Lord Richard George Rogers was born in Florence (Tuscany). He is the winner of the RIBA Gold Medal, the Thomas Jefferson Medal, the RIBA Stirling Price, the Minerva Medal, and the Pritzker Prize. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 1991. In 2015 he was the recipient of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) J.C. Nichols Prize for visionaries in Urban Development. You may remember that he worked with Renzo Piano on the Pompidou Centre.


The Lloyd’s of London Building was constructed in 1986. It’s cutting edge design set in the traditional financial district of London had a similar reaction to the Pompodou Centre in Paris. Like the Pompidou Centre, the buildings service functions are outside.

The Law Courts for the City of Antwerp were opened in 2006. One first notices the striking roofline. The interior is designed to make maximum use of natural light and make use of natural ventilation supplemented by low-velocity ventilation.

The three towers on Sydney’s Barangaroo waterfront were constructed in a previously disused waterfront. They are angled in such a manner to maximixe sunlight and views. Red and yellow filligreed fins shelter the windows from direct sunlight.

The Bordeaux Law Courts, Bordeaux, France were completed in 1998. The most striking element of this design are the seven courtroom pods clad in cedar wood visible from all angles. The concept was to demonstrate transparency in the judicial system.

Chiswick Park is built around a large lake. Each building has a canopied walkway leading to the entrances. The complex consists of twelve buildings. Again a heavy use of glazing provides vast amounts of natural light.

Designed in 1989 in partnership with Claude Bucher – the European Court of Human Rights building. The concept prescibed that it be landmark but not a monument and that transparency of the law be depicted.

The yet to be built International Spy Museum in Washington DC will be in the shape of an upside down trapezoid.

Built in 2008 Terminal 5 of London Heathrow Terminal is the largest freestanding complex in the United Kingdom.

Terminal 4 at the Madrid Barajas Airport was completed in 2014. It has been honoured with the Stirling Prize of the Royal Institute of British Architects.

The Millennium Dome in Greenwich Peninsula in South East London was constructed in 2000 to showcase an exhibition celetrating the start of the third millennium.

Neo Bankside was completed in 2012. The bracing system used outside reduces the structural need inside. The complete project creates a synergistic design which echoes its more industrial past.

Transparency is once again the key design element in the New National Assembly of Wales.

The Taoyuan Airport in Taipei is to be completed in 2020. With the capacity to host 45 million passengers a year it is expected to be one of the bussiest airport terminals in the world.

The Deptford Project – This eight storey residential building consists of transparent and opaque panels. Some in bright colours some gray.

Renzo Piano is an Italian architect, born in 1937. He is best known for the George Pompidou Centre, The Shard, and the Whitney Museum of American Art. Born into a family of buildings he studied architecture at the Milan Polytechnic University.  His first appearance on the international scene came working on the Pavillion of Italian Industry in Osaka, Japan.  There he attracted the attention of Richard Rogers a British architect.  They formed the firm of Piano & Rogers, went on to design the Pompidou Centre, and well…



The Centre Georges Pompidou was built in 1971 in the postmodern/high tech style with Richard Rogers. It is in the Beaubourg area of the 4th arrondissement in Paris. With pipes exposed outside as opposed to hidden within it was quite controversial. It houses a library and an art gallery. I think it’s great! Give it a moment, it is said to be love at second sight.

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Los Angeles, California is to be completed in 2018. It will the dedicated to the art and science of movies and is located on Wilshire and Fairfax in Los Angeles. More pics here.

Auditorium Parco Della Musica, Rome, Italy – This large public music complex has 3 indoor concert halls and outdoor theatre built in 2002. When during construction the foundation of a villa and oil-press dating back to the 6th century were found. Piano adjusted his design to incorporate the ruins and added a museum to his plan. It is Europe’s most visited music facility.

Valletta City Gate – This complex reorganizes the main gate to the city of Valletta. It comprises the city gate, open-air theatres, the former Royal opera house, and the construction of a new Parliament building. A very elaborate construction and in sharp contrast to the older buildings.

The Jean-Marie Tjibaou Tjibaou Cultural Center is patterned after a traditional Kanak Grand Hut design. It comes after a conflictual history between Kanak people and the New Caledonia’s European-descendent rulers. The 10 structures vary in size between 20 to 28 meters and stunning testaments to a tentative reconciliation.

