Category Archives: Architecture

Hell and the Journey of the Magi

The Florence Baptistery, (Baptistery of Saint John or the Battistero di San Giovanni), is considered a minor basilica in Florence, Italy.  The octagonal building stands in both the Piazza del Duomo and the Piazza San Giovanni, across from the Florence … Continue reading

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Christchurch Cardboard Cathedral | Never Kitsch

Japanese architect Shigeru Ban (born on 5 August, 1957, in Tokyo, Japan) is known for his innovative work with paper; particularly recycled cardboard tubes used to quickly and efficiently house natural disaster victims. He studied at the Tokyo University of … Continue reading

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What a lot of ‘White Noise’ | The Pamela Anderson House

St Kilda West’s “Pamela Anderson House” was once owned by infamous Australian Rules footballer/commentator from “The Footy Show“, Sam Newman. Situated at 270 Canterbury Road, on a former railway reserve, this post-modern style house was built in 2001 by Melbourne … Continue reading

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Compare the Pair #15: Compare the Chair

Left: “Hollow“(2012) fibreglass & paint by Anish Kapoor,  National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. British-Indian sculptor Anish Kapoor was born on 12 March 1954, in Bombay. Kapoor lived and worked in London during the 1970s studying art at the Hornsey College of … Continue reading

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Far from Ross River Fever

Stonemason and Tasmanian convict Daniel Herbert  was baptized on 17 February, 1802, in the Paul Street Independent Chapel, Taunton, Somerset, England; the son of Daniel Herbert, a Corporal in the 6th (Inniskillen) Dragoons. In March 1827, with James Camble and … Continue reading

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So who designed the true coat of the Chester Blue Coat?

The Blue Coat Hospital, is the site of a medieval hospital originally known as  St. John the Baptist, located at Upper Northgate Street, in the English city of Chester,  Cheshire. The Blue Coat Hospital was founded by the Bishop of … Continue reading

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May the Mather Inlaid Layer Remain a Major Lasting Stayer

Scottish-born Australian plein-air painter and etcher John Mather was born in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire in 1849. After studying art at the Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts he migrated to Australia in 1878.  By 1880, Mather was partly responsible … Continue reading

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Praise for Matilda’s Legacy for Caen

L’Abbaye-aux-Dames (aka Ladies’ Abbey and Abbey of Sainte-Trinité / Holy Trinity) sits in the parish of St. Giles in Caen, Normandy was founded by Matilda of Flanders, wife of William the Conqueror.  The Abbey  is a former monastery for women and Benedictine nuns, and … Continue reading

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When in Singapore, you must Sri Mariamann Temple

Sri Mariamman Temple is Singapore’s oldest Dravidian Hindu temple named after its principal deity, Mariamman –  a mother goddess who protects  against diseases in rural south India. Therefore, it is the centre of worship for the majority of South Indian … Continue reading

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It’s Gaudi | Not gaudy!

The Gothic, high art Nouveau, Expressionist and Cubist church,  Basílica y Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia (aka Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family), is commonly referred to as  “La Sagrada Família”. It is a large Roman Catholic Church in Barcelona designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. … Continue reading

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Oranges and Lemons say the Bells of St. Clement’s

St. Clement Danes Church on London’s The Strand in the City of Westminster, was largely untouched by the Great Fire of London in 1666.  The first church on this site was reputedly founded in the 9th century by the Danes, … Continue reading

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The Rolling English Road…to Kensal Green

Kensal Green Cemetery was the first of the ‘Magnificent Seven’ garden-style cemeteries to be developed in London. Kensal Green consists of a 72-acre cemetery in the west of London, which was consecrated by the Bishop of London, on 24th  January, 1833.  … Continue reading

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