As I travel more, I do find myself drawn to some things more than others. So I have decided to do a series of posts about some of my favourite things – I was going to do one post but found that I wanted to add so many photos that I thought a few posts would be better 🙂

So the first in the series is going to be about a subject that I am pretty passionate about when travelling. Some people take photos of people and culture. I take photos of buildings… lots & lots of buildings!

Architecture

I love Georgian and Art Deco influences. I also love those old warehouse type buildings.. I think anything historic kind of grabs my attention straight away.

I am not really into modern stuff but do appreciate some of modern buildings – which you can’t avoid when visiting the big cities.

My favourite architect would have to be Christopher Wren.

You will notice that I have not included any churches or cathedrals in this post – that is because I have so many photos of both that they deserve their own post.

Oh and I do love a good lighthouse!

The Byron Bay Lighthouse is a definite favourite of mine

Edinburgh’s New Town is a massive hub for Georgian architecture. I have to admit though, that when I heard about Edinburgh’s Old Town and New Town areas, I did think that the New Town was more modern.. I guess anything is modern when it isn’t built in the middle ages!

Bath is very, very Georgian. There are so many influences of this era around the city but my favourite would have to be the Royal Crescent.. I might stunning!

The Empire Theatre is a gorgeous Art Deco building & can be found in Toowoomba, QLD

And I was surprised to find this building in Ipswich, QLD

One of the most famous Art Deco buildings of them all – Empire State Building in NYC (p.s, I also love those viewer thingys)

I think this is why I love London so much – there is a great mix of historic and modern buildings (whether you love them or hate them!) .. did you know that there is a very strict set of instructions when building in the City of London – it all has to do with the sight line of St Paul’s Cathedral

LOVED the warehouse district in Hamburg

Probably no surprise that my favourite place in London is Greenwich, considering Christopher Wren designed the stunning Old Royal Naval College.

Another favourite London building is this unassuming Georgian on the edge of Hyde Park – Apsley House was originally known as ‘Number 1 London’ because of its location. It was also the home of the 1st Duke of Wellington, you know … of Waterloo fame. It also has the distinction of having a giant naked statue (with a well placed fig leave) of Napoleon next to the stairwell – that’s not why I like it though 😉

I am all about the details when it comes architecture, like with this building in Ipswich, QLD – which is the oldest city in Queensland.

I fell in love with the Dominion Building in Vancouver from the minute I saw it. Built in 1910, it was Vancouver’s first steel-framed building and in person, it’s an absolute stunner.

Lulworth Castle was not a place I was planning to visit when I first went to England in 2010 but a series of events led my sister & I there. I could not have been happier. It was everything I wanted in a building – dramatic & symmetric.

Can I add the Eiffel Tower in this list? Well since it’s my list I’m going to anyway. I might not have loved Paris but I certainly had a ‘WOW’ moment when seeing my eyes on the Eiffel Tower. I love the engineering that went into making this structure – which is also why I love bridges but more about that in another post 🙂

I know I said I wasn’t a fan of modern architecture (Just to clarify, I class anything built after 1940 as modern) – I am quite taken with the Sydney Opera House. A lot of people don’t actually like the building but you have to admit it is not only eye-catching but an easily recognisable, iconic building.

Again with the modern, I do quite like the Brisbane skyline – especially at night but one of my favourites in Brisbane is the Waterfront building – the one to the left of the photo, next the edge of the tree. When it does come to more modern buildings, I do like a lot of glass – like the Gherkin in London..

Which to me seems to fit seamlessly into the historic landscape of London a lot better than some of the other more modern buildings in the city.

To me a favourite thing is something you do, visit or have all the time. Whenever I visit Melbourne, I always head down to Spring Street to check out the Parliament Building (actually I have a thing for Parliament Buildings too 😀 ).. while the building is gorgeous, I suspect it has more to do with the really cool lights that are all over the place.

It is fitting that I end this post with my one of my most favourite buildings..

The Canterbury Museum in Christchurch, New Zealand was an integral part of my childhood and along with the Christchurch Cathedral, I think helped shaped my love of architecture.

Are you into architecture?
Do you have a favourite building?