Picture this: You’re the Prince of Wales, and you hate a proposed skyscraper so much you call it a “gigantic glass stump.” Ouch. That’s exactly what happened with No 1 Poultry before it was even built.
The architect, Sir James Stirling, designed this thing with a wink. It’s a Postmodern rollercoaster of stripes, curves, and a giant clock tower that looks like it’s wearing a top hat. It’s basically a building that knows it’s a bit weird and loves it.
Here’s the juicy bit: to build it, they bulldozed a gorgeous Victorian row called Mappin & Webb. People were furious. The old stuff was charming; this new thing was a pink-and-yellow scream in the middle of ancient streets.
The “Wiggle” That Saved It
But wait—here’s the twist. The building has a secret superpower. If you look at it from above, the whole shape is slightly curved, like a gentle wave. This isn’t an accident; it’s a sly nod to the old street pattern that used to be there.
So, in a weird way, the building is a ghost of what it destroyed. It’s like the Victorian buildings are still haunting the place, but now they’re wearing neon sunglasses. Passive-aggressive architecture at its finest!
And the pink stone? That’s Travertine, the same stuff the Romans used. So it’s ancient and new at the same time. Talk about having your cake and eating it too—while wearing a silly hat.
