Edinburgh 7: Scottish Parliament Exterior

The rainy conditions suited photographing the exterior of the building with its mix of metal and concrete. The branching tree motifs on the concrete walls are part of the architect’s “sitting in the land” vision with Scottish wildflowers, trees, shrubs and water adding to this ambition.

Walton-on-the-Naze Concrete Rules

Walton, like many seaside towns, has large numbers of concrete structures - some quite elegant like the promenade and steps, some in need of repair including the pier supports! and some just weird like the upper storey of the Amusements building. I liked the economy of design for the Shelters - if you want it bigger, add a bay - bit like a stretch limousine.

 

City Break in York

A few images for Phil from the start of our city break as he is unable to join in due to acute sciatica. We travelled by train via Peterborough and I had to record the Ferrybridge power station now silent in the landscape. This set me off for some concrete recording during our walk across the city to the Travelodge. To  redress the balance of ancient versus modern we did visit  All Saints Church .

 

Car Park Contrasts Northampton

The last visit I made here was on a dull day and I was using infrared to capture this impressive concrete car park in Northampton https://pin-sharp.blogspot.com/2017/10/for-members-of-concrete-appreciation.html. Thursday was a very hot and contrasty day so very different images!

Open skies at RAF Upper Heyford

A group of friends visited RAF Upper Heyford today and had a tour of the various historic buildings, many of which are now listed though in very bad condition.  Upper Heyford was a military airfield used in both World Wars and Post-War. During World War Two, the airfield had three concrete runways and six aircraft hangars (Type A). 

In 1950, the United States Air Force moved into the airfield as part of the NATO defences against the Cold War. The Americans lengthened the airfield’s main runway and built new facilities including bomb store structures with an “igloo”-like appearance in a fenced compound, protected by guard towers. In the 1970s and 1980s the role changed to a fighter base and further modifications were made, making it the largest base of its kind in Europe at that time, Some of these additions included the avionics maintenance building (a semi sunken bunker designed to survive nuclear attack).

In 1980, 56 Quick Reaction Alert hardened aircraft shelters were added. There was also a battle command centre and hardened telephone exchange. In 1993 the USA left and the airfield returned to the Royal Air Force control, closing in 1994.

First some infrared images of the buildings and summer sky.