In recompense for my forgetfulness yesterday, I’ve got a small collection of photos today.

If you’re thinking that the above looks like someone has built a house on top of a block of flats, you’re not far wrong. It’s CIAC, or community in a cube, a new residential development in Middlesbrough’s shiny new Riverside One development. It consists of a block of flats of various sizes, with a couple of luxury houses on the top. It’s a fully sustainable development, and architecturally interesting to say the least.

This shows the same building from a different angle, showing both “perched houses”. Also notice the bizarre Playschool-esque windows in the cutaway portion.

Walking round the back of the building, this whole other surprise awaits: a strange inset geometric patterned wall, and paving resembling a jumbo zebra crossing. Oh, and a lamppost at a decidedly jaunty angle.

On a related note, the surrounding naked streets are the first I’ve driven on, and it’s certainly a disconcerting experience that forces you to slow right down – especially at junctions.

There’s no denying that CIAC and the whole Riverside One development is distinctive, and also modern. But it isn’t quite to my taste. But perhaps you’re asking yourself what the sales office for such a distinctive development looks like… Well, it certainly isn’t your usual portacabin or converted garage!

I had a great photo in mind for today, but forgot to swing by the location, and then forgot about the photo-a-day altogether. I guess there’s always tomorrow!

In the meantime, in lieu of a photo from today, here’s an extra one from Teessaurus Park, which I wrote about yesterday. It’s made of this weird alloy called Elgiloy Hastelloy C and when you first see the texture, you will see why they choose it. I think this is probably supposed to be a stegosaurus, though my knowledge is rustier than these sculptures, and I’d be happy to be corrected!

I have no doubt that Jensen, my eight year-old nephew, is far more of a dinosaur expert than me, yet I’m fairly sure that this is a life-size tyrannosaurus rex (albeit one with a slightly rusty hip). I spotted it earlier today at Teessaurus Park, on the bank of the Tess in Middlesbrough.

If you were ever a fan of Sim City 2000, you’ll remember that putting parks in industrial areas tended to improve the perceived land quality, and help your city to thrive. Teessaurus Park seems to have been based on a similar premise, based as it is very close to Middlesbrough’s industrial heart.

When it opened in 1979, there was only one dinosaur. Seven more have been added since then, mainly in the late 1980s, built by young people on Norman Tebbit’s Youth Training Scheme. Yet no number of dinosaurs can distract visitors for long from the huge A V Dawson freight terminal right next door, or the highly industrial view across the Tees:

It’s my first public health on call tonight: nervously waiting for the phone to ring! It’s about 20 months since I did my last hospital on call, so I’m no longer used to being at the mercy of the phone, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it fairly quickly!

Wendy, her mum, and I lunched in Olive and Bean today. Their paninis are delicious, and the service is always great too. If ever you’re looking for somewhere a bit different for a coffee or a sandwich in Newcastle, Olive and Bean comes highly recommended!

This is my lovely birthday caked, baked by Asda with additional icing by Wendy! Yum!

This advert was in the window of WHSmith in the Metrocentre today. I was amazed that anyone could be promoting software to “protect” an e-reader (protect from what?!), but also amazed to see that Peter Norton no longer features on the boxes of Norton products.

Wikipedia says the latter has been the case since 2001, which surprises me. I wonder, given that Mr Norton is 69 this year, whether it’s a case of marketing ageism? I suspect probably not, I guess pictures of software engineers on products are just not fashionable any more. That said, the fictional Mavis Beacon still beams on the packaging of that software.

I forgot to upload this yesterday – oops!

So yesterday’s photo-a-day is my Swimathon certificate. If you still haven’t sponsored me, please do! Marie Curie Cancer Care and I would be grateful for any donation, no matter how small. You can give at http://sjh.im/SimonSwim until 29th April 2012.

Thanks for your support!

Weetslade Country Park is a landscaped former colliery site just minutes from my front door, yet today was the first time I’ve visited. It boats about 20 hectares of land, including a hill with an artistic sculpture; a reedbed; woodland areas; and a newborn highland cow, called “wee” Slade (see what they did there?)

Unfortunately, I saw little more than the bottom of the hill today, as the heavens opened ten minutes or so after I arrived. I was soaked to the skin, despite my trusty Ikea umbrella!

It looks like it would be lovely to visit when the sun’s out, so I’m sure I’ll be back soon!

This is part of the pretty Royal Quays Marina at North Shields. It’s built around the Victorian Albert Edward Dock, which was opened by Albert Edward himself, in 1884.