Hidden in Plain Sight

Last night's season-ending <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His_Last_Vow">Sherlock</a></i> had plenty of fetching modern architecture – the "<a href="http://kissthemgoodbye.net/sherlock/albums/s3/e03/Sherlock_S03E03_1080p_kissthemgoodbye_net_1688.jpg">slatty</a>" London office of bad guy Magnussen (anybody know this building?) and his country estate, Appledore (<a href="http://www.davidaustinassociates.co.uk/projects/countryhouse/swinhay/">a house by David Austin</a>), to name a couple – but it was the fake facade at 23-24 Leinster Gardens that stole the show.<br /><br />Here's the front:<br /><iframe width="640" height="480" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://maps.google.com/maps?layer=c&panoid=QUMbzSjWLaP2BlwyrNtBwQ&cbp=13,254.47,,1,-11.14&cbll=51.512703,-0.18318&ie=UTF8&t=h&source=embed&ll=51.512473,-0.183179&spn=0.000801,0.001717&z=19&output=svembed"></iframe><br /><br />And here's the back:<br /><iframe width="640" height="480" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://maps.google.com/maps?layer=c&panoid=xoOtg4T8O_5zHYL2kGkoZg&cbp=13,86.6,,1,-5.75&cbll=51.512577,-0.184392&ie=UTF8&t=m&source=embed&ll=51.394065,-0.184021&spn=0.411303,0.878906&z=10&output=svembed"></iframe><br /><br />As can be seen in the aerial below, the 2-D facade hides the below-grade railway while giving continuity to the street.<br /><iframe width="640" height="480" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=51.512567,-0.183924&spn=0.000801,0.001714&z=19&output=embed"></iframe><br /><br />While this deception is apparently <a href="http://www.urban75.org/london/leinster.html">common knowledge</a>, it's new to me.<br /><br />Yet I know London is not alone, as Joralemon Street in Brooklyn has <a href="http://www.messynessychic.com/2013/01/29/the-fake-townhouses-hiding-mystery-underground-portals/">a fake townhouse</a> that serves as a vent and emergency exit for the subway: <br /><iframe width="640" height="480" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="https://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&t=h&layer=c&cbll=40.69356,-73.997381&panoid=5GNWtmSXK3TXaBlGu88HXg&cbp=13,193.63,,0,-14.46&source=embed&ll=40.693362,-73.99738&spn=0.00069,0.000858&z=20&output=svembed"></iframe><br /><br />Know of anything similar? Please comment if you do.

Hidden in Plain Sight

Last night's season-ending Sherlock had plenty of fetching modern architecture – the " slatty " London office of bad guy Magn...

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