London - Lloyd's Building

[ddny]

Architect: Richard Rogers

Year: 1986

Style: Structural Expressionism

Description: I really like this building. Part of the building hides behind a classical facade.

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/DennDlm/loyd/loyd1.jpg

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/DennDlm/loyd/loyd2.jpg

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/DennDlm/loyd/loyd3.jpg

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/DennDlm/loyd/loyd4.jpg

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/DennDlm/loyd/loyd5.jpg

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/DennDlm/loyd/loyd6.jpg

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/DennDlm/loyd/loyd7.jpg

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/DennDlm/loyd/loyd8.jpg

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/DennDlm/loyd/loyd9.jpg

[ablarc]

Wow!

Outstanding.

No wonder Lloyd's is on the ropes financially.

[emmeka]

I have always loved this building - it is one of the difining symbols of modern London - and although many people dislike it and call it a petrol refinery look-alike (these are the people with no imagination or a care for architecture of its kind).

The building has a huge glass atrium that is in the middle of the building - providing light to all of the offices, the lifts are on the exterior of the building and are basically glass boxes. The piping and structural elements of the building are all on the outside of the building - allowing column free office space. The building is located on the skyline - inbetween the tower 42 and swiss re headquarters.

Richard rogers also designed the millenium dome which I think although it was a stupid idea the building is great (I went there in 2000) Rogers also designed the pompidou centre in paris which has the same 'inside out' quality as the lloyds building. Of course Rogers has designed lots of other stuff - but those three are his claims to fame.

P.S. in case anyone asks, the 'cranes' on the top of the building are fake it is supposed to look like its under consruction (and inside out at the same time) it has 12 floors -by english floor standards (in england the first floor is the american second floor and the american first floor is the ground floor in england).

http://www.isaphoto.co.uk/photos/interiors/lloydsBuilding.jpg

[Kris]

It's an interesting beast, but the Pompidou Center (done in collaboration with Renzo Piano) is superior esthetically and is the reference for "exoskeletal" buildings.

[emmeka]

Okay, okay, but you know what I meant.