Architecture

[Brownian Motion]

St. Louis Gateway Arch.

[Chuck Nessa]

Why do I feel the need for a Bud and a Big Mac?

Structures can not be divorced from the surrounding culture.

[Spontooneous]

And the arch is just a few minutes away from another landmark human endeavor, the world's largest ketchup bottle.

[Jazzmoose]

Why do I feel the need for a Bud and a Big Mac? 

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Hmmm...the way I remember it was get the bud, then get three Big Macs, but maybe you're talking about the beer...

[Brownian Motion]

Structures can not be divorced from the surrounding culture.

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Odd to hear that from you, Chuck. It's sort of like saying that there is no point in recording music because music cannot properly exist outside the culture that created it.

[Chuck Nessa]

Structures can not be divorced from the surrounding culture.

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Odd to hear that from you, Chuck. It's sort of like saying that there is no point in recording music because music cannot properly exist outside the culture that created it.

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Things like this are called "reactions". It was in all the papers.

[BruceH]

St. Louis Gateway Arch.  

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I went up inside to the top of this once. It was like taking a slow amusement park ride. Impressive view!

One measure of good or great architecture is when it seems timeless. A commentator said recently that it was hard to believe the Gateway Arch just turned 40 because it seems like it had always been there. I know what he means.

[BERIGAN]

Why do I feel the need for a Bud and a Big Mac?

?

[Joe G]

Structures can not be divorced from the surrounding culture.

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You might "enjoy" this parade of bad architecture:

Eyesore of the Month

There's a couple of years worth of depressing stuff we all see every day (with often hilarious commentary).

[Brownian Motion]

The Queensborough Bridge, as painted by Edward Hopper in 1915.

[Joe G]

And the arch is just a few minutes away from another landmark human endeavor, the world's largest ketchup bottle.

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Functional?

[Chuck Nessa]

And the arch is just a few minutes away from another landmark human endeavor, the world's largest ketchup bottle.

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Functional?

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Monk tune?

[Joe G]

And the arch is just a few minutes away from another landmark human endeavor, the world's largest ketchup bottle.

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Functional?

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Monk tune?

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Nutty.

[JSngry]

Let's Call This

[BruceH]

Work

[Joe G]

Crazy. This was the Post Office in Lansing. The old City Hall is behind it.

[Quincy]

Eyesore of the Month

There's a couple of years worth of depressing stuff we all see every day (with often hilarious commentary).

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That's a great site. Wouldn't you know the building that you have it cued to is by the firm that is designing our (Eugene, OR) new federal courthouse. In a recent story about the artist who has been hired to contribute the obligatory public artwork it was noted that the presiding judge is "trying to get a bald eagle worked into some of it somehow." Oh goody!

I have a feeling I heard about detroitblog here, but just in case you haven't heard about it it's a fun read. The author's hobby is to enter abandoned buildings and explore & photograph them. I should add that he makes sure he does no harm to the building to gain entry. He may be running out of buildings to explore, so it might be best to dive deep into the archives. Some of the photos are tremendous and he's a fine observser & writer.

[Joe G]

Thanks for the link - that looks interesting as well.

[tonym]

My cup of tea has just interfaced with the keyboard (via my nose) upon reading the commentary of some of those eyesores.

Very good.

[Indestructible!]

Structures can not be divorced from the surrounding culture.

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You might "enjoy" this parade of bad architecture:

Eyesore of the Month

There's a couple of years worth of depressing stuff we all see every day (with often hilarious commentary).

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Hi Joe,

Well, most of the stuff listed on this site is spot on, but I have to say Kunstler misses the boat with the "Eyesore of the Month" for May 2005... the Caltrans District 7 Headquarters in Los Angeles is damn impressive!

Of course, I'm sure Kunstler doesn't like Geary's Disney Concert Hall either, so whaddayagonnado? IMHO, it's nice to see a city take some chances and add more modern designs to its core!

Cheers,

Shane

Edited November 11, 2005 by Indestructible!

[Brownian Motion]

Here's an interesting page on proposed but never-built Hudson River bridges.

http://www.nycroads.com/crossings/hudson-river-bridge/

[Quincy]

As this thread began with the Arch here's a site devoted to the historic architecture of St. Louis; some crumbling, some no more, some still standing. Rooster might have provided this link in another thread long ago. Near & dear to my heart as it was the nearest large city growing up.

Built St. Louis site.

Edited November 11, 2005 by Quincy

[Jim Alfredson]

Kunstler also doesn't care for Frank Gehry, obviously. My wife loves Gehry... I haven't made up my mind yet. Some of his stuff is cool, some of it is pretty ugly, imo.

[Joe G]

Hi Joe,

Well, most of the stuff listed on this site is spot on, but I have to say Kunstler misses the boat with the "Eyesore of the Month" for May 2005... the Caltrans District 7 Headquarters in Los Angeles is damn impressive!

Cheers,

Shane

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That looks like a real "love-it-or-hate-it" kind of design, and given Kunstler's bent, I'd say he'd be pretty well predisposed to hate it. One thing to consider is this: what is the future of a building like this? Will it still be thought a good idea 40 or 50 years from now?

[Jim Alfredson]

Well, thinking in such a way could be a very severe handicap.