The London Underground
The London Underground is nearly 150 years old, having begun in the 1860s with the Metropolitan line, which is still running to this day, albeit no longer with steam power. The Underground went through its greatest phase of development during the 1930s, and came about through the partnership between its head of Design and Publicity, Frank Pick, and the architect Charles Holden. Together they developed the distinctive look of various Underground lines, and pushed the service out far into the suburbs.
Arnos Grove Station
Charles Holden travelled through Northern Europe with Frank Pick to examine the latest modernist concepts. They were impressed with what they saw and Holden went on to adapt some of them for the Underground stations he designed. This rotunda at Arnos Grove is one of the best known, and is said to have been inspired by the Stockholm Library. With this and many other stations Holden developed the idea of a "box with a lid". The Bounds Green Station at the top of this page is another example of this.
Bounds Green Station at Night
Bounds Green Station interior
Morden Station
At the far end of the Northern Line is Morden Station. On either side of the Underground sign the two distinctive columns found on many stations on this line can be seen with the witty three-dimensional version of the logo used as capitals.
East Finchley Station
Journey North on the Northern Line to East Finchley Station to see one of the Undergrounds most ambitious modernist stations, and by it sculptor Eric Aumonier's wonderful statue of the Archer. The stylized metal Archer's unseen speeding arrow was intended as a metaphor for then remarkably swift journey of the tube train into Central London.
Osterley Station
One of many unique designs found on the Western end of the Piccadilly Line, Osterley Station is modeled on a beacon, with a tall square brick tower contrasting with the curved entranceway.
Boston Manor Station
Also on the Western end of the Piccadilly Line, Boston Manor Station is topped with a beacon that neatly sports the Underground logo.
Cinemas, Factories, Hoover Factory, Offices, Artists