urban city research

  

Mike Seabourne

Research – magazine- reference

Whilst looking and researching through the university library, I wanted to locate books or magazines that analysed and talked about 'Architectural design‘. The issue looked at the post modern take on the architecture of the world, and gave me inspiration when developing my own initial ideas. I looked at the magazine for a reference, but I learnt and gained knowledge about the changing design's and landscapes of buildings etc…

Due to this reference, I also researched other photographers that were inspired by architecture and came across, Mike Seabourne. His work explored obvious development within the city, and came to photography through his boyhood interest in railways.

Whilst exploring the old industrial areas of the capital he discovered the Isle of Dogs and the derelict West India and Millwall Docks. Soon to be designated 'Docklands', this part of London was clearly on the verge of transformation and Mike set about documenting the landscape before it disappeared forever. The resulting pictures evoke a lost riverside world which is in stark contrast to the thriving Docklands of today.

From the 1990s Mike broadened his range of subject-matter and developed a particular interest in the landscapes created by the various housing schemes in London from the 19th Century to the present day. More recently he has been photographing in the lower Lea Valley, site of the 2012 London Olymics, and other areas in transition, specially the inner city, where rapid change is occurring as a result of social/cultural forces such as gentrification and ethnic concentration.

I enjoyed researching about his work and the theme of the severity of the development.  The buildings refer to the term `monster like` as when looking they  tower over the original buildings, symbolising the term old and new.

Again his work picks up on this loss of originality within cities, and how everything looks similar capturing no individuality. I wanted to explore further into architecture design and how it changes through out the years, identifying the term old and new.