Saturday, November 30, 2024

The Music Box

The Music Box by Trever Morris, Union Street, Southwark, London

The Music Box by Trever Morris, 2016
Union Street, Southwark
London, May 2023

“The Music Box is an 11-storey mixed-use building in Southwark, London SE1. The development includes 41 one, two and three-bedroom apartments. ‘The Music Box’ is the new home of the London Contemporary Centre of Music from 2017. The building will house both LCCM (complete with its own underground venue) as well as luxury apartments. Architect Trever Morris at Spparc Architecture has designed the aesthetics of the building with the LCCM in mind, from the white enamel fins that surround the residential part of the building being inspired by piano keys, to glazed bricks that form the structure for LCCM's bottom third of the building being arranged in a way that matches the music of Cream's ‘The White Room’.” (The Music Box, Buildington)

Friday, November 29, 2024

House of Ignazio Villa

House of Ignazio Villa, Via Santa Lucia, Florence

House of Ignazio Villa, 1847
Via Santa Lucia
Florence, January 2024

“Ignazio Villa's house is located between Il Prato and via Santa Lucia in Florence. It was one of the most interesting examples of neo-Gothic architecture in Italy, but the lack of some decorations and the mediocre state of conservation in which it is today reduce its importance. The Milanese Ignazio Villa built it for himself around 1847, when the whole area was affected by intense building activity (for example the nearby Rotonda dei Barbetti dates back to 1845 and Villa Favard to 1855-1858).” (House of Ignazio Villa, Wikipedia)

Thursday, November 28, 2024

Homenaje al Turista

Homenaje al Turista by Andrés López Yebra, Paseo Marítimo Rey de España, Los Boliches, Fuengirola

Homenaje al Turista by Andrés López Yebra, 1994
Paseo Marítimo Rey de España
Los Boliches
Fuengirola, March 2024

“A female silhouette, lifting a dove into flight, pays homage with its sculptural movement to those tourists who, at that time, were beginning to position Fuengirola as an important tourist enclave.” (Monument to the Tourist, Wikimedia)

Wednesday, November 27, 2024

Podium Building

Podium Building, One Blackfriars
Blackfriars Road, Southwark, London

Podium Building, One Blackfriars
Blackfriars Road, Southwark
London, May 2023

“There are two more buildings on site: the podium houses shops, restaurants and resident leisure facilities, including swimming pool, spa, gym and cinema, while the other is the 161-bedroom Bankside Hotel. All three buildings encircle a public plaza at ground level allowing everyone to experience this special and vibrant place.” (One Blackfriars, SimpsonHaugh)

Tuesday, November 26, 2024

Villa Favard

Villa Favard by Giuseppe Poggi, Via Curtatone, Florence

Villa Favard by Giuseppe Poggi, 1858
Via Curtatone
Florence, January 2024

“The Baroness Fiorella Favard de L’Anglade commissioned renowned architect Giuseppe Poggi to design a residence that would reflect her wealth and social standing. The architect chose to create a first of its kind suburban villa, overlooking the river Arno. Villa Favard was built between 1858 and 1860, in the centre of a land plot which became a magnificent example of late romantic garden.” (Villa Favard, Hydea)

Monday, November 25, 2024

Cenador

Cenador (Arbour), Jardín Botánico-Histórico La Concepción, Camino del Jardín Botánico, Málaga

Cenador (Arbour)
Jardín Botánico-Histórico La Concepción
Camino del Jardín Botánico
Málaga, March 2024

“Built by the Heredia family, this is one of the most beautiful iron pergolas to be found anywhere in Spain. The plant which covers it (Wisteria sinensis), a creeper belonging to the Fabaceae family, is originally from China. The twelve roots originally planted by the Loring-Heredia family back in 1857 now climb over the surrounding ficuses and palms up to heights of almost 20 metres. Its gentle aroma and bunches of lilac flowers create a magical atmosphere, turning this spot into a unique enclave that can be enjoyed for about a fortnight in late March and early April.” (The arbour, Jardín Botánico-Historico de Málaga)

Sunday, November 24, 2024

240 Blackfriars

240 Blackfriars by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, Blackfriars Road, Southwark, London

240 Blackfriars by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, 2014
Blackfriars Road, Southwark
London, May 2023

