Mick Hartley

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That Swiss Re Building

Yes, I do it myself, but, sometimes the English need to cut everything down to size can be deeply depressing. Why the Gherkin, for god's sake? It looks nothing like a gherkin. A bullet, perhaps, or, if you have to be crude – and yes, we're English, so of course we have to be crude – a suppository. But a gherkin??

Well yes, a gherkin is silly, and comical, and with that stupid name we can ridicule any poncy pretensions to some kind of aesthetic merit. A beautiful building? Here, in London? You're 'aving a laugh!

001s

I'm no particular fan of milord Foster, but credit where it's due….round the City I've often looked up, as I did today, on a bleak cold winter morning, and been inspired by that sight.

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4 responses to “That Swiss Re Building”

  1. John Meredith Avatar
    John Meredith

    “I’m no particular fan of milord Foster, but credit where it’s due.”
    Milord Foster did not design it. It was Ken Shuttleworth. They had a spectacular falling out about it.

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  2. Mick H Avatar
    Mick H

    Didn’t know that. So, credit to Mr. Shuttleworth then.

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  3. DaninVan Avatar
    DaninVan

    “I’ve often looked up…and been inspired by that sight.”
    Now you’re scaring me, M.H.! šŸ˜‰

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  4. Neil Avatar
    Neil

    Recently moved to London and the Swiss Re building/30 ST Mary Axe/the Gherkin seems to dominate my life – in the skyline when I leave home, and there when I walk back – I’ve even had dreams about it, and you can’t say that for many buildings.

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