Founded in 50 AD and home to more than 8 million people, London is a wealth of history, cultural diversity, and innovation. Moreover, London is an example of coexistence between the ancient and the modern. London and other major cities in the United Kingdom seamlessly navigate between innovation and a reverence for the past by integrating the two.
The featured image was taken in Central Glasgow, a major city in Scotland. It features a Cafee Nero (a national, quick-service coffee chain) in red sandstone, a late Victorian building. The building was the original St. Enoch’s subway station and was designed in 1896 by James Miller. Although it has not been used as a subway station since 1977, the building has consistently been in use.
Similar examples can be seen throughout the United Kingdom. The area’s history is keenly felt in the presence–a phenomenon that extends far beyond the presupposed restoration and maintenance of centuries-old pubs and famous cathedrals. Another example of this is the expansion and refurbishment of the London Bridge station. Opened in 1836 and expanded to include the underground and overground trains, London Bridge was one of the stations in London. This refurbishment overhauled all of the existing platforms, pedestrian walkways, and entrances, taking a total of eight years to complete.
In rebuilding the pedestrian walkway, the designers tied together with the historic feel of shops conducting business in the archways (as seen in other boroughs, such as Brixton, as well as in the London Bridge Underground) and the modern design of the overground/national rail station through clean, open design. This is the perfect balance between purpose-built and conversion
Influence
The major cities of the United Kingdom, as well as in the United States and Hong Kong, have been major influences in the way I interpret existing structures. The Starbucks you may find in Florida presents a stark contrast to a hundred-year-old building housing a coffee chain. It demonstrates the way these buildings can function efficiently in a new, and ever-changing world while remaining symbols of great design.
