The Grand Tour Colchester

I had never been to Colchester before, so was quite looking forward to visiting. It is often classified as the oldest town in England, known as Camulodunon before the Roman invasion.

Its most famous site is the Norman Keep, built on the ruins of a Roman temple. Boudica sacked the town, but it was rebuilt later though the Roman Capital was moved to London.

I was most impressed by the floral displays everywhere, especially the hanging baskets.

Lots and lots of half-timbered houses, one in particular still riddled with bullet holes from the Civil war.

The Grand Tour Colchester Firstsite

Firstsite is a new and controversial arts center in Colchester designed by Uruguayan architect Rafael Vinoly. Firstsite refers to the fact that it is built on one of the earliest roman settlements in England.

The building is clad in a copper/aluminium alloy and is kept low so as not to intrude upon the skyline.

The building is semicircular in shape and has no foundations so as to protect the archeological remains that may be buried underneath.

The building has not verticals on the exterior and has come in for a lot of criticism. I like it because it offered me plenty of opportunities for the kind of photographic composition I like :)