QUICK LINK LITE DEPLOYABLE BARRIER SYSTEM BY CORUS, HYDE PARK, LONDON

A VBIED is a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device. A car bomb. When you absolutely, positively need to keep fundamentalist terrorists or ecosocialist nutters from carbombing your shrubbery, you can deploy the Quick Link Lite barrier system like this...

at the impressive rate of 30 metres of barrier per hour with 'minimum disruption'.
This is the architectural expression of how the government has allowed the police, through terror legislation (specifically in this case Lord West's terrorism strategy CONTEST2) to militarise our public realm unabashedly and completely. The top picture looks like a checkpoint along the Berlin wall, and I think it's really interesting how the photographer has tried to give it the maximum intimadation factor by taking the picture from down low.
Quick Link Lite was first used at the G20 summit in London in April, and is coming soon to a perfectly legal and peaceful demonstration near you...

LEY HILL PLAY AREA, BY BIRMINGHAM CC LANDSCAPE GROUP AND ALPHA RAIL

Believe it or not, this was sent out as a publicity photo for a new play area, and is not a set from the lowrises in The Wire. Words fail me. So here's the architect responsible.
Jonathan Webster, Principal Landscape Architect at Birmingham City Council Landscaping Practice Group, comments: “Ley Hill is a major regeneration scheme and equally as important as creating homes that people want to live in, we want to develop an attractive, public open space where families can spend their leisure time. The railings play an important part in providing aesthetically pleasing facilities that are safe and appealing.” he added.
This play area looks like it was designed and installed by a colour blind sadist, and the photo seems to have been taken by someone who thinks the litter bin is the most important feature of this new community amenity. He/she might be right.