Thursday 25 October 2007

Lion House Richmond- # 272

I have always liked this building and was sad to see it looking more and more run down over the years. Then at last a developer took it restored its good looks.

Others might say that it's just another bit of Art Deco, just one of many, but I like its black and white tiled facade, the rectilinear windows and the curved "marine style" windows in the upper stories. Buildings like this are obviously "modern", but they always make me feel at home, and for some reason always make me feel as if the sun is shining and Spring is in the air. Unfortunately, not all modern buildings do this.

Today the spacious ground floor area hosts a large and popular Pizza Express restaurant.

5 comments:

  1. They're treasures.

    I agree: they are modern. But they retain the comely proportions of the ancient golden mean.

    I think the 'uplifting' sensation they create is due to those wonderful proportions which we somehow sense.

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  2. I love Art Deco & this looks a fantastic example. It's a shame modern architects haven't got much imagination & just build brick & glass boxes. It's also a shame that local council's don't have much respect for buildings of yesteryear.

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  3. I agree that these building must be preserved. Whether you like art deco or not, they are examples that should remain!

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  4. Agreed - much prefer real design to post-modernist crepusculations. Nice angle to the picture (interesting vignette effect..) and of course a return to sanity and monochrome

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  5. This one works nicely, the angle helps as well as the monochrome!

    from
    South Shields Daily Photo

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