Problem solving photography in the heart bustling Brixton - Walton Lodge by DB Architects
Photography Mikey Reed
In a constantly evolving city like London, where space is at a premium, architects are tasked with solving problems of limited space while creating buildings that are sympathetic to their environment.
When DB Architects approached Mikey to photograph this mixed use building in Brixton, the brief mentioned they had tried to get some photos but needed a fresh set of eyes.
After some research, Mikey realised why this must have been tricky to shoot prior to my booking.
Set back from the road and nestled behind a historical listed frontage of an old laundry building and the railway tracks railway tracks running parallel to the busy Coldharbour Lane.
Providing a mix of flats and commercial studio space, the building was designed to reflect the industrial nature and incorporate a pre weathered titanium zinc panels across the curved roof spaces.
The contemporary spaces are enveloped in a tube like structure reflecting a similar shape to those of the adjacent railway arches and supply access to individual courtyards and balconies.
With the lack of space and restrictions from drone or elevated masts access, Mikey knew that capturing the whole building in one image from ground level would be difficult.
Using my Canon Tilt Shift 17mm lens he stitched several shifted exposures together. To show the curved roof and balconies he had the camera 15 feet up on a heavy duty Manfrotto stand and shot tethered through an ipad, an good compromise in these circumstances.
In a constantly evolving city like London, where space is at a premium, architects are tasked with solving problems of limited space while creating buildings that are sympathetic to their environment.
It was a welcome challenge for Mikey on location to document an innovative and interesting piece of modern architecture in one of his favorite corners of south London.
