Wednesday, November 28th, 2007
That’s Norwich City Hall, which is often confused with County Hall. It’s a rather ugly building - on the outside. But inside are magnificent rooms, which I have enjoyed using during boring meetings and exciting events - like when we arranged a Civic Reception for Baltic States visitors in February this year.
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I am many things - a life coach, a diversity champion, a freelance writer and translator, a dog lover, a citizen of the world, etc - but never thought of myself as a photographer. Norwich inspires me to capture snapshots of this fine Norman city. Take a trip down Norwich lanes or enjoy a walk in the park with me.
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on Wednesday, November 28th, 2007 at 11:13 am:
An architect writes:
Oh, Joy. You really must go inside and explore. The place is an Art Deco masterpiece!
I’ll waste a huge chunk of your comment space in its defence:
First up: Nikolaus Pevsner (THE MAN where architectural history is concerned) described this as “the foremost English public building between the wars”, and rightly so.
In an era of austerity it was proposed to build a “national monument” and after fierce competition between the country’s architects, Atkinson, James and Robert-Pierce won the commission and gave us this magnificent, almost brutal masterpiece, glaring across the marketplace at the castle on the opposite promontory.
It has the longest balcony in England (which was used to glorious effect at the recent Remembrance Day Service) and the bell (known as Great George) in the austere yet beautiful clock tower has the deepest tone of any in East Anglia.
On the down side, Hitler greatly admired it and intended it as a seat of government should the Nazis manage to invade.
But it is inside where the building truly shines.
Enter through the monumental bronze doors - depicting Norwich history - and you are in an art deco wonderland. Fabulous rooms with marble and bronze detailing and stunningly realised sculptures abound.
City Hall is a much maligned building in a Norwich obsessed with its - admittedly glorious - mediæval past, but is has its own serene beauty and I love it.
Take another look, Joy.
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on Wednesday, November 28th, 2007 at 12:23 pm:
WoW…a beautifully captured & composed shot with lovely lighting & the colours…lovely architecture!
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on Wednesday, November 28th, 2007 at 12:30 pm:
Actually, I like the outside of this building. Looks like it has character. I like the clock on the building.
Paz
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on Wednesday, November 28th, 2007 at 12:39 pm:
an interesting angle for this massive building. Would love to see it head on as well as those columns are beautiful even from here.
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on Wednesday, November 28th, 2007 at 12:56 pm:
The building looks like it will stand for a long time. I like it.
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on Wednesday, November 28th, 2007 at 12:59 pm:
The turquiose top of that building makes me remember Vienna. So nice
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on Wednesday, November 28th, 2007 at 4:37 pm:
Great shot.
I was really moved by the photo you had a few days ago as well. The NFA (No Fixed Address) one…very sad. We have homeless here in Canada as well.
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on Wednesday, November 28th, 2007 at 5:28 pm:
Very impressive building.
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on Wednesday, November 28th, 2007 at 7:21 pm:
I think the building has character and dignity. Nothing fancy but it does the job. Pics from the inside would be grand, too.
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on Wednesday, November 28th, 2007 at 11:51 pm:
I’m glad it’s interior is a magnificent homage to 1930s art deco, because it’s exterior is architecturally moribund.
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on Thursday, November 29th, 2007 at 12:10 am:
Joy, thanks for visiting my blog last week. That was sweet of you. You have some nice blogs over here.
Any chance of getting some photos of this building from the inside?
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on Thursday, November 29th, 2007 at 5:14 am:
Lovely shot Joy.
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