Trends in modern stained glass

The west window of the church of Lady St Mary, Wareham, Dorset, is a good example of one of the trends discernible in twenty first century stained glass. It is by the stained glass artist, Andrew Johnson, of Exeter and was installed in 2011. What do I mean by it exemplifying a trend? Well, the window is richly multicoloured, has a single composition spread across all the tracery, and exhibits some elements that are non-representational but a majority that depict recognisable (including local) subjects. So, at the bottom are town buildings including the other churches and the notable octagonal font of St Mary's. The shoals of fishes reference the two local rivers. In the centre is a large cross. The bird of prey and bull(?) are possibly two of the evangelists, though all four would be more usual. Like many windows of this period I think the details more interesting than the whole, and I find it a little odd that the focal point (the cross) has somewhat washed-out colours.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon Z 5

The Hive, Worcester

The Hive is a building by the architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios. It opened in 2012 and is the UK's first joint-use library building, housing both the University of Worcester library and Worcester County Library. It also accommodates the county archive, a local history centre, the county archaeologist's team and a multi-agency customer service centre. It has a distinctive seven part roof design clad in a scale-like covering of copper alloy. I don't know what the concrete block houses but it does have seating and trees on top. The landscaping is subtle to the point of being barely noticeable. Perhaps it is clearer when the plants are in flower.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon D5300

Library of Birmingham photographers

On our recent visit to Birmingham we discovered that the city centre is, essentially, a building site. New buildings are springing up, old buildings are being refurbished, and the new tramway, we are told, has stopped running so that further extensions can be made to the system.

 The completed Library of Birmingham offers several high level views of the bustle below and I made a mental note to take a few photographs from these vantage points on our next visit. Today's offerings shows photographers who were using the viewpoints as we looked up from below.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon D5300

The Library of Birmingham

The Library of Birmingham is a "statement building". Like all such buildings it seeks to assert the status of the city: in this case Birmingham's position as England's "second city" after London. The Library opened in 2013 and is the work of a Dutch firm of architects called Mecanoo. It is the largest public library in Europe with facilities above and below ground. Non-library additions include a sunken amphitheatre and rooftop gardens. The exterior of the building "references" Birmingham's "Jewellery Quarter" and the city's long history involving this craft. Public opinion is divided on the merits of the library. Despite my admiration for examples of architecture from all periods I find myself in the "dislike" camp: the building is an alien presence in its location.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Nikon D5300

Gloucestershire College, Cinderford

As we walked round the large pond at the edge of the Steam Mills area of Cinderford we were surprised to come upon a large, shiny, modern building. It didn't show on our map. What was it? Peeping out from the trees on its site overlooking the water, it appeared to be modern steel and glass offices with attached factory buildings clad in wood. As we followed the footpath between the pond and the building we could see nothing to suggest its identity. It was clearly quite new, the landscaping barely established. When we were driving home a road sign suggested its possible identity. But not until I fired up the computer did I discover that it is the Forest of Dean campus of Gloucestershire College, a building devoted to vocational education.

photos © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2