“A simple extruded parallelogram has been cut away in several planes: diagonally to the north, to orientate the building towards the river; at the base, to increase public space at street level; and across the roof, to create a dynamically-shaped sky room. 240 Blackfriars is a major development composed of two distinct components that seeks to define the skyline at a pivotal junction of road, rail and river. The site is initially sliced in two to create a large commercial parallelogram and a small residential trapezoid in plan. The parallelogram is extruded up 90 metres (20 storeys) to form a sharp-edged crystalline volume, which is then cut away to respond to context: to the south to minimise the impact to Ludgate House, diagonally to the north to orientate the building towards the river and city; at street level to add generosity to the public realm and across the roof to create a reflective triple-height ‘sky-floor’. In contrast, the dark masonry trapezoid is extruded up six levels and then carved away to create loggias, terraces and gardens for its ten residential apartments. Completed in April 2014, 240 Blackfriars provides over 220,000 square feet of high performance office space, animated by ground-level retail units.” (240 Blackfriars, Archilovers)

Rose-ringed parakeet

Rose-ringed parakeet, Viale Washington, Parco delle Cascine (Cascine Park), Florence

Rose-ringed parakeet
Viale Washington
Parco delle Cascine (Cascine Park)
Florence, January 2024

“The rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri), also known as the ringneck parrot (in aviculture) or the Kramer parrot, is a medium-sized parrot in the genus Psittacula, of the family Psittacidae. It has disjunct native ranges in Africa and the Indian Subcontinent, and is now introduced into many other parts of the world where feral populations have established themselves and are bred for the exotic pet trade. One of the few parrot species that have successfully adapted to living in disturbed habitats, it has withstood the onslaught of urbanisation and deforestation. As a popular pet species, escaped birds have colonised a number of cities around the world, including populations in Northern and Western Europe. These parakeets have also proven themselves capable of living in a variety of climates outside their native range, and are able to survive low winter temperatures in Northern Europe.” (Rose-ringed parakeet, Wikipedia)

Friday, November 22, 2024

Homenaje al Pescador Mediterráneo

Homenaje al Pescador Mediterráneo (Homage to the Mediterranean Fisherman) by Aurelio Teno, Plaza del Remo, Torremolinos

Homenaje al Pescador Mediterráneo
(Homage to the Mediterranean Fisherman)
By Aurelio Teno, 1996
Plaza del Remo
Torremolinos, March 2024

“The monument is located in the Plaza del Remo, on the promenade of La Carihuela. It is the work of the Cordovan sculptor Aurelio Teno and was inaugurated in 1996. It was built in honor of the fishermen and is about the recent tragedy of the San Carlos fishery in which so many sailors lost their lives, some of them also from La Carihuela.” (Homenaje al Pescador Mediterráneo, Komoot)

Thursday, November 21, 2024

London Cityscape

London Cityscape by Jimmy C, Blackfriars station, Southwark, London

“London Cityscape” by Jimmy C, 2020
Blackfriars station, Southwark
London, May 2023

“Last week I met some friends south of the river, where I came across the vibrant ‘London Cityscape, Dusk’ by James Cochran aka Jimmy C. I had not realised this work was part of a series, with the first painting completed in 2019. On Jimmy C’s website, you can find see a range of depictions of the city of London in terms of location, use of colour, techniques and material.” (Jimmy C’s London Cityscapes, Lisa @Heritage_io)

Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Amphiteatre Ernesto de Pascale

Amphitheatre Ernesto de Pascale, Viale del Pegaso, Parco delle Cascine (Cascine Park), Florence

Amphitheatre Ernesto de Pascale
Viale del Pegaso
Parco delle Cascine (Cascine Park)
Florence, January 2024

“The amphitheatre was named in March 2015 after a well-known son of Florence, Ernesto de Pascale, music journalist and blues-rock musician who died 2011.” (Parco delle Cascine, Wikipedia)

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Mirador histórico

Mirador (Observation deck), Jardín Botánico-Histórico La Concepción, Camino del Jardín Botánico, Málaga

