Of course I remember! Sheesh! This one's in Yarmouth. I like all the needlessly decorative touches and the faux classical columns. These days they'd never allow such expensive design features to creep in to such a functional object, more's the pity.
Wow! I've seen a couple of these but don't know what they are actually for? Back in the days of living in Farmerdale there was one that got torn down for a shopping centre. I always wanted to see that peice of land turned into a park with that thing being a 360 degree stage.
Vic, back in the olden days when I was a lad these were used to store town gas (stinky stuff made from coal that was great if you wanted to top yourself by sticking your head in the oven) that was then piped to houses; these days the few remaining gasometers are used to regulate the pressure in natural gas pipes.
The structures can indeed be things of beauty. This one is almost like a tiny Coliseum. It would make a great space for theatre in the round, the only problem being that it is in Great Yarmouth (see posts passim), home of burger-gorging morons who wouldn't know theatre if it bit them on their fat asses. It's a horrendous cultural desert.
This is Victorian, Speedway. back then, civic works buildings were designed by architects to be both beautiful and functional. These days, profit is all and if a thing costs a penny more to make it look beautiful it will stay ugly.
Savannah, the thing expands and contracts like a balloon depending on the pressure and amount of gas it holds. Picture the black bit at the bottom going all the way to the top and you can imagine it at full capacity. This one is running at about thirty percent full. xoxoxo
A giant gas bladder? Cool! Something both lacy and useful? Sounds like a bra. I sense a new mission coming on as we have no bladders over here that I know of. Oops, wait a minute, maybe we do, only they're spewing ALL the time!
I was up because I tend to sleep 3-4 hours, wake up to read and write a bit, then sleep another 2-3. This morning I checked my post because I'd screwed it up the night before.
WV: boorinti = clique of "burger-gorging morons who wouldn't know theatre if it bit them on their fat asses."
Hee hee, Speedway! I'm glad I'm not the only one who wakes up in the middle of the night and heads straight for the interweb. My problem is "sleep-buying" … I keep getting crap in the post that I've ordered online in the middle of the night. Sheesh! "Boorinti" is now in my vocab.
Looks like a crown, doesn't it? Not really sure what a gasometer is. Thanks for your comment on my blog. Starting on p. 76 is a good idea. It's the middle of a book that is the hardest to sustain.
It would make me a lot happier if we still designed things to be beautiful, rather than cheap and disposable, Neetzy. Just look at those columns … nicely proportioned plinths and capitals and the column diameters reducing with each storey. Nobody would pay for stuff like that on an industrial gas tank today. Shame on the world for putting profit before beauty.
It does look like a crown. And I'm sorry, too, that they don't add beauty to the designs of utilitarian things anymore. It's a shame how many of us have lost a sense of the value of beauty within design.
Ms.M, we designers still design beautiful things, but when it comes to build them the client always looks for savings and beauty is invariably the first thing to go.
Neetzy, modern design can be beautiful but it rarely is, especially in public works buildings like this.
Queen of gas! Hahahahaha. Well, that's the mood set for my day, thank you Petrea. I think with the weight of that crown you'd more likely be queen of migraines.
32 comments:
That brought back some memories, do you remember the one near the quay? or were you too young?
Of course I remember! Sheesh!
This one's in Yarmouth. I like all the needlessly decorative touches and the faux classical columns. These days they'd never allow such expensive design features to creep in to such a functional object, more's the pity.
Wow! I've seen a couple of these but don't know what they are actually for? Back in the days of living in Farmerdale there was one that got torn down for a shopping centre. I always wanted to see that peice of land turned into a park with that thing being a 360 degree stage.
It's proportions look like the fuel storage tanks we have here, but your's is much prettier, in its way. What an odd duck.
Vic, back in the olden days when I was a lad these were used to store town gas (stinky stuff made from coal that was great if you wanted to top yourself by sticking your head in the oven) that was then piped to houses; these days the few remaining gasometers are used to regulate the pressure in natural gas pipes.
