Thursday, March 08, 2007

Linear facadism


One London Place
London, Ontario, February 2007 [Click to enlarge]

This is London's tallest building (wiki entry, developer page). It's only 30 storeys, which is the equivalent of a front porch in cities like New York. But it's our skyline's icon, and it's ours. Well, not really, because the proles who walk and ride within its shadows every day don't own it. But the fact that it looms large in our lives means it's sort of ours, our city's.

I took a walk over lunch with the specific intention of bringing back a picture of its somewhat repetitive, soulless surface. It was a brilliantly bright, frighteningly cold day when I took my walk. I had to trudge into the back parking lot to get the southern exposure, and once I carefully negotiated the badly iced-over surface, I almost froze my fingers while shooting. But in the end, I liked the lines of the building, and I liked how the lamp standard put the whole thing into a somewhat different perspective.

Sometimes, some light, some lines and a little pain can result in a neat view of a building that looms in the sunlight every day. I'm glad that I took the time on this day to remember it with a picture.

Your turn: Big, ugly, modern buildings. I hope you'll explore one near you - and share the first three words that come to mind here.

26 comments:

Anna said...

Three words....

LOVE. THE. LINES.

and the blue. Wonderful perspective Carmi. Nice job! :)

Anonymous said...

It reminds me of the Bob Newhart show...the first one. No idea why...

Anonymous said...

1. commerce
2. geometry
3. towering

(what an INCREDIBLY blue sky in the background! also, i REALLY like the touch of the streetligt in the foreground of the shot)

Rainbow dreams said...

blue mosaic patterns.... :)
great picture - love the streetlight too

Pat said...

Lovely Carmi! Great lines and the colour is brilliant!

Where is this building? I travelled so often to the Dental College but went along Fanshawe across the top so probably missed seeing it as I stayed away from the city centre.





Pat's Photos and
Guelph Daily Photo

Bill Deys said...

You should start a Flickr Pool for people to add their own similar photos to! Love It Carmi!

The Harbour of Ourselves said...

i like this carmi - was going to take a kind of similar shot today but the light just wasn't right (and i, unlike mr adams cannot wait around all day) - hopefully tomorrow - i love the juxtaposition of the light and blue ...

the shot i was trying for was a modern building with London Plane trees in front (sounds awful, but I think it is surreal enough to work - i think

kenju said...

Ticky tacky boxes.


In spite of that - I like the photo. The sky is penetrating!

Michael K. Althouse said...

I like the geometricity of this shot. (Spell checker doesn't like "geometricity," but it doesn't like "embiggen" either). And at 30 floors, it's no slouch in the world of tall buildings - especially here in Sacramento.

Mike

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

This reminds me of the PPG building (that's Pittsburgh Plate Glass, for those who don't know) in downtown Pittsburgh. Which isn't Ohio; where'd you get the idea I'm in Ohio, Carmi?

We're going to try to get up to at least Niagara this summer. Stay tuned for news of that... it'd be cool to say hey.

Beth said...

Some light, some lines and a little pain...those three things add perspective to just about everything, eh?

I love the picture. The color looks like North Carolina sky.

tommie said...

okay, tried to get some lines today....but it only amounted to the lines of a parachute at music time today.

Ten two- and three-year olds trying to make a parachute sound like rain doesn't make for good photo opportunities. If I get a chance to upload them I will, they are hilarious!

Mike said...

I really like the picture. You should see if you can get one looking down from the roof to go with it.

Here from Michele's

Anonymous said...

My mind doesn't seem to want to spill out three words (come on...that's not asking much brain!), but I DO like this shot a lot.

You were suffering for your passion....I can respect that :)

Azgreeneyes said...

LOVE the pic! Especially how it has reflected the blue (I'm assuming, anyways) sky. Great photo for a modern, lofty type feeling.

Here from Michele's today, need to get by more often though!

Chad Oneil Myers said...

Great image, man!

Thumper said...

Oh man, I've got more than 3 words: this would be an awesome puzzle. All those lines, the color... Blow it up, take a jigsaw to it, and make your fortune, Carmi. It's incredible.

Anonymous said...

Oy, exactly-the-correct-colour blue! I`ll print the picture, show it to salesman and demand tiles like that in my bathroom.

Young Lady said...

crowded
cliquey
huge

photowannabe said...

Up, up and away. Sorry thats 4 words. Love the geometrical patterns and the angles. The streetlight puts the right balance in it.

utenzi said...

I live near Raleigh NC, which is the capital of the state, and I don't think it's got a single building that tall, Carmi. On the other side of the state, however, is Charlotte which is where the tall buildings are. Lots of banks have headquarters there. Personally I like having short buildings--but it's nice to visit the tall ones every once in a while.

Shephard said...

This photo is a great example of the power of photography... because the photo is beautiful... something about it really captures me. I love it. And no words to really say why. :)

~S

Craver said...

1. Thank You Carmi.
2. Take More Pictures.

It's cool. Your 'eye' is amazing.

Anonymous said...

Yes, it has got a lovely symmetry to it.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

Hey Carmi...
Michele sent me back to you today...And I LOVE tis picture...! It's funny because my post today are some night and day shots of Los Angeles...the big buildings downtownb which we never had when I first moved here....!
I think that 30 story building is beautiful through your perspective! And I love that light sitting right there to give us even more perspective!
Do come on by and see L.A. at night, my dear....!

Unknown said...

Love that shot