Canaletto by UNStudio / May 27, 2016 by Alex Upton

Development: Canaletto 259 City Road
Architects: UNStudio
Location: City Road, Islington, London
Height: 90m (31fl)

Canaletto 259 City Road - Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

Canaletto is a residential tower designed by Dutch architect Ben van Berkel of UNStudio. The building is located at 259 City Road which borders on Islington, The City, Shoreditch and Clerkenwell. Construction is still on going with most of the work now taking place at the base of the tower where the concierge area is being fitted out, these architectural photographs capture Canaletto's current progress.

Returning from a trip to the recently opened Yayoi Kusama exhibition at the Victoria Miro Gallery - which for prospective residents is conveniently located a minuets walk from the Canaletto building along with a McDonald's Drive Thru, a real melting pot of high and low brow culture - i happened to chance upon these beautiful cloud formations passing over the tower. These photographs of Canaletto are the result of me trying to recalibrate my senses after being dazzled by Kusama's infinity mirror installations, which by the way are well worth a visit.

The lucky residents of this tower will have access to a wide range of facilities including what will be a stylish restaurant, private screening room, swimming pool and gymnasium and a 24th floor private club and sky terrace. The innovative design by UNStudio incorporates balconies into the linear and somewhat bulbous chrome clad panels that wrap around the buildings façade, which according to the architects create 'sustainability benefits achieved through surface modelling, with opportunities for shading, balancing good internal daylight and views with reduced heat gains'. Along with their sustainable credentials these panels produce some beautiful forms which for and architectural photographer offer endless opportunities for new and exciting compositions.

Canaletto is located in an area which is currently seeing a lot of developments start to rise, with Foster and Partners 250 City Road residential apartments just beginning to break ground over the road and the adjacent Lexicon building also nearing completion - for which a photograph update will follow shortly.

Construction Update: Baltimore Tower / May 10, 2016 by Alex Upton

Development: Baltimore Wharf Tower
Architect: Skidmore Owings & Merrill (SOM)
Location: Isle of Dogs, Canary Wharf
Height: 150m (44fl)

This set of architectural photographs document the construction progress at Baltimore Tower in Canary Wharf. With just a few more floors of glazing to go the building is nearing external completion. The curvature of the elliptical façade makes for some really nice formal compositions especially on a sunny day. Designed by SOM architects this residential complex is just one of many new skyscrapers to join the growing Canary Wharf skyline.

Baltimore Tower - London - Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton — Baltimore Tower - London - Photography: Copyright © Alex Upton

Photo Update: St. George Wharf Tower / May 5, 2016 by Alex Upton

Development: St. George Wharf Tower
Architect: Broadway Malyan
Location: Vauxhall, London
Height: 181m (50fl)

St. George Wharf Tower in Vauxhall was looking particularity nice in the sun the other day with the clouds reflecting of its façade, here are a few photographs i managed to capture before it was engulfed by them. Further images of the tower can be found on my Flickr page.