Today we talk about Richard Rogers, one Britain’s greatest living architects. The news is that at 87 years old he has announced his retirement from the company he founded more than 40 years ago. This blog is a tribute to his amazing work!
To me, Rogers is famous for two reasons. Firstly, his architectural vision, called inside-out, for which his company won many awards over time. Secondly his influence on public policy in regards to urban design. He was was advisor to the mayor of London and wrote a manifesto he calls “urban renaissance”.
Let’s talk about his buildings now. For example the Centre Pompidou in Paris, which a museum for contemporary art, and in London, in the City, the Lloyd’s, which is an insurance broker, and more recently the Cheesegrater, a multi company building. These buildings are designed with a façade that shows pipes, lifts, and all the infrastructure that is usually hidden inside. This design is called inside-out and was revolutionary back in 1970’s when it was firstly introduced in Paris.
The ambition was to make buildings lighter and more flexible, to minimise indoor structure while maximising space and light,. The design reduces energy and pressure on the natural environment, while at the same time playing with technology.
When I ask my tour guests what does the Lloyd’s building look like, the answers are quite diverse and funny. Built in 1986, it has a stainless steel façade, round towers, external and transparent lifts. The clash with the 700 years old Leadenhall Market nearby is striking. I was suggested it looks like a refinery, a brewery, a coffee machine, a strange residential condominium, a space shuttle, an alien ship. But nobody in the tour guesses it is an insurance broker, a financial company founded in London 300 years ago. Some people love it, some others hate it. It quite extraordinary that after 30 years it still provokes a strong reaction!
The Cheesegrater, built in 2014 is the evolution of the inside-out style. Services are again shuffled to one side to free up floorspace and lifts create an animated “ballet” on the façade”, as the Guardian newspaper calls it.
Roger’s commitment to the environment has been at the core of each project, including airport terminals in Madrid and Heathrow in London. He wanted to create pleasurable, fun, comfortable, socially and economically sustainable places where people wanted to be, rather than to quickly walk through.
So thanks to Richard Rogers for having enriched our city experience!
Should you want to see the Lloyd’s and the Cheesegrater, the closest underground station is Bank. But why not joining one my City tours? These buildings are part of my tour Explore the London Giants. Please check details and how to book in my website artwitlondon.co.uk.
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