In the south of Sri Lanka

Last week I was making a trip from Sydney to London so I decided to stop off in the south of Sri Lanka for a few days. Colombo was incredible: people, street food, construction, colour and chaos. I also jumped on a train south to check out Galle and Unawatuna, where I had a great time surfing. 

The thing that struck me most about Colombo was the tall building construction boom. It seemed that everywhere I looked were towers being built. The entire southern edge of the city has been earmarked for development and will soon be the "Colombo International Financial Centre'. China is investing US$1 Billion into the project, which will include at least 3 60 storey towers. 

Across the city dozens of other tall buildings are now reaching into the sky. It'll be super interesting to see how Colombo evolves over the next decade. Street photos and a short film below. 

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Reminding Sydney of Seidler

For years, my brother, sister and I would take my grandfather to the beach each Sunday. Arriving early to collect him from his eastern-Sydney flat, he would be perched on his balcony with a tea in his hand, admiring the greenery below.

Built in '66, my grandpa’s building was one of the earliest apartment blocks designed by world-renowned Austrian-Australian architect, Harry Seidler.

Like all of Seidler's buildings, my grandfather's definitely has its imperfections: dead spaces, dark corridors and steep stairwells to name a few. But I can't imagine my Paps would have been happier in any other place.

Horizon Apartments in Darlinghurst, Sydney (1990-1998).

The large open-plan living spaces, split levels and north-east facing balconies were bold innovations at the time of its design, and each aided his psychological and physical health right until his final days.

What was important about this building – and any of Seidler's for that matter – was the desire to push engineering boundaries, question planning authorities and pursue modernist design principles in the hope of improving people’s lives. 

Harry followed strict architectural principles under the premise that they were egalitarian, optimised function, or would simply create a beautiful building. And while some of his schemes are, today, viewed as design failures (see Blue Point Tower), each was designed upon a set of values which tried - at least - to make Sydney a better place to live... Even if that meant frustrating his clients and local planning officers in the process. 

Probably the most iconic Harry Seidler building, Australia Square Tower (1961-1967). Photograph by the legendary Max Dupain. 

Harry Seidler in his home office. Photograph by David Moore. 

Since returning to the city from London a couple of months ago, I’ve noticed dozens – or possibly hundreds – of new high-rise developments, which resemble something akin to Ikea furniture, rather than architecture. These cookie-cut designs aren’t only badly built, but very little thought has been given to their design. The core principles which were deeply rooted in Harry Seidler's architecture (as well as other great modernists of the 20th Century) have seemingly been ignored.

Aside from the use of bland materials and repetitive form, which is far from inspiring, the structures are often poorly integrated with the existing urban fabric, don't maximise nature or natural light, and contrary to their promised community benefit, their so-called ‘public spaces’ look and feel like private gardens - dissected from surrounding neighbourhoods.

I guess it was Elizabeth Farrelly who put it best, “we used to think '60s apartments were austere and badly built. Now, they appear as paragons of generosity, grace and certitude”

As large-scale residential architecture appears to have creatively stagnated (perhaps as a result of Sydney's muddled planning system), Harry Seidler’s work remains a reminder that this city's tall buildings can be creative, brave and innovative. 

More importantly, his architecture is a reminder that buildings are not just a commodity, but should seek – at the very least - to improve a city, and the wellness of the people within it.

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Toronto from above: views from the CN Tower

I’ve been wanting to visit Toronto, Ontario for years. Not only do I have some awesome friends living there, but with one of the most striking cityscapes in the world, I've been super keen to take a wander through its downtown streets. 

Two weeks ago I boarded a Westjet flight from Gatwick and a few hours later as I was touching down at the Toronto Pearson. As I peered out the train window on my way into the city, I was struck by the size of its building's. With over 2,300 high rise towers, it's now the tallest city in North American behind New York.  

But it was the CN Tower which stood out in particular. Not only is the building monstrous, but it stretches out of the city cluster with a super cool 1970s, retro swag. 

After an initial building boom in the late 19th century, the '60s and '70s saw Toronto undergo its second major urban transformation. As the city refocused itself from manufacturing industries to the services economy, it began tower upwards, rather than just outwards. 

Completed in 1976, the CN Tower became a symbol for the rise of Toronto as an innovative, global city and marked a new era in high rise development of the downtown. 

Standing at over 550 m, the CN Tower held the record of the world’s tallest freestanding structure until the completion of the Canton Tower in 2009 and Burj Khalifa in 2010. For over 34 years it set the bar for tall buildings across the world. 

As my friend Jesse Darling (who also happens to be a Toronto expert) and I ate and drank our way through the city's neighbourhoods, it wasn’t long before I asked if she’d be up for doing something "really, really touristy". 

In just a matter of hours, we were on our way to the CN Tower observation deck to check out the city from above.

Looking down at Toronto below I could see the intricacy of the city's neighbourhoods, and the beauty of the natural landscape beyond. As towers flood the horizon and 100 more stand under construction, its clear to see the importance planning tall buildings carefully.

