London's South Bank in 50 Buildings

The South Bank has become one of London's most popular cultural destinations. Now a recognised brand, the South Bank is situated on the Thames Bank path which links Richmond in the west with the Thames Barrier (and beyond) to the east. This new book concentrates on the most visited section, the stretch between Vauxhall Bridge and Tower Bridge.Contained within this single three-mile route is an abundance of historically and architecturally significant buildings which create a fascinating history of the area. From the Post-Modernist ’secret’ headquarters of MI6 at Vauxhall, past the tomb of William Bligh a stone’s throw from St. Thomas’s Hospital to the modern attractions of the London Eye and Sea Life Aquarium (housed in the former LCC/GLC building) there are also the grand railway termini of Waterloo and London Bridge, alongside churches, the Royal Festival Hall (the only local survivor from the 1951 Festival of Britain), industrial heritage sites at Oxo Building, Hays and Gabriel’s Wharves and Tate Modern plus contemporary steel and glass with the Shard and City Hall. Alongside these landmark buildings, the authors also include many ‘out of the way’ buildings and quirky ‘Did you know’ facts, benefiting from original research by Rachel Kolsky through her work as a London Blue Badge guide, accompanied by Louis Berk’s professional-standard photography.London’s South Bank in 50 Buildings explores the history of this fascinating stretch of London along the South Bank of the River Thames through a selection of its most interesting buildings and structures, showing the changes that have taken place in this part of London over the years. The book will appeal to all those who live in London, visitors or who have an interest in the city.

Louis Berk is an award winning photographer who has spent the last decade documenting the changing faces of Whitechapel and London.Rachel Kolsky is a well-known historian and a prize-winning London Blue Badge Tourist Guide who leads tours in the area.