London 2000+: New Architecture

London boasts a dense concentration of architectural talent, and recent projects by designers based there ingeniously contribute to the city's noble historic streetscapes in ways that respect and reference centuries past while simultaneously bolstering the metropolis's reputation as one of the world's most modern and progressive capitals. London 2000+ portrays twenty-eight projects completed since the millennium, representing a broad range of design styles and scales. Prominent structures such as Sir Norman Foster's iconic "Gherkin," the London Eye by Marks Barfield, Daniel Libeskind's addition to the London Metropolitan University campus, and Herzog & de Meuron's Laban Dance Center are featured alongside lesser-known buildings of merit by innovative, emerging designers to provide a superb representation of the many lively firms active in the city today. Author Sam Lubell also features projects that illustrate creative examples of adaptive reuse and renovation in compact urban quarters--a library that incorporates outdoor gathering spaces to revitalize a formerly depressed neighborhood, a primary school that insulates students from street noise while providing rooftop play space, a Victorian-era train maintenance station reconfigured as a popular performing arts venue, a vibrant modern addition to an Edwardian townhouse, and elevated footbridges that facilitate pedestrian traffic in the city's congested center, among others. Prominent structures covered include: Sir Norman Foster's Swiss Re building, dubbed the "Gherkin" The London Eye by Marks Barfield Daniel Libeskind's addition to London Metropolitan University Herzog & de Meuron's Laban Dance Center