3 London buildings to inspire your architecture degree

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

London is brimming with more amazing buildings than a lifelong tourist’s photo album. The Shard towers over the city, Buckingham Palace stands steadfast and regal, and the Globe Theatre maintains its Elizabethan grandeur with the air of a nobleman’s quarters. Be in no doubt – tourists flock here for a reason. What better place, then, to brush up on your architectural studies? Indeed, a trip to the capital will leave any budding building enthusiasts with more cool sights than a trainspotter at a transport museum. Moreover, an architecture degree can be studied in various institutions both inside and out of the capital. And universities around London are always raring to accept new students, no matter what section of the year. With that in mind, we’ve come up with a few buildings within the capital to give you the inspiration you need to power through your studies.

Tate Modern

The Turner Prize at the Tate Modern plays host to the finest (and often maddest) contemporary art in the UK. But while thousands wander its halls every week, many more file past this grand building and marvel at its grandeur. Designed by architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in two phases between 1947 and 1963, the Tate claim the old power station is their “industrial cathedral”. Its single chimney dominates its surrounding environment, as imposing as the art within its prestigious walls. The industrial meets the modern here – it’s the perfect case study on how a building can take on new forms through the year.

Swaminarayan Mandir

A stunning Hindu temple ln northwest London, the Swaminarayan Mandir is proof that exotic buildings can merge seamlessly with the capital’s skyline. But what’s more amazing about this temple of worship is the way it was made. 2,828 tonnes of Bulgarian limestone and 2,000 tonnes of Italian marble were shipped to be hand-carved in India before finding their resting place in London. Although it’s not the most practical way to make a building, the results speak for themselves. Here’s a place that can almost match the Taj Mahal for intricacy – if not in scale.

Freemasons’ Hall

The Freemasons might have been a secretive bunch, but they didn’t half love an ambitious building project, as the Freemasons’ Hall illustrates. This grand structure is still the home to numerous masonic lodge events and activities – although the Illuminati-like vibe of the organisation has since disappeared. Built in a classical art deco style, the lodge has become infamous thanks to a number of film and television appearances. Parts of the building are opened to the public on a daily basis, and its awe-inspiring detail makes it well worth a gander.

Tags: architecture

Category: Student News