Andy Harvey is a Graphic Designer/Art Director. Currently Creative Director at Marque Creative/Starworks in London, and currently resides in E17, London.
Being down on the underground can be quite stressful and draining, but if you have the chance to look up and into the details that has gone into the tiling of the platforms and stations you might start to see some beauty down there. A lot of stations has bespoke tiles and decorations, almost a century old.
Bethnal Green station is one of a handful in London to have been given a very specific additional decoration to the classic cream tiles and name strip. Easy to miss, but dotted around the station are a series of tiles with raised motifs on them, representing aspects of London and places that the Underground visited.
Or for typographers: check the type on Hampstead station or Holloway Road for some inspiration.
Dover Street is the true creative hub of Mayfair and a breath of fresh air driving straight through an area often perceived as stuffy. Landmarks such as the wonderful Dover Street Market (don't forget to sample the fresh carrot cake at Rose Bakery on its 4th floor) on very effectively pull creative people towards the area which equates to plenty of street style to appreciate. Our Crane.tv offices are also located on Dover Street, naturally adding to the street’s charm!
The Barbican Estate is a residential estate that was built during the 1960s and the 1980s. An icon of Brutalist Architecture the Barbican Estate is an unique and complex real life experiment; a city within a city. The main focal point of the estate is the lake and its neighbouring terrace. High above and behind the terrace is the Barbican Centre, the largest performing arts centre in Europe. I really rate their visual culture exhibitions (for instance, Jean-Michel Basquiat and the Bauhaus) and live concerts (Nils Frahm and Ryoji Ikeda). Love it!