Mirador (Observation deck)
Jardín Botánico-Histórico La Concepción
Camino del Jardín Botánico
Málaga, March 2024

“The estate of La Concepción belonged to the Marquises of Casa Loring from 1850 through to 1990, when it was purchased by Malaga City Council. Its owners made it the centre of Malaga's social life and created an impressive park where they planted exotic species brought by their commercial fleet from Latin America, the Philippines and Australia. This is a romantic garden with winding paths, ponds, waterfalls and streams. It has lush semi-tropical vegetation and wonderful examples of rubber plants, palm trees and some spectacular Araucarias. Special mention should also be made of the Loringiano Museum, a small Doric style church, and the beautiful wisteria-covered pergola close to the palace.” (Botanical-Historical Gardens of La Concepción, Spain.info)

Monday, November 18, 2024

St Lawrence and Mary Magdalene

St Lawrence and Mary Magdalene Drinking Fountain, Carter Lane Gardens, City of London, London

St Lawrence and Mary Magdalene Drinking Fountain, 1866 (2010)
Carter Lane Gardens, City of London
London, May 2023

“The St Lawrence and Mary Magdalene Drinking Fountain is a drinking fountain on the eastern side of Carter Lane Gardens, near St Paul's Cathedral in London. The fountain was designed by the architect John Robinson. It features bronze sculpture by the artist Joseph Durham. It includes statues of the saints Lawrence and Mary Magdalene. The fountain was originally installed in 1866 outside the church of St Lawrence Jewry. It was dismantled into 150 pieces in the 1970s which were stored in a vault in the City of London for fifteen years, and after that in a barn at a farm in Epping. The pieces were sent to a foundry in Chichester for reassembly in 2009. The fountain was reassembled in its current location in 2010.” (St Lawrence and Mary Magdalene Drinking Fountain, Wikipedia)

Sunday, November 17, 2024

Colonna del Pegaso

Colonna del Pegaso (Probably dedicated to Elisa Bonaparte), Viale del Pegaso, Parco delle Cascine (Cascine Park), Florence

Colonna del Pegaso
(Probably dedicated to Elisa Bonaparte)
Viale del Pegaso
Parco delle Cascine (Cascine Park)
Florence, January 2024

“In 1809–1811, the new Grand Duchess, Elisa Bonaparte, converted the farm into a public park. The park was acquired by the Municipality of Florence in 1869, which committed the renovation of the park to the architect Felice Francolini. Sport clubs which regularly competed in the Quercione meadow were: Florence Football Club, Itala Foot Ball Club, Juventus Foot-Ball Club, Firenze FBC, Club Sportivo Firenze and PGF Libertas. However, in 1917 the municipality decided to forbid to any sport club to play football in the park.” (Parco delle Cascine, Wikipedia)

Saturday, November 16, 2024

Niña de Benalmádena

“Niña de Benalmádena by Jaime Pimentel, Plaza de España, Benalmádena

“Niña de Benalmádena” by Jaime Pimentel, 1968
Plaza de España
Benalmádena, March 2024

“The ‘Niña de Benalmádena’ (Girl of Benalmádena), a bronze sculpture, a unique symbol and icon of the town of Benalmádena (Málaga), is part of the fountain that stands in the Plaza de España. This work, by the sculptor Jaime Pimentel, was made at the request of the mayor at that time, Mr. Enrique Bolín Pérez-Argemí. The sculpture came to predict the resurgence of the town 's economy and its connection with tourism and more international culture. Pimentel's work has always had an important impact in the places where it has been exhibited, becoming, in the sculptor's own words, emblems.” (Niña de Benalmádena, Wikipedia)

Friday, November 15, 2024

Thomas Becket

Statue of Thomas Becket by Edward Bainbridge Copnall, St Paul's Churchyard, City of London, London

Statue of Thomas Becket by Edward Bainbridge Copnall, 1970
St Paul's Churchyard, City of London
London, May 2023

“The statue of Thomas Becket (1970) by Edward Bainbridge Copnall is installed in St Paul's Churchyard in London, United Kingdom. It was designated a Grade II Listed building in January 2016.” (Statue of Thomas Becket, Wikipedia)

