Some architectural landmarks exist because they are old, some because they are beautiful and then there is a handful that are famous because they are slightly off camber.
The Tower of Pisa comes first to mind.
However, there are quite a few other great examples of buildings that are not exactly plumb. See here
My personal favourite isn't really a tower, but it also really isn't straight either .. The Crooked House pub in South Staffordshire. Built in 1765 and condemned in 1940 for obvious reasons. It was rescued from getting torn down by a brewery with a really sick sense of humour. They reinforced the structure but kept the 'character' feature. Patrons now are subjected to pints that look like they are about to slide off the table and hallways that lean one way or the other .. and that's before consuming a few beverages!
We had no idea that we had another landmark right here at home .. The Leaning Stack of Surbiton.
The photos came over WhattsApp from MTL with a message that we need to talk. Exactly what you don't want to hear. What does this mean? Are we in for a nasty surprise? Does it need to be rebuilt?!
It turns out that the leaning-ness wasn't really the issue. It was the height. As you can see from the photo below, it's slightly below the pitch of the new roofline so it needs to be raised slightly. Not that big a deal. The rest is just aesthetics and will be covered up in the new layout anyway. Phew!
But in the meantime, come see the latest architectural attraction in Surbiton .. for a limited time only though as this one will be shortly covered up.
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