2013

SP0786 : Cladding New Street station with mirrors, Stephenson Street

taken 11 years ago, near to Birmingham, England

Cladding New Street station with mirrors, Stephenson Street
Cladding New Street station with mirrors, Stephenson Street
The curving, swooping mirror surround being applied around the station site probably looked stunning in computer simulations and as a concept model on the boardroom table. In the real world, seen from the ground, it's a different story. The imperfect mirrored surface gives a muddled reflection of what is opposite and below it, introducing a swathe of visual confusion into the streetscape and creating a strange identity for a major railway station. The sun could reflect off the upward-angled surface in unfortunate ways. I fear that in a few years it will be painted over or will have become a surface for advertising. See also SP0786 : View along Stephenson Street with mirror-clad side of New Street station. The original station, opened 1854, was light, airy, visible and much loved. It has yet to be shown that the new New Street will be an improvement on its 1960s predecessor.

The view is from Enson Place, the route of the Metro (tram) extension from Corporation Street. At upper left is the void which is the entrance to the Pallasades shopping centre from the pedestrian ramp up from New Street. If you like hats, the Hat Man shop, behind the blue hydraulic platform, has a wide selection.

Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Robin Stott and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Geographical Context: Lowlands City, Town centre Construction, Development Place: New Street Station Birmingham Postcode District: B2 other tags: Mirrors Click a tag, to view other nearby images.
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
+
+
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
TIP: Click the map for more Large scale mapping
Grid Square
SP0786, 1812 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Robin Stott   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Thursday, 12 September, 2013   (more nearby)
Submitted
Thursday, 10 October, 2013
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SP 0700 8673 [10m precision]
WGS84: 52:28.7072N 1:53.9018W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SP 0701 8675
View Direction
South-southwest (about 202 degrees)
Clickable map
+
NW N NE
W Go E
SW S SE
Image classification(about): Geograph
This page has been viewed about 145 times
You are not logged in login | register