Thursday, November 14, 2024

Prato delle Cornacchie

Prato delle Cornacchie (Meadow of the Crows), Via Galoppatoio dei Barberi, Parco delle Cascine (Cascine Park), Florence

Prato delle Cornacchie (Meadow of the Crows)
Via Galoppatoio dei Barberi
Parco delle Cascine (Cascine Park)
Florence, January 2024

Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Málaga María Zambrano

Málaga María Zambrano railway station, Explanada de la Estación, Málaga

Málaga María Zambrano railway station
Explanada de la Estación
Málaga, March 2024

“Málaga María Zambrano railway station (Málaga María Zambrano) is the principal railway station in the city Málaga in Andalusia, Spain on the Córdoba-Málaga high-speed rail line. It is served by high-speed trains to Madrid, Barcelona as well as the Cercanías Málaga and Málaga Metro systems. In 2017 the station served 6.1 million passengers, of which a million used Cercanías Málaga commuter services. It is named after María Zambrano, a Spanish philosopher. Málaga María Zambrano contains twelve platforms, of which two are underground and exclusively used by Cercanías Málaga, which continue into the city centre to Málaga Centro-Alameda railway station. There are eleven tracks available in the station of which five are of standard gauge and used by AVE services. The Málaga Metro's El Perchel station is located outside María Zambrano station. Designed as a public private partnership, Málaga María Zambrano operates as a Vialia shopping mall containing various retail outlets including Mercadona, MediaMarkt and H&M. It is estimated that up to 50% of the customers of these outlets are not rail passengers.” (Málaga María Zambrano, Wikipedia)

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Two Bears Fountain

Two Bears Fountain by Kenneth Keeble-Smith, Kensington Gardens, London

Two Bears Fountain by Kenneth Keeble-Smith, 1939 (1970)
Kensington Gardens
London, May 2023

“Sculptor, painter and illustrator based in London and latterly, Farnham. He exhibited at the Royal Academy several times between 1933 and 1949, animals pre-war and figures post-war, employing a variety of stones and woods. He contributed illustrations to A.C.B. Bellerby’s ‘The Lonely Dog. A True Story’ (published 1937; reviewed, with a reproduction of one of Keeble-Smith’s line drawings, in the Times Literary Supplement, 1 January 1938, p. 13). His bronze group for the ‘Two Bears Fountain’ in Kensington Gardens was installed in 1940, stolen in 1967, and replaced with a replica in 1970.” (Kenneth Keeble-Smith, Public Sculpture of Britain)

Monday, November 11, 2024

Fontana delle Boccacce

Fontana delle Boccacce by Giuseppe Manetti, Prato del Quercione,  Parco delle Cascine (Cascine Park), Florence

Fontana delle Boccacce by Giuseppe Manetti, 1796
Prato del Quercione
Parco delle Cascine (Cascine Park)
Florence, January 2024

“In 1785 the Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo Habsburg Lorraine commissioned the architect Giuseppe Manetti (1761 - 1817) to renovate the park and build some buildings, as the Lorraine family intended to use it to organize parties, shows and various celebrations. The ‘Fontana delle Boccacce’, so called for the masks from which the water came out, was built in the ‘Prato del Quercione’ (the oak, ‘quercia’, which gave the meadow its name, is no longer there, it has dried up). The fountain has the shape of a classical temple, with an octagonal base and bricks and masonry pilasters, a small dome top covered in scaled tiles ending in a short column with a Corinthian capital. These classic little temples of romantic inspiration, became fashionable. They were used as fountains, wells or gazebos, and populated the gardens of the Florentine aristocracy throughout the 1800s. At the time the fountain was built, cows were still grazing freely in the meadow and thus found themselves using the most elegant drinking trough a cow could ever see. In fact, its original name was ‘Abbeveratoio del Quercione’ (big oak drinking trough). In 1809 Elisa Baciocchi, Napoleon Bonaparte's sister, who became Grand Duchess of Tuscany for a few years, opened the park to the public and the cows were evicted along with the cheesemakers. The whole area, which was finally bought by the Municipality of Florence in 1917, became a place for walks, picnics and sport and the ‘Fontana delle Boccacce’, a reference point for romantic dates. It brings a smile now to imagine the place surrounded by thirsty cows, happily mooing.” (La Fontana delle Boccacce, Leonardo da Vinci Art School)

