Tag Archives: urban

Fractured Glass – Stars and Stripes

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I guess, on this day you could call these photos stars and stripes (no offence intended) 😉

My recent walk around part of Swansea to look at some of the architecture and cranes revealed more patterns than those created by construction.

The details of this fractured glass, when seen close up, are fascinating. I was frustrated not to have taken a much closer macro shot when I looked at the images on my computer. The second image is a screen shot of the first image zoomed in to full size but is not one that would print well due to it being at screen resolution – click on that image to see it larger.

broken glass

broken glass detail

broken glass

Constructing and Constructed Architecture

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I love the complex patterns created by the scaffolding on this construction site in Swansea. I have no idea what the new building will look like but it will be sitting beside the interesting patterns to be seen in the design of the BT tower across the road.

The BT tower is not a particularly attractive building – it looks a bit like something you would need to plug in for your phone. There are, however, many fascinating shapes, patterns, reflections to be seen in its surfaces and structure.

scaffolding patterns

scaffolding patterns

BT tower Swansea

BT tower Swansea

Architecture and Trees – An Environmental Benefit

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I reckon that trees around or near any building enhances our visual perception of the urban environment. More than this, they also provide an invaluable means of protecting us from some of the pollution we put into the air. Particulates get trapped by the leaves and are then washed off to ground level by rain. And, of course, they absorb carbon dioxide provide us with oxygen.

Trees on the street in front of your house can make a significant difference to the quality of air you breath inside your home.

The trees in the first photo will not make a significant difference to the air that the inhabitants of the new buildings near Park Tawe in Swansea because, as can be seen from the depth of field in the image, the trees are not all that close to the buildings. The trees around BT’s tower block will be more effective in that respect.

City planners and architects should to take all the benefits that trees can bring into consideration when designing any and all new urban developments.

Swansea architecture-1

Swansea architecture-2

Swansea architecture-3

Abstract Patterns and Waiting for Pizza

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I like the patterns that can be seen in some of the architecture of Park Tawe in Swansea but the Deep Pan Pizza Company left these premises some time a go, and however visually interesting abandoned buildings can be,  it is always a bit sad to see the results of the unwanted.

We ate there only once and had to wait so long for our meal to arrive that it was unlikely that we would have returned. Was it the same for others?

abstract roof

abandoned building

broken sign

Sounds of Swansea Bay Cycle Path

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For all the years I have lived near Swansea, I have never walked the full length of the cycle/footpath from Swansea to Mumbles, just different parts of it at different times.

The path runs along the top of the beach from Swansea’s maritime quarter right round to Mumbles Lifeboat Station. On the other side is Oystermouth Road, a busy road along which tourists must drive as well as locals to reach the Gower Peninsula, one of Wales’ most popular areas and was designated as the UK’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1956.

Despite the proximity of Oystermouth Road, the sound clips I recorded recently might suggest that the road is much further away than it is. There was plenty of traffic on it at the time but the light breeze was blowing away from the cycle/footpath and so even for my iPhone, this was not the predominant sound.

Swansea Cycle Path 1

Swansea Bay Cycle Path

Swansea Bay Cycle Path

Swansea Bay Cycle Path

Lakeside Views and Workday Walking

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This urban lake is situated in Swansea’s Enterprize Park at Llansamlet and I have been meaning to take a StillWalks recce walk around it for a long time. I had a meeting to go to at the Mercure Hotel which is very close by and so I took the opportunity of going early and taking my camera with me.

The people working in the area are very lucky to have such a lovely spot to relax during a break and take a little exercise – I wonder how many of take advantage of it?