BBC and Stanhope form vehicle to lead Television Centre refurb THE BBC and its development partner Stanhope have set up a joint venture company, TVC Developments, to oversee the £1bn redevelopment of the Television Centre in White City. The 53-year-old centre, which officially closed its doors yesterday, was sold last summer to Stanhope and its Japanese and Canadian backers, Mitsui Fudosan and Alberta Investment Management [...]
Simon Roberts’ photographs of heritage sites explore the effect of history on identity for Britons in the 21st century Simon Roberts is a landscape photographer, but his real interest is in people. His pictures explore the way we interact with the land, how a sense of place informs a sense of identity, and how Britain’s long and varied history intrudes on modern life. At first glance the scenes he captures look unremarkable, but the [...]
Shirley Baker: One of the leading photographers of her time The history books paint mid-twentieth century northern industrial towns as grim places full of privation, poverty and soaring unemployment. It’s a narrative so dominant you could be forgiven for thinking nothing joyful ever happened there. But one woman, armed with a camera and a passionate belief in social justice, challenged the orthodoxy by showing life [...]
I want that: On our shopping list this month July 2, 2015 BLEU DE CHANEL £80/150ML, SELFRIDGES.COM Bleu de Chanel is our top summer scent. The peppery, citrusy top notes and ginger and sandalwood base notes make it a distinctly masculine fragrance. WEMPE HELIORO BRACELET €695-€795, WEMPE.COM This leather chord bracelet with a rose gold (€695) or white gold (€795) pendant, available in a [...]
The surprisingly refined world of Las Vegas dining July 2, 2015 If Las Vegas’ 110-year history was played out over a single day, the first decent restaurant would open shortly before midnight. Vegas went from a mining-boom service town to a mob-ruled vice den to a family holiday destination before Barack Obama’s favourite chef, Wolfgang Puck, opened Spago in 1992. It came as a surprise: prior [...]
Work and plays: Meet Richard Bean, Britain’s most successful contemporary playwright July 2, 2015 When Richard Bean’s One Man, Two Guvnors embarked on its first UK tour, every morning the dramatist would email James Corden (the lead) with tweaks and extra lines tailored to whatever audience he was facing that evening. Oh, you’re in Birmingham, swap line X with line Y. Leeds? Make sure you say Z. This tells [...]
Max Büsser’s 10th anniversary limited edition timepiece is a petrolhead’s dream July 2, 2015 It’s 10 years since one of Switzerland’s most creative horological brains, Maximilian Büsser, set up his “Max Büsser & Friends” brand, with the intention of working collaboratively with the finest watchmaking talents to create the most unusual, highly-specified timepieces. This one is styled around 1970s digital driving watches, in which time was shown at the [...]
The Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale is an idiosyncratic beast but spend some time with it and you may just fall in love July 2, 2015 The Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale is a mysterious beast, alluring and confounding in almost equal measure. The “Stradale” tag indicates it’s a road-going version of a racecar; a lean, focused, road warrior – which it most certainly is – but it’s also got two rather roomy seats in the back. And don’t let the name [...]
La Dolce Vino: A visit to Italy reminds me that there’s more to Tuscan wine than hype July 2, 2015 I had a long weekend recently in Florence, cautiously reacquainting myself with the pleasures and pitfalls of Tuscan wine – and came away feeling that I’ve been too timid about the region for too long. With good reason, I might add. I have drunk more duff bottles of wine from Italy than any other nation [...]
The Barbican: A new book celebrates one of London’s greatest landmarks June 25, 2015 Light and shadow on a clear day at the Barbican. Photograph by Alan Ainsworth Elegant expression of post-war utopianism, or concrete carbuncle in the heart of the City? Whatever you think of the Barbican, it’s impossible to deny its impact. The Grade II-Listed building, developed exclusively from designs by Chamberlin, Powell and Bon, was [...]
