiful in the UK depending on your taste. It's a parkland campus with several very old buildings mixed with some rather ugly ones built in the 50s and 60s, but the grounds are stunning and I'll post the odd picture or two of them soon (although I already have in a recent post).
One nice thing about the new Jubilee Campus is the wildlife that they've clearly made a big effort to attract and keep there. Although its lake is artificial much of it has been left in a natural state which attracts birds such as the heron above. This is good.
The architecture on the other hand, is bad. Well, some may disagree with me, but I didn't like it, the buildings just didn't look right especially when you have a campus nearby with some stunning old buildings.
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Finally, just what were they thinking? The building below is so horrendously ugly and garish that whoever designed and built it was surely on a dare or perhaps something more insidious? How could anyone possibly think this thing looks good? It's a lego building on steroids and I pity anyone who has to work there every day - I'd feel like throwing up each morning I arrived for work. Do health and safety provide special sunglasses for the occupants or anyone unfortunate enough to pass by outside?
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2 comments:
I kinda like the architecture. I think they were trying to integrate the buildings with the nature.;) I definitely love the red.;)
I'm with Protege. I live in a neighborhood of low apartment buildings, not a one of which dared to deviate from the shape of a rectangle or "natural" colors. After they were refurbished and got colors, the lumps looked far more interesting and less intrusive. If you've got to have a large block that just sits there, may as well spruce it up with a bit of color. I guarantee you that red dragon (of a building) would be far uglier in plain beige!
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