Not only can high-rise towers drastically change the look of a neighbourhood, but they can very quickly change the feel of one too. Characterful neighbourhoods which have evolved over many decades can suddenly take on a whole new vibe - often at stake of its old one. 

At the same time however, when located carefully and designed well, tall buildings can add to the beauty and vibrancy of a a city, as well as provide people with needed homes and workspaces. As controversial as it may have been at the time, the CN Tower has - in my opinion -  stood the test of time. And if anything else, gives locals a visual landmark and enables millions of visitors like me to admire the beauty of the city beyond. 

Make sure you check out the YouTube video and photos below. Of course, if you love or hate the CN Tower, let me know in the comments section... Yew!

Photos, video and text all copyright Tom Oliver Payne. Music courtesy The Postal Service. 

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This is Scandinavia's Tallest Tower: The Turning Torso

Jumping out of my train from Copenhagen, I quickly paced across the station’s dark concourse, making my way towards the bright blue sky seeping through the doors ahead of me. I pushed down on the latch and swung the door open - once again confronted by a new city. This time – Malmo, Sweden.

Knowing my trip would last just 24 hours, I had 2 boxes to tick: meet new people and check out the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava’s ‘Turning Torso’.

In typical Nordic fashion, the Turning Torso hasn’t been built with right angles and rigid lines, but instead embraces a much softer and more beautiful design. Spiralling towards the blue sky above me, no imagination was needed to figure out where it got its name.

While most of the city is made up of old city streets and wide urban plazas, the district of Vastra Hamnen (Swedish for ‘Western Harbour’) –within which the tower sits - has undergone a recent rejuvenation and comprises kilometres of contemporary offices, and apartment buildings, all stretched along the beautiful Öresund waterfront.

Back in the late 1990s the City of Malmo developed a design competition to create a new tall building in the district. Zurich-based architect Santiago Calatrava submitted a sculpture that he’d created depicting a human body contorting around its spine in an upward movement. Impressed with Santiago’s piece, Calatrava was soon underway designing what would soon become Malmo’s most impressive landmark.

At 54 storeys, the building manoeuvres 90 degrees from top to bottom, and is considered to be the world’s first twisting skyscraper (the Cayan Tower in UAE has since been built with a similar twisting concept).

But in addition to its interesting design, the Torso is powered by 100% renewable energy and has been constructed with eco-friendly materials including recyclable aluminium. It also features a high degree of energy and water efficiency, helping residents to live much more sustainable lifestyles.

As I walked from Vasta Hamnen back into Malmo’s old town, I constantly looked back over my shoulder at this huge, twisting, tower behind me. It was a pretty courageous experiment from Santiago, but I guess just another testament to the fact that fortune favours the bold.

Make sure you check it out if you’re ever in Malmo. 

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Inner Sydney’s best new architecture

Back in January I returned to my home city of Sydney for a month. As the plane crossed the beautiful harbour, I could see dozens of new buildings now gracing the skyline. Here is - in my opinion - the best of inner Sydney’s new architecture.

1. One Central Park

When I was in my early 20s my friends and I would head to a music night on Sydney’s Broadway called Purple Sneakers... No doubt I was annoyed when the bar was to shut to make way for a bunch of new towers.

Turn the clocks forward a decade and all is ok! One Central Park is beautifully designed (by Jean Nouvel), and with a whole load of bars, shops and cafes, it’d be hard to argue that the new area isn’t an awesome addition to the city. Having now won dozens of design and sustainability awards around the world, this is the sort of development that makes Sydney's architecture a talking point around the world.

I was lucky enough to get a tour by friend of mine, and urban planner, John O’Callaghan. Check out the film below.

2. Dr Chau Chak Wing Building

Known for using unusual materials and incorporating a unique sculptural style, Frank Gehry is one of the world’s most celebrated architects.

In the past he’s been criticised for being a ‘Starchitect’ whose showey buildings overwhelm their surroundings.But in my mind, Gehry brings a sense of humanism to cities, which across the world, suffer from lifeless, boring buildings. And Sydney is no exception to this. It only takes looking at the city skyline to see that many of Sydney's existing tall building architecture is unimaginative and unambitious.

Whether you see it as ‘a beautiful paper bag’ or a ‘treehouse’, the new UTS building is a awesome new addition to the Sydney skyline.

Photo by Jason James

3. Paramount House

Through the enhancement of a beautiful 1940s art-deco building, the collaborative work of Woods Bagot architects, Fox Johnston Architects and Right Angle Studio, among others, has proved that Sydney's heritage buildings can be beautifully readapted into innovative and creative spaces for modern-day use.

The recent refurbishment has created a dynamic space for a mix of uses, including a cinema, café and workspaces. I was super impressed with Wood Bagot’s use of traditional joinery and artisan furnishings in its incredible shared office space.

Sydney has a strong record of destroying old buildings, so its awesome to see a project like this, which has seen the art-deco Paramount so nicely brought back to life.

I was originally going to include a section on the city's worst architecture, so that I could have a good old rant about Barangaroo. But for now... I'm keeping it positive!

Any other buildings that should be on this list?

