Sunday, August 28, 2011

Bustiers, basques and CHP Units

click photo to enlarge
Is it a basque a la Madonna or perhaps a bustier modelled by Lady Gaga? The sensuous curves would certainly suggest the latter, though there probably aren't sufficiently sharp points for it to be the former. Could it be a new kind of lobster pot or the magnified surface of exotic tropical seed-pods. But no, as the title tells, it's some architectural (and artistic) cladding that envelops a building housing one of two new combined heat and power (CHP) units at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals, London.

When I first saw this wall of undulating metal mesh I couldn't imagine its purpose. It looks very incongruous at the base of the grim concrete tower that forms part of the two hospitals. However, there is a chance that it will soon fit into the urban scene a little better because, due no doubt to its location next to The Shard, the hospital is shortly having something of a makeover. Perhaps then it will be more of a piece with the rest of the site rather than looking like an alien excrescence on a giant multi-storey car park.

But, regardless of its current rather odd presence, the rippling metal wall certainly has an interesting structure and texture, and the angled light as I passed by suggested it might make an interesting photograph too.

photograph and text (c) T. Boughen

Camera: Canon
Mode: Aperture Priority
Focal Length: 300mm
F No: f7.1
Shutter Speed: 1/100
ISO: 100
Exposure Compensation:  0 EV
Image Stabilisation: On