Sunday, November 10, 2024

Mano abierta

Mano abierta (Open Hand) by Rosario García Arraiza, Playa de Fuengirola, Paseo Maritimo Rey de España, Fuengirola

“Mano abierta” (Open Hand) by Rosario García Arraiza, 2015
Playa de Fuengirola
Paseo Maritimo Rey de España
Fuengirola, March 2024

Saturday, November 9, 2024

Former pump house

Shelter (formerly the pump house) by Sir Charles Barry and Robert Richardson Banks, Italian Garden, Kensington Gardens, London

Shelter (formerly the pump house) by Sir Charles Barry and Robert Richardson Banks
Italian Garden, Kensington Gardens
London, May 2023

“The Italian Garden was Prince Albert's brain-child, and a top-level team was commissioned to carry it out: the architect and landscaper Sir James Pennethorne (1801-71) designed the layout; Sir Charles Barry, together with Robert Richardson Banks, designed the ornate pumphouse/shelter; and John Thomas (1813-1862) was responsible for the reliefs and sculptures other than William Calder Marshall's Jenner, which, according to the 1996 plaque commemorating Edward Jenner's first smallpox vaccination, this memorial to the great physician ‘was inaugurated by Prince Albert, the Prince Consort, and the first to be erected in Kensington Gardens in 1862. The cost was met by international subscription.’” (The Italian Garden in Kensington Gardens, Victorian Web)

Friday, November 8, 2024

Palazzina Reale delle Cascine

Palazzina Reale delle Cascine by Giuseppe Manetti, Piazzale delle Cascine, Parco delle Cascine (Cascine Park), Florence

Palazzina Reale delle Cascine by Giuseppe Manetti, 1791
Piazzale delle Cascine
Parco delle Cascine (Cascine Park)
Florence, January 2024

The Palazzina Reale delle Cascine (Royal Palace of the Cascine) is a small Neoclassical palace sited on the Piazzale delle Cascine within the public park (Parco delle Cascine) located along the north bank of the Arno river just north of central Florence, Italy. Built in the mid-18th century by the Grand Duke of Tuscany, in 2020 now houses part of the offices of the faculty of agricultural and forestry sciences of the University of Florence.” (Palazzina Reale delle Cascine, Wikipedia)

Thursday, November 7, 2024

Iglesia de San Pablo

Church of San Pablo by Gerónimo Cuervo, Calle Jara, Málaga

Church of San Pablo by Gerónimo Cuervo, 1891
Calle Jara
Málaga, March 2024

“The Church of San Pablo is a Catholic Christian temple in the Trinidad neighborhood of Malaga. It is a work of the architect Gerónimo Cuervo, built between 1874 and 1891. Neo-Gothic in style, its main façade consists of an ornate pointed doorway, flanked by columns on each side. Its interior consists of three naves with fasciculated pillars and ribbed roofs. Its tower, 50 meters high, ends in the shape of a quadrangular pyramid, with ornaments forming ceramic pinnacles with floral decoration.” (Church of San Pablo, Wikipedia)

Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Edward Jenner

Statue of Edward Jenner by William Calder Marshall, Italian Garden, Kensington Gardens, London

Statue of Edward Jenner by William Calder Marshall, 1858
Italian Garden, Kensington Gardens
London, May 2023

“A statue of Edward Jenner, the physician, scientist and pioneer of the world's first vaccine, is located in Kensington Gardens in London. A work of the sculptor William Calder Marshall, the bronze was originally unveiled by Albert, Prince Consort in Trafalgar Square on 17 May 1858, before being moved to its present location in 1862. It is a Grade II listed building. The statue depicts Jenner in a seated position with one hand holding papers and is upon a plinth of Portland stone with Jenner's surname inscribed on a front panel of Aberdeen granite. At the base of the plinth is the inscription ‘W. Calder Marshall, R. A. Sculpt. 1858’.” (Statue of Edward Jenner, Wikipedia)

