Sunday 25 January 2009

Tiverton House, Gray's Inn Road WC1

Here's a rule of architecture: if you look at a dull speculative block built after 1918 it will have no details to enjoy at all. If it was built before 1914, it will still be dull but there will be some trivial little item that gives joy.
Exhibit A: Tiverton House, built about 1900 as Hygenic Housing for the Deserving Poor, at a time when the Deserving Poor got the minimum necessary to keep alive. Just look at that terracotta gargoyle. Old Father Thames using the sick bag and enjoying the experience. Lovely.

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