Just Look Up!
I will put my hands up and admit I'm a bit of an architectural snob. Or at least, that I've been architecturally spoiled - growing up in Liverpool, which hosts the most listed buildings of a UK city outside of London.
So, one of my favourite pastimes is comparing Liverpool with Birmingham - and this frequently involves architecture. Now I don't actually know anything about architecture; I'm just an ignorant aesthete: if it looks pretty and old then I like it. So I enjoy a good moan about Birmingham's boring 1960's grey suburban sprawl and general lack of aesthetic value.
Until the other day, in town, I simply looked up and realised that this is not necessarily true. Check out this beauty:
A lovely thing on Temple Row West that I just normally trog past, head down, in a rush to the bus stop. Cafe Nero actually seem to have the monopoly on great buildings. I don't know if it's specifically part of their remit but they seem to be able to sniff out cool, old buildings far better than any other coffee shop chain (No, I'm not on commission but should any Cafe Nero executives happen to be reading this; I'm always open to freebies...)
So I began a kind of dislocated-neck walking tour of the city centre and, since, have started taking a craned neck approach everywhere I go. Yes, I have bumped into a few disgruntled pavement-dwellers and yes, I probably now need physiotherapy, but my eyes are having a marvellous time - spotting e.g. gargoyles in Moseley and tree-tops growing surreally out of warehouse windows in Digbeth.
Seriously, just try it. All the beautiful stuff goes on above our heads.
You might get some funny looks but you'll be surprised at what you've missed ..
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I (sometimes) find high streets fascinating - often there's a surprising difference between the glossy shop fronts and the practically derelict buildings above.
It's worth a link to this pic by i heart joan too - http://www.createdinbirmingham.com/2008/11/16/i-heart-joan-look-up/
Amazing. It's good to know that I'm not the only one with a cricked neck! Loving the i heart joan pic x