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Why I like Brutalist architecture

Brutalism seems to divide opinion like no other type of architecture. Between the 50s and 70s huge, grey, concrete buildings were built across cities around the world. While a lot of people hated their ‘inhuman’ and overbearing aesthetic, the architects designing them thought they were creating a new kind of utopia.

Until a few years ago, I knew nothing about this type of architecture. But it wasn’t long before I fell in love with taking photos at The Barbican Estate, and soon learned a bit about the movement.

Whether I love or hate the look of a particular brutalist building, I now really appreciate what it was trying to achieve. Now, every time I head off to a new city, I seek out these buildings and try to learn a bit about what they were trying to achieve in each place. From scanning the internet, it looks like other people love it too.

The term ‘brutalism’ comes from the French word ‘brut’, meaning ‘raw’. That’s exactly what these buildings are. So different from elegant design and detailing in the past, their designers used rough concrete with hard textures, and showed-off elements of the building that used to be hidden, like lift shafts.

The thing that I think is cool about brutalism is not the way it looks, but that it was designed with the best, optimistic intentions.

After the World War II, Europe was trying to rebuild its cities in a way that fixed a lot of its problems from the past, and Brutalism was all about trying to make buildings as cheap, functional and equal as possible. By making sure the building’s foundations were exposed, architects hoped that the ordinary could be seen as an art form, and in doing so - make them attractive to every person in society - whether rich or poor.

A key element of brutalism in London was the idea of creating ‘streets in the sky’, which would connect apartments blocks or offices. The idea was that neighbours could talk, kids could play and people could walk to work way above the fast-moving traffic below.

In the period of two decades, once low-lying urban areas were quickly transformed by towering concrete structures by architects and planners who envisioned a utopian city, where residents lived equally.

The ideas were cool, but in practice, it didn’t take long before the brutalism movement came to an end. It’s considered a social experiment, which didn’t really work. People soon realised that these buildings created strange ‘placeless’ spaces and restricted pedestrian movement through urban areas, which encouraged isolation and crime.

After harsh criticism for years, many of these buildings were demolished and some have been preserved. In London, my favourite surviving examples are Robin Hood Gardens, Balfron, Trellick Tower, and The Barbican.

The thing that I find super interesting about the Brutalist Movement, is how bold these planners and architects were: they saw a problem in society and they set out to find a solution for it through design. Sometimes I feel like society lacks some of that audacity these days. We have as serious housing shortage in London right now, and no one seems to be doing anything to fix it.

To me, this style of architecture represents a group of optimistic designers who were experimenting with a courageous idea - and that’s pretty cool.

Photos and film copyright Tom Oliver Payne.

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What is Templehof?

A couple of weeks ago I took off to Berlin to explore the city. A few friends suggested we head out to 'Templehof' one afternoon. I had absolutely no idea what they were talking about.

Walking from the amazing Kreuzberg (and getting lost in a cemetery along the way), I decided to finally ask the question, "Ahhh guys, what is Templehof, anyway!?" The response wasn't really what I was expecting. The answer I got was simply "abandoned airport".

Having checked out quite a few cities, I've been managed to see some pretty interesting places: Africa's largest slum, a huge urban reservoir in the south of Spain, and to the top of the world's tallest building. I never thought however, that I would be standing in the middle of Berlin in a derelict Nazi-Germany airport, comprising what still is today, one of the world's largest buildings.

Laying in the grass, soaking up the last of the Autumn sunshine, I decided I'd do a bit of googling about the place that surrounded me. The more I dug, the more I found it difficult to believe where I actually was.

Built in 1927 this place was for a long time one the world's busiest airports - often referred to as the gateway to Europe. Designed by the Nazi government to resemble an eagle in flight from above, the airport is still considered by one of the world's most renowned architects "one of the greatest buildings of the modern age".

As I looked towards the main building I could see an old US troops carrier with stars embedded on its side. The plane looked more like something out of a 1950s Hollywood film then something that belonged in the deepest depths of Germany. Well, there's a reason why it was sitting there. Directly on the divide between the east and the west, Templehof was the epicentre of a global political divide. At the end of the World War II and into the Cold War, Templehof became the key air base for US forces in Europe.

As I heard bellowing electronic music begin to bellow from one of the hangars, how was it then that a place of such historical significance was now a place for parties, beers, sports and generally mulling about?

In typical Berlin-style, what could have become a derelict old airport was slowly opened to the public. By 2010 the government decided that instead of redeveloping the land for prime real estate, it would be opened as a massive public park. Then, in September 2015, it was decided that it would also be used to temporarily house Syrian refugees.

What the government and voters have decided to forego in short-term financial gain, has built a long-term asset which not only gives the local community and tourists an amazing place to hang out, but helps to build Berlin's brand as an incredibly liberal, unique and creative global city.

Berlin is a city which has been tormented by an incredibly dark past. This history hasn't been erased. Instead, it's been recaptured and re-invented to develop itself as one of the most forward-thinking cities in the world. Seriously, if you're in Berlin, take a stroll to this strange and wonderful place - it's worth it.

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