Space and light

Beetling around London, head down and these days, usually umbrella up, one doesn't take much notice of what is going on above our heads. But this month I've been lucky enough to be reminded of the joy of sweeping views above, and from a contemporary perspective. Firstly a colleague and I were invited to a breakfast presentation at 7.30 am at the very top of The Shard.  The air was mercifully clear that morning and out in the virtual 'outside' of the 72nd floor, the view across London was breath-taking. Not only can you see the City and Canary Wharf in all their steely glory but also the soft, creamy shapes of historic London landscapes. It seems that everyone is getting a taste, literally, for these heady heights. A survey by Squaremeal rates Oblix Grill, on the 32nd floor of The Shard, as the most visited restaurant in London. Even the bars on these mid-set floors offer a brilliant way to see the views for the price of a cocktail or cup of coffee.
Also this month, I had a meeting with some guys at Kings Cross Station.  I travel regularly from there these days and whilst I really do appreciate the great new shops and cafes compared to the crowded shed of the old station, I forget to look up at the wide swooping roof above me. One of the colleagues I met hadn't been to Kings Cross since it re-opened and he was visibly gob-smacked by the new design and build. As Stephen Bayley would say, the new Kings Cross station is a perfect example of the qualities of great architecture, namely space and light. The feeling of wellbeing one gets on entering a building is based purely on the spontaneous reading of these two qualities with the sense of detail and finish being far less important. For us busy commuters, let's absorb all the benefits we can......