The Gherkin

Completed in 2004, 30 St Mary Axe quickly became an icon of the London skyline. Its distinctive form remains remarkably consistent from different vantage points, almost as though the building were observing the city rather than simply belonging to it. I began to document my encounters with ‘The Gherkin’ using a cheap 35mm point and shoot camera. The resulting images capture the fleeting moments when it emerged above rooftops and between buildings, peripheral, obscured and almost unnoticed.

City street scene featuring a historic building with large columns and ornate decorations, modern high-rise buildings in the background, bicycles parked nearby, and several people walking or standing on the sidewalk. The Gherkin also appears somewher
Street scene with a post office sign, a sign for books, a row of traffic posts, a red postbox, and a wall with a noticeboard. The Gherkin also appears somewhere.
A city street scene from the top deck of a London bus, through a wet window, the Gherkin can be seen.
A large group of people gathered outdoors in London Fields park, sitting and lounging on blankets, with some standing or walking around. They appear to be enjoying a sunny day, with houses and trees visible in the background. The Gherkin also appears
Street scene with a blue building featuring a sign labeled 'The Sea Horse,' pedestrians walking, cars parked and driving, and a cityscape in the background. The Gherkin also appears somewhere.
Blurred London cityscape with high-rise buildings seen through a train window on a sunny day. The Gherkin also appears somewhere.
An urban backyard with a grassy lawn, brick walls, and numbered storage garages beneath apartment buildings on a cloudy day. The Gherkin also appears somewhere.
A backyard scene with a small fenced garden area, a brick house with windows, and laundry hanging outside on a clothesline. The Gherkin also appears somewhere.
London street market scene with vendors selling vegetables such as cauliflower, tomatoes, and other produce, and people walking along the street in bright daylight. The Gherkin also appears somewhere.
Street scene during winter with snow on the ground. Visible signs include a parking sign for White's Row and a red roundel indicating a bus stop on Bradfield Street. There are pedestrians, a phone booth, and buildings in the background, including a p
View of the old London Bridge train station with a red double-decker bus, bicycle, and street scene in the foreground. The Gherkin also appears somewhere.
A street scene with people walking, a temporary barrier, and several pieces of furniture and boxes. There is graffiti art of a smiling mouth with large teeth on a building wall. The Gherkin also appears somewhere.
Photo of a parking lot under a bridge with parked cars and two pedestrians walking, a brick building with a rooftop structure in the background. The Gherkin also appears somewhere.
A busy city street scene in Dalston, London, with people waiting at a bus stop, advertisements on buildings, and a street sign reading 'Bus Lane'. The Gherkin also appears somewhere.
View of a busy car garage with various vehicles parked outside, signs advertising services like tire repair and diagnostics, and electrical infrastructure overhead under clear blue sky. The Gherkin also appears somewhere.
People interacting on Brick Lane market with graffiti and scaffholding in the background. The Gherkin also appears somewhere.
Hampstead Heath on a sunny day with two large trees, a winding path, and a few people in the distance. The Gherkin also appears somewhere.
City street scene with traffic signs, people walking, and tall buildings in the background. The Gherkin also appears somewhere.
Photo of a river with rippling water, buildings on both sides, graffiti on the wall, and a bridge in the background under partly cloudy sky. The Gherkin also appears somewhere.
Photo of Tower Bridge in London, trees in the background, and a partly cloudy sky. The Gherkin also appears somewhere.

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© Kalev Erickson