The passion for Gothic style that marked the entire 19th c. and the early 20th c. may well have culminated in some of the university buildings. In this picture you are looking at the interior of the Wills Memorial Building, the part of the University of Bristol that houses the School of Earth Sciences. It bears some familiar Gothic traits, like the fan vault. You may be surprised to learn, though, that this magnificent piece of masonry is just under a hundred years old. The building was erected between 1913 and 1925 by Charles and Harry Wills, the sons of Henry Wills, the first Chancellor of the University.
Day: 31 March 2011
A Juliet Balcony on the English Facade
One thing I particularly loved about Bristol is its at times unexpected architectural “solutions”. I would describe these balconies as “italianised”: they certainly remind me of the balconies I saw on some photos of Verona and Venice. Here in Bristol they look plastered to a rather dull limestone edifice – as an afterthought to make a typical building look a bit like an Italian seaside villa.
Bristol: University and the Clock
This photo was taken on a very warm Saturday afternoon in April. I walked around the Cathedral, popped into the Library, then went all the way up the Clifton Hill, and then walked down to that part of the city where the University and Art Gallery are located. I went into the University building. It was solemn and almost empty inside, although there was a small stand informing the visitors that they should keep silence – exams were on.