The structures can indeed be things of beauty. This one is almost like a tiny Coliseum. It would make a great space for theatre in the round, the only problem being that it is in Great Yarmouth (see posts passim), home of burger-gorging morons who wouldn't know theatre if it bit them on their fat asses. It's a horrendous cultural desert.
This is Victorian, Speedway. back then, civic works buildings were designed by architects to be both beautiful and functional. These days, profit is all and if a thing costs a penny more to make it look beautiful it will stay ugly.
Er … and Speedway; what in the name of all that's decent are you doing up and about at this hour? It's four in the morning where you are!
Was the gas stored in the pipes? I'll have to find a picture and explanation, sugar! xoxoxo
Savannah, the thing expands and contracts like a balloon depending on the pressure and amount of gas it holds. Picture the black bit at the bottom going all the way to the top and you can imagine it at full capacity. This one is running at about thirty percent full.
xoxoxo
A giant gas bladder? Cool! Something both lacy and useful? Sounds like a bra. I sense a new mission coming on as we have no bladders over here that I know of. Oops, wait a minute, maybe we do, only they're spewing ALL the time!
I was up because I tend to sleep 3-4 hours, wake up to read and write a bit, then sleep another 2-3. This morning I checked my post because I'd screwed it up the night before.
WV: boorinti = clique of "burger-gorging morons who wouldn't know theatre if it bit them on their fat asses."
Hee hee, Speedway!
I'm glad I'm not the only one who wakes up in the middle of the night and heads straight for the interweb.
My problem is "sleep-buying" … I keep getting crap in the post that I've ordered online in the middle of the night. Sheesh!
"Boorinti" is now in my vocab.
Looks like a crown, doesn't it? Not really sure what a gasometer is. Thanks for your comment on my blog. Starting on p. 76 is a good idea. It's the middle of a book that is the hardest to sustain.
It does indeed look rather crown-like, Margaret.
Nice to see you over here; I've been a lurker on your blog for a long time now, thanks to Petrea.
You must have some images of the two most famous gasometers in the country.
The ones next to the Oval cricket ground.
I wish … Unlike you, I never got to the Oval; all our corporate events were held at Lords. Still spiffy though.
I love it! It makes me happy!
It would make me a lot happier if we still designed things to be beautiful, rather than cheap and disposable, Neetzy.
Just look at those columns … nicely proportioned plinths and capitals and the column diameters reducing with each storey. Nobody would pay for stuff like that on an industrial gas tank today.
Shame on the world for putting profit before beauty.
It does look like a crown. And I'm sorry, too, that they don't add beauty to the designs of utilitarian things anymore. It's a shame how many of us have lost a sense of the value of beauty within design.
I know, but function does not have to be ugly. This is an amazing example of finding beauty in an otherwise "ugly" thing.
Ms.M, we designers still design beautiful things, but when it comes to build them the client always looks for savings and beauty is invariably the first thing to go.
Neetzy, modern design can be beautiful but it rarely is, especially in public works buildings like this.
Hey look. A quidditch field!
Hahahahaha! I think I can guess who was out at the Harry Potter movie last night.
I like it as a crown. I'd wear it. But I'm not sure "Queen of Gas" is the title I'm looking for.
Although my WV is "asolcry." I'll let you decide what my title should be.
Queen of gas! Hahahahaha. Well, that's the mood set for my day, thank you Petrea.
I think with the weight of that crown you'd more likely be queen of migraines.
Industrial Gothic at its best, Dive.
I'm already the Migraine Queen, no crown necessary, but thanks. I suppose one title is enough.
Hi, Lucio. Great to see you. I hope all is well in your world.
OW! You have my sympathies, Petrea.
All is well, Dive. I'll have to read back over your blog to find out what you've been up to over the past year or so.
Good to hear, Lucio.
I finally gave up on the trains so I only get to London about once a month now. Other than that, my life is the usual mess.
Mine too. ... In other words, nothing's changed.
Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose …
Spiro spero.
Ah, the optimism of youth.
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