Visionary building design exhilarates, engages, and inspires. It has an almost inexplicable aspect that reflects design creativity, affinity to a place, and, most importantly, imagination.
The UK is brimming with impressive structures. Some are readily identifiable due to their famous exteriors worldwide, while others are more modest on the outside, and it’s what’s inside that generates a stir.
Today’s interior designers and architects are interested in uncovering and sharing these hidden secrets, so here’s a list of the top 5 most fascinating structures you can explore in the UK to appreciate exquisite architecture and interior design.
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The Cathedral of St. Paul
A genuinely iconic structure, the great majority of high-rise development applications have declined, which requires St Paul’s Cathedral to be seen from specified locations around London.
The Cathedral is Grade I listed and stands atop Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London. Although it may date back to the 5th century, the current Cathedral was redesigned in the shape of a cross by Christopher Wren following the Great Fire of 1666.
The iconic dome superstructure that dominates the cityscape is one of the most enormous in the world, standing 366 feet tall and serving as London’s tallest skyscraper until 1967. The interior of the abbey is as stunning as you might imagine, with the majestic crypt, which is Europe’s largest, and the marble and plated high oak altar.
Apsley House
Enjoy the gilded treasures of this noble home, located at Hyde Park Corner in the heart of London.
Wander to the reimagined Waterloo Gallery and the State Dining Room, where the first Duke of Wellington held yearly dinners to commemorate the conquering at the 1815 Battle of Waterloo by Napoleon, a ritual still held today.
The Duke definitely knew how to amaze his visitors with its breathtaking centerpiece crystal chandelier and gilded Portuguese dinnerware service.
Market of Leadenhall
The 14th-century Grade II listed market building, which primarily sold fresh food, is home to several independent stores and typical British pubs. Sir Horace Jones designed it in 1881, and it lies atop what was once the heart of Roman London.
The marketplace is a beautiful example of late 19th-century architecture, with typical Victorian elements such as a domed roof framework and a plush green color scheme that indicated wealth to the Victorians. In the early 1990s, the edifice underwent a radical makeover to strengthen its character and produce what has become the enthralling spectacle we see today.
The Sambourne Residence
18 Stafford Terrace, Punch cartoonist Edward Sambourne’s former house is a well-preserved specimen of Victorian interior design characterized as an ‘Aesthetic interior’ or ‘House Beautiful’ style. The late-nineteenth-century Aesthetic movement advocated incorporating foreign or exotic elements in house décor.
The many Japanese, Middle Eastern, and Chinese artifacts throughout the house demonstrate this. Stepping into the home is like traveling back in time due to Victorian Society’s devotion to preserving the property precisely as it was left.
Two Temple Place
John Pearson designed the structure in 1895 for William Waldorf Astor. The outside is a spectacular example of contemporary Gothic architecture for the period, fashioned in an early Elizabethan style and made entirely of Portland stone.
John Crace designed the interior, an Astor family acquaintance who selected the French Renaissance style for the residence. Wonderfully opulent, with Astor’s massive art collection, musical instruments, and literature.
Bottom Line
The study of these structures is a must for architects and interior designers not only in the UK but also all over the world. In addition, it gives inspiration to many aspiring designers today.Â
Learn more about these designs and the art behind them as you enroll in an interior designing course and earn the corresponding certification to begin your practice.Â
