Assingnment 1 ELS

Laura Murphy 06032656

Travel Information

On the following page there is a timetable which states what will be happening at different times during the day. There are opportunities for you to leave the group if you wish to do so as every where that we will be attended is stated for when you wish to meet up with the group again.

        I have selected Canary Wharf as the first attraction for us to visit because this is the furthest that we have to travel on the train so I thought it would be easier for us to work our way backwards. The second attraction I have chosen is St Paul’s Cathedral, I have chosen this because twenty minutes after our arrival there is an guided tour which we can attend although this an optional extra as it is £2.50 on top of the entrance fee.

        The third attraction we will be visiting is the Tate Modern where you will have an hour and a half to explore. It is free to get in although if there is a special exhibition on when we visit and you wish to view it you will be required to pay an admin charge

 

Laura Murphy 06032656

Introductory Information about Sites to be Visited

St Paul’s Cathedral

St Paul’s Cathedral was built by Sir Christopher Wren between 1675 and 1710 and is on the site of previous cathedrals from as early as 604. Wren was the greatest British architect of all time and best known as the architect of St Paul’s Cathedral. Wren planned for the reconstruction of St Paul’s Cathedral before the Great Fire of London took place. The accepted design consisted of a toned down dome topped with a steeple but upon construction he went back to one of his original design with a very large dome and by the time people noticed it was too late to change it.

The dome dominates the city and is the only church dome which is higher than St Peter’s in Rome. There are pictures of the church after the bombing on display in the south choir aisle. The dome was almost unharmed although many of the windows were blown out which is why there is so many made of clear glass. It was built in a style between late renaissance and baroque and made of masonry, brick, timber and cut stone. The first of the three domes starts off at 30m above pavement with the third measuring at 366.

The Tate Modern

The Tate Modern is an example of old and new architecture merged together. The original Bankside Power Station was designed by the architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott who also designed Battersea Power Station, The Liverpool Anglican cathedral and the British red telephone box. It was constructed from more than 4.2 million bricks with the height of the central chimney measuring 325ft (99meters). This was to make sure it was lower than the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral.

        The building was converted by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron, they respected Sir Giles Gilbert Scott’s original design during the conversion. It now has a new two storey glass structure which is the most noticeable change to the structure of the building which provides the top floor galleries with natural light. It has a total internal floor area of 34,500 sq m (371,350 sq ft) including the former Turbine Hall which is now a street of 3,300 sq m (35,520 sq ft) where art work is displayed.

The Millennium Bridge

The Millennium Bridge was built using the most innovative design and construction methods and the first new pedestrian bridge to have been built in London. From a distance its appearance is nothing more than a thin blade of stainless steel across the river, giving the impression of a sliver of light. It was designed by illustrious British team of architects, Foster and Partners, sculptor, Sir and Partners. The bridge is a very shallow suspension bridge and measures 325m across, linking the City of London with Bankside. It is the first bridge pedestrian river crossing over the Thames for over a century and is a piece of public architecture.

        The bridge links St Paul’s Cathedral, to the north and The Tate Modern to the south which will enable visitors to view two of the best attractions in London with ease. The bridge also links very important tourist areas in London including the site of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.

Laura Murphy 06032656

Introductory Information about Sites to be Visited

Canary Wharf

        Canary Wharf Tower was designed by the Argentine architect Cesar Pelli. It stands at 250meters (850ft) and is the tallest office building in Europe. The tower makes up part of the Canary Wharf development plan of the 1980’s and has a distinctive pyramid shape roof. The area is still under development and has plans to open many more shops and attractions.