The Shrine of Padre Pio, San Giovanni Rotondo completed in 2002 can accommodate a congregation of 6000.

The Auditorium Aquila was completely designed of timber. The wooden components were pre-cut and delivered to the site as a flat-pack, before being screwed and nailed together. It houses a 238 seat auditorium.

Eight Seven Park Residences in Miami, Florida. These luxury condominiums are designed to blend sky, sea, and ground. The building is constructed between two parks.

The Harvard Art Museums consists of three museums. The expansions were constructed between 2008 and 2013. Its different floors target the community, the art, and the art students. A large storage space for the art not on display was incorporated into the design.

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art LACMA is the largest art museum in the western United States. Piano’s principal thrust was to create an entry pavilion to unite the sprawling complex. Funny was just watching an episode of Modern Family where they were visiting the museum.

The MUSE Museum of Science is characterized by a refined, futuristic profile, a homage to the peaks of the mountains that surround Trento.

Peek & Cloppenburg flagship store is a mix of glass, steel, stone, and wood. The building is massive but sculpted into curvacious shape thus reducing its mass.

The Fondation Jerôme Seydoux-Pathé has as mandate to preserve Pathé’s heritage and to promote cinematographic art. This amazing building, which appears to be an organic creature, was designed for them and built in 2014 mostly in the courtyards of existing buildings. It’s appearance changes from one angle to another. I suspect from a controversial point of view it must have been the Pompidou Centre of 2014.

Zentrum Paul Klee is a museum dedicated the artist Paul Klee. Its shape is that of three undulations blending into the landscape. Its need was created when in 1997 Klee’s daughter donated her inheritance of over 600 pieces to the city.

The Biosphere near the Acquario di Genova. Was built for the G8 Meetin held in Genova in 2001.

The New York Times Building. Completed in 2007,  is a 52-storey tower in Midtown Manhattan.

The Shard in London, England. This 1016 feet high skyscraper is the tallest building in Western Europe. It is a mixed-use building including offices, hotel, apartments, spa, shops and restaurants, and, a 15-storey viewing gallery.

The Whitney Museum of American Art. Planning started in 1981 it was finally completed in 2015 to critical acclaim.

Sparked by the release of the second season of The Crown on Netflix, this week, I feature her Majesties residences. If you haven’t watched The Crown, do consider watching it – it’s fabulous. At $130 million it is the most expensive TV series ever! With widescreen televisions you cant create a cardboard Buckingham Palace and get away with it and so… Alas, I binge watched it over the weekend and now must wait a year for season 3. Sigh! The Queen has reportedly watched it. Claire Foy and the series are nominated for a Golden Globe. Have you been watching The Crown? What do you think?

Sometimes the topic comes up of could you live like this. And my answer is always: Yes! It’s life in a fishbowl perhaps, but it’s a very nicely appointed fishbowl. And oh yes there are several bowls and they are surrounded by acres of walled garden. I have lived inside a walled property – its very nice. When I first set eyes on walled properties in Los Angeles – I thought how sad. But then in Haiti and in Cameroon I did live within a walled property. Turns out its very nice. When you arrive home, the gate is opened, you drive in and leave the hustle and bustle of the city outside. It also means that when in your garden you are in your own private space.

These are the royal residences used or owned by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. There are other royal residences but, well, another day.


Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire Scotland has been a royal residence since 1852 since being purchased privately by Prince Albert, and Queen Victoria. It was designed by William Smith of Aberdeen with modifications by Prince Albert. Its style is Scots Baronial architecture. I remember reading that Prince Albert decorated the Castle with oh so many tartans – its seems to have evolved. Some family pics here.

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Typically we look at architecture which we can only dream off living in. But this week let’s look at homes that are available to live in if only for brief periods of time. Rentable luxury!

My goal is not to promote airbnb and other short-term rental organizations but more to promote the fact that not being able to afford to purchase some of these amazing homes we contemplate does not necessarily have to deny us the experience – not completly.

My favourite is Costaguti Palazzo in Rome. The combination of classical detail with contemporary furniture is fantastic. I’d need to round up a few friends to rent it all out. Of course that can be the case of a few of these.

Click the title above each pair of pics if you wish more detail. At times finding more info on the architecture of the properties was challenging as the rentable aspect took over the Google search.

Praa Sands Beach House, Praa Sands Cornwall, UK. A study of modernist geometry designed by Alex Michaelis of Soho House.

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