Tuesday, November 5, 2024

St. James Episcopal Church

St. James Episcopal Church by Riccardo Mazzanti, Via Rucellai, Florence

St. James Episcopal Church by Riccardo Mazzanti, 1927
Via Rucellai
Florence, January 2024

“St. James American Episcopal Church is an Anglican and Old Catholic church located in via Bernardo Rucellai 13 in Florence, in front of the Oricellari Gardens and behind the Corsini Garden. A congregation of the American Episcopal Church has existed in the city since 1868. In 1906 the American Episcopal community of Florence commissioned the architect Riccardo Mazzanti (who collaborated with Gino Marchi) to build a church. The same architect had already built the sumptuous Palazzo Cesaroni in the same Via Rucellai. The church stands on the road opened in 1898 to subdivide the Oricellari Gardens. Among the major supporters of the undertaking was the magnate John Pierpont Morgan, who wanted to personally supervise the project by involving other consultants. The first stone was laid in 1908, as evidenced by a plaque bearing the date of 23 April.” (St. James Episcopal Church, Wikipedia)

Monday, November 4, 2024

Colonia felina

Colonia felina, cat colony, Calle Castillo del Inglés, Torremolinos

Colonia felina - Cat colony
Calle Castillo del Inglés
Torremolinos, March 2024

“In a corner of Torremolinos at La Carihuela an observant eye might notice the sign 'Colonia Felina / CER'. This marks one the locations in Costa del Sol town where a dedicated legion of cat lovers operates from the association Málaga Felina. These volunteers look after colonies of stray cats and run the capture, sterilisation and return of the animals to their neighbourhoods scheme, a process known as CER.” (Caring for the street cats in Torremolinos, Sur in English)

Sunday, November 3, 2024

Freeman Family drinking fountain

Freeman Family drinking fountain by David Harber, Hyde Park, London

Freeman Family drinking fountain by David Harber, 2009
Hyde Park
London, May 2023

“The Freeman Family Fountain is the first of its kind in the 30 years. Consultant Rider Levett Bucknall has acted as project manager on the first drinking fountain for more than three decades. The Freeman Family Fountain was designed by sculptor David Harber and donated to London’s Hyde Park by property developer and Royal Parks Foundation trustee Michael Freeman. The fountain is a 1.2m diameter sphere made of mirror-polished, marine-grade stainless steel, studded with petals of oxidized verdigris bronze. Set on a granite plinth, it has four drinking stations and a spout to fill up water bottles.” (RLB project manages Hyde Park drinking fountain, Building.co.uk)

Saturday, November 2, 2024

Quinoa Restaurant

Quinoa Restaurant, Vicolo di Santa Maria Maggiore, Florence

Quinoa Restaurant
Vicolo di Santa Maria Maggiore
Florence, December 2023

“Housed in the monumental cloisters of the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, Florence’s first gluten-free restaurant is in a dream location for a lunchtime break. Under the beautiful arches of the 13th-century building, the chef and his team serve healthy food that is fresh, organic and tasty.” (Quinoa Restaurant, EnVols)

Friday, November 1, 2024

Iglesia de San Pedro


Church of San Pedro
Avenida de la Aurora
Málaga, March 2024

“The Church of St. Peter is a Catholic temple located in the old district of El Perchel , now the neighborhood of ‘Alameda’. The origin of the building dates back to an ambitious unfinished Pedro Dîaz Palacios, builder of the Cathedral of Málaga, in 1629. He undertook the construction of a church in the district of El Perchel, the auxiliary master parish of Saint John. On plans, the church had three naves, a main chapel sacristy and a tower. Ornamental elements combined the classic style of the Renaissance heritage with Mudejar elements. For various reasons, this project was not executed completely, and the church was built with only a nave and simpler decorative elements. In the 18th century was added the monumental chapel of the Tabernacle, baroque piece attributed to master Unzurrunzaga. In the 20th century, after the Civil War, the church, which was in very poor conditions, was restored according to the plans of architect Enrique Atencia. The structure of the church was respected but two chapels were added. Currently, the church is very simple and monumental in its forms, with a simple but beautiful facade made of red stones which contrasts with the limed walls.” (Church of San Pedro, Diputación de Málaga)