18 December 2008

Building Examples

Some random building photos that I think are worth sharing:

Isfahan. I am really fascinated by this:


A Lutyens house, rear:


Pantheon:


Bay Window Detail from old architecture magazine:


Yale. An original Rudolph building on left, with Gwathmey's recent addition on right. Both pretty dismal in my modest opinion:


"Art is a kind of wireless energy, little understood and too often neglected, but free to all and very helpful to those who learn to give or receive its messages. A beautiful home has the power to attract attention, improve conduct, compel respect, bind families and friends, form communities, found states and create nations. Children reared in and among beautiful homes acquire good taste from them and seldom if ever do a very ugly thing."

Henry Holsman, President of AIA Illinois, 1920
Small House Competition Director


LaDefense vs Townhouse, demonstrating scale, from Life Between Buildings:


The Carnegie, a new building in Ft Worth:




New House, overhang detail:


New construction, Hampstead:


1913 Domestic:


Havana Building with arcade:

2 comments:

Radarman said...

mmmmm.
Lutyens.

columbus exile said...

When you show the styles side by side you really see how far architecture has fallen. Respect for scale or the users of the building is just completely gone in architecture today.

I'm sure some of you will disagree but it's like we build things to be disposable or needlessly shocking. In 50 years no one will love those Rudolph or Gwathmey buildings. We'll look at them as an ugly fad, like bell-bottems or tie-dyed shirts. Kind of cool at the time but just ridculous after the fad passes.

Good architecture doesn't need to be trendy or shocking. It doesn't need to be interpreted. It should be embracing and beautiful to everyone who encounters it.