My Walk this Week – Architecture of An Urban Triangle

Posted on 26/03/201824/03/2018 by Alastair

My walk this week takes a look at and listen to a small urban triangle in Swansea, South Wales. I had been looked at the patterns of tower block scaffolding on a number of occasions in passing and thought it would be good to find the opportunity to take a closer look. So, duly prepared with my kit on a dry day I set out to explore both the scaffolding and other features of a small area that includes both the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery and on the opposite side of the road, UWTSD Swansea College of Art.

There are three different eras of architectural design in this first stage (or side of the triangle) of my walk – the classical style of the Glynn Vivian and the College of Art, the more functional style of the early ’70s in the Oldway House tower block and the mixture of block and glass in the new entrance to the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery.Continue reading→

Christmas Lights and Lights at Christmas

Posted on 20/12/201714/12/2017 by Alastair

My walk this week, being in an early morning urban landscape, remained dark almost to the end of the walk. Some of the Christmas lights of Swansea were to be seen creating abstract growth patterns against the night sky, but there were more abstract patterns than this to be seen in the lighting at this early hour.

Some long exposure and movement of the lens allowed the traffic to create light trails en route to daytime and the darkness in other areasContinue reading→

My Walk this Week – Early Bird

Posted on 18/12/201714/12/2017 by Alastair

My walk this weeks starts in a multi-storey carpark in town. By early I mean about 5.55 am, which is why I was surprised that the first sound I heard on getting out of my car in this empty urban space was an early bird chirruping away! It was still dark and I was in an environment as far from natural as possible.

It was interesting to experience the ambience and light (or lack of it) in this structure in its unusual empty state and I was able to check out the patterns revealed in the gloom. The background soundContinue reading→

Architecture and Art in Cardiff City – Reviewing the Walk

Posted on 25/02/201719/02/2017 by Alastair

Looking through the entrance archway of Cardiff City Hall towards the end of my walk this week and the National Museum of Wales, I have completed my circuit of the rectangle of classical, brutalist and functional architecture that makes up this cultural and educational sector at the approach to the city centre.

Completing the walk in the museum itself and the Artes Mundi exhibition (already visited three times), I can only recommend a visit to the show before it ends on 26th February.

Continue reading→

Natural Congregation and Reviewing the Walk

Posted on 02/10/201603/09/2016 by Alastair

This arc of pigeons arranged on the railings at the end of my walk this week in Roath Park, Cardiff, give the appearance of spectators at an event – but what is the event? I am pretty sure there was nothing going on out of our view here, that it is just a natural congregation of birds probably having a bit of siesta in the early afternoon, but your guess is as good as mine. Anyone got any suggestions?

pigeons

Play the soundscape below and click the first thumbnail of selected images from this week’s posts to watch them in sequence.

Roath Park Soundscape

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Swans taking flight

Walkers, joggers and pram pushers

Sitting ducks

green lake

Feeding Frenzy

Kittywake

Mothers in the park

railings and boats

Roath’s Pride

Monument – Scott Memorial Lighthouse

taking a nap

Roath Park, Cardiff

cormorant concentrating

Spectating

Sitting Ducks

Posted on 27/09/201602/09/2016 by Alastair

Literally – sitting ducks! But no danger to them I think. My walk this week around the lake in Roath Park, Cardiff was peaceful but not quiet. I wouldn’t describe either the lake or the park as overcrowded, but there was plenty of both human and wildlife enjoying the day there.

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Sitting ducks

Roath Lake – north end

green lake

fence

Exiting the Park – Reviewing the Walk

Posted on 18/09/201631/08/2016 by Alastair

Exiting Brynmill Park in Swansea the same way I came in on my walk this week, there seemed more people around than ever. There may be some evidence of this lacking in some of the photos I took but the soundscape tells another story. It is a small but beautiful city park which is clearly very popular not only for the people living next door to it but for others as well.

Brynmill Park Walk Soundscape

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Fuchsia

Day Lily

My Walk this Week – Brynmill Park

Posted on 12/09/201631/08/2016 by Alastair

My walk this week was taken on a day that held a number of meetings for me, not least the Swansea Walking Forum meeting in Brynmill Park. Having a gap between other meetings in the morning, I was able to take my camera and sound kit around the lakeside and found the place being well used during the school Summer holidays.

You can’t tell from these shots how well the park is used but perhaps the sound clip below will prove the existence of people (and traffic) in this city park.

A Sneeze in the Park