Aberdeenshire based artist Small Stories aka Gabi Reith has been having fun with a self initiated project documenting some of the amazing facades and architectural features of Union Street, a mile long road that passes right through the middle of the city, flanked on each side by incredible granite architecture dating from the 1800's up to more modern art deco style buildings and shop fronts.
I'm sure many of you will know Gabi's designs, especially her Painted Door which is about as Aberdonian as you can get (check it here). With a fondness for the North East and a keen eye for detail, her current project is doing a fantastic job of pulling out some of those stunning details that we often over look as you pass along the granite mile. Buildings like Trinity Hall which sits nestled between the Trinity Centre and Primark is a much overlooked gem, both for its architectural frontage but also its stunning interior. When looking back at historical photographs of the city, I'm always amazed by how modern The Athenaeum looks, more prominent in my own memories for the late night techno parties from the Snafu days, now home to Brewdog, a new chapter in the buildings history. Indeed there's a lot of collective history embedded into these buildings and whilst some have become forgotten gems, others continue to provide vibrant places of work, despite the declining high street trends and mega malls.
But a project like this is great for helping us to see past consumerism, indeed its an opportunity to look at our city with fresh eyes through the Small Stories filter. The use of vibrant colours helps accentuate the details and provides a respite from the traditional gray hue of the granite, a beautiful stone no less which shows the skill of the numerous stone masons who worked it. A look at the detailing on the Refuge Assurance Building or the Royal Assurance Office is evidence enough although the craftsmanship of Marischal College is nothing less than breath taking! Even the outline of certain buildings against a Union Street sunset offers a reminder of how lucky we are to have such stunning and unique buildings on our doorstep.
As Gabi continues to add to the project its worth following her over on Facebook and Instagram for the next instalment of the project and check out a few fine examples of Aberdeens architectural heritage below (click any pic to enlarge and scroll through). Fit rare!
I'm sure many of you will know Gabi's designs, especially her Painted Door which is about as Aberdonian as you can get (check it here). With a fondness for the North East and a keen eye for detail, her current project is doing a fantastic job of pulling out some of those stunning details that we often over look as you pass along the granite mile. Buildings like Trinity Hall which sits nestled between the Trinity Centre and Primark is a much overlooked gem, both for its architectural frontage but also its stunning interior. When looking back at historical photographs of the city, I'm always amazed by how modern The Athenaeum looks, more prominent in my own memories for the late night techno parties from the Snafu days, now home to Brewdog, a new chapter in the buildings history. Indeed there's a lot of collective history embedded into these buildings and whilst some have become forgotten gems, others continue to provide vibrant places of work, despite the declining high street trends and mega malls.
But a project like this is great for helping us to see past consumerism, indeed its an opportunity to look at our city with fresh eyes through the Small Stories filter. The use of vibrant colours helps accentuate the details and provides a respite from the traditional gray hue of the granite, a beautiful stone no less which shows the skill of the numerous stone masons who worked it. A look at the detailing on the Refuge Assurance Building or the Royal Assurance Office is evidence enough although the craftsmanship of Marischal College is nothing less than breath taking! Even the outline of certain buildings against a Union Street sunset offers a reminder of how lucky we are to have such stunning and unique buildings on our doorstep.
As Gabi continues to add to the project its worth following her over on Facebook and Instagram for the next instalment of the project and check out a few fine examples of Aberdeens architectural heritage below (click any pic to enlarge and scroll through). Fit rare!
