London underground celebrates its 150th birthday! We’ve got a g2 special including Stephen Moss on a trip on the central line, the timeline of the underground, and a gallery going the best underground posters including these from 1911, 1927 and 1987 (can you guess which is which?)
In the first video of the Guardian’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year hustings, Ian Prior gives his reasons for Jessica Ennis, London 2012 poster girl and under-pressure Olympian, to win the gong. With her image on billboards all over the city, Ennis was British athletics’ greatest hope of gold at the London Games, but the style with which she achieved her goal surely makes her a favourite for the prize
URGH!
Check out some of the winners and runners-up in the second annual Shit London photography awards, celebrating the city’s ugliest buildings, worst shop names and most depressing views. This pic was actually winner of the Best international photograph (a new category for 2012, celebrating the worst of other cities): Possibly soiled mattress, Sydney, Australia, by Katja Forbes Photograph: KK Outlet/Shit London/Rex Features
On Friday 5 December 1952, a thick yellow smog brought the capital to a standstill for four days and is estimated to have killed more than 4,000 people. London’s air may appear much cleaner today, but is still dangerously polluted. The coal pollution that caused the infamous ‘pea soupers’ has been replaced by invisible pollution – mainly from traffic fumes – resulting in 13,000 early deaths each year in the UK and 4,300 in London
There is no nice way of putting this, but the skyline of London is being screwed. There are now, built and in the pipeline, at least 30 towers, typically in a height range of 150-200 metres (or 490-650 feet. The BT tower is 177 metres high and more slender than anything now proposed). They are the fulfilment of the desires of investors and of the policies of Ken Livingstone, pursued with equal vigour by Boris Johnson, even though he once promised to take a tougher line on height.
The Observer’s Rowan Moore on how London’s skyline is being altered - for the worse - by a rash of skyscrapers of questionable architectural merit.
Illustration: Nick Brown
Morning! Over 500 pre-1905 vehicles made their way on the historic 60-mile run from Hyde Park in London to coastal Brighton in southern England, in the world’s longest running motoring celebration, going back 116 years. All vehicles must be driven at an average speed of no more than 20mph - take a look at the wet and windy pics by clicking on the photo
Drapers’ Hall, Throgmorton avenue: the Livery room has scenes from The Tempest and A Midsummer Night’s Dream on the ceiling and marble Corinthian columns march around the entire room
From London’s hidden interiors - in pictures.
Photograph: Derek Kendall
Will London become the first city with commuter swim lanes?
Always wanted to swim to work! This proposal by Y/N Studio would transform canals into a swimmable network, from Little Venice to Limehouse
Guardian Art and Design have the full story here.
(via stephenabbott)
Photograph: Ivan Coleman
Pedal-powered mobile coffee shop anyone? Our favourite ideas from the London 2012 Design Festival.
A selection of stories, photos, quotes, video and audio from guardian.co.uk, curated by James Walsh, Hannah Waldram, Carmen Fishwick and the Guardian's editorial team. We are also editors of the news tag.
