The most iconic architecture in London is as varied as the city itself. It includes the Romanesque central keep of the Tower of London, the High Victorian Gothic of St Paul’s Cathedral, the Art Deco of Battersea Power Station and the Postmodern skyscraper 30 St Mary Axe (The Gherkin).
The Industrial Revolution saw many new buildings constructed, including a number of rail termini that linked London to the rest of Britain and beyond. In addition, great industrial works like warehouses and factories added to the city’s architectural legacy.
Modernist architecture took off in London following World War II. Local architects were given freedom to express their visions, and a select group of European modernists arrived in the city, including Berthold Lubetkin and Erno Goldfinger. They created a variety of innovative buildings that were designed with a modern approach to urban planning such as the Dorset Estate and Alexander Fleming House. For advice from Residential Architects London, visit a site like rbddesign.com/architects-design/residential-architecture-london
In recent decades, London’s architectural landscape has been transformed again with new skyscrapers and public buildings. The Shard is the city’s tallest building and offers spectacular views from its restaurant, hotel and offices. Pritzker Prize winning architect Zaha Hadid’s design for the London Aquatics Centre was a sleek and modern structure that was used for the 2012 Olympics.
A cylinder and box office building from the 1960s, Greater London House in Mornington Crescent is one of London’s most striking Art Deco buildings, complete with cats’ faces adorning the side. Also, the futuristic Lloyd’s Building designed by Richard Rogers is a bold and shapely example of Sixties grandstanding in concrete and stainless steel.