Inspiration of the Day 4-26-12

Courtesy House in beach Palabritas by Archdaily 

Time for more inspiration! I'm truly a sucker for soft colours and shiny buildings, so this one jumped right out at me. This house, designed by Jose Orrego in Palabritas Beach, Lima, Peru has an amazing touch built into it. The rounded rectangle in the front of the building acts as as a "frame" to the beach and nearby islands on the other side of it. These curves would be a challenge to recreate in Lego, but if they were well achieved, the result would be beautiful. Get building!

Inspiration of the Day 4-18-12

Courtesy Fractured House by ArchDaily

Boulder, Colorado- (BTT) In a major city, or even a sub-major city,  buildings will have taken up a majority of the urban landscape, leaving potential builders with only one option- demolishing. The same idea applies to Lego- it may be hard, but we will eventually have to break down old MOCs in favor of new ones. But, as this beautiful residence designed by Studio H:T shows, the result can often be even better than the footprint it had filled.

Inspiration of the day- 4-1-12

Cité Municipale de Bonneuil-Sur-Marne by Archdaily

These days inspiration always seems to be from the world around us, and sometimes, just our imaginations. But sometimes, it's nice to take a dive into the imagination of another person. This excellent concept image of the Cité Municipale de Bonneuil-Sur-Marne shows many great concepts, while keeping a modern, restrained facade, and showcasing the inside with its glass exterior. It creates a great flow, between the interior working space, and the exterior, natural world. The building helps define the landscape, showcasing man's ingenuity, while still showing appreciation of mother nature.

Inspiration of the Day - 2/12/12

Courtesy Riverview High School by RTC1

Sarasota, Florida - (BTT) We've covered a lot of buildings that have had near misses with the wrecking ball over these last few months, but not all buildings have been so lucky. Riverside High School was completed in 1958 by architect Paul Rudolph - that same year he was appointed Dean of the Yale School of Architecture. This example of International Style architecture became the poster child of a movement which was later dubbed Sarasota Modern. Although there were a few undesired quirks associated with the building, especially when it rained, the use of covered walkways and sunshades over the windows made this a true pioneer in the field of green architecture. Unfortunately the building was demolished in 2009, despite the best efforts of preservationists and other architects, proving that we still have a lot to learn in terms of protecting important modernist works.

Inspiration of the Day - 2/5/12

Courtesy Jefferson Market Library by Stuck in Customs

Greenwich Village, Manhattan - (BTT) A gorgeous example of Victorian Gothic architecture, the Jefferson Market Library, designed by Frederick Clark Withers and Calvert Vaux and completed in 1877, is yet another Inspiration that is lucky to still be standing. Originally built as the Third Judicial District Courthouse, the building saw its fair share of prominent trails, including that of Harry K. Thaw for murder of architect Stanford White, who has previously been featured on this site. Abandoned in the mid 1940s, the building was set to be demolished around 1958 until it was saved by a campaign to convert it into a branch of the New York Public Library. As seen by the scaffolding around the base in the picture above, the building might need a little touch up now and again, but thankfully won't have to worry about meeting a bulldozer ever again.

Inspiration of the Day - 1/29/12

Courtesy St. Vincent Street Free Church by dalbera

Glasgow, Scotland, UK - (BTT) When you think of great Greek Revival architecture, chances are the first place to pop into your mind isn't Glasgow, but perhaps it should be. One of the greatest architects of his time, the appropriately named Alexander "Greek" Thomson, only recently gained the fame he deserved outside his home town in Scotland - certainly better late than never. His St. Vincent Street Free Church, completed in 1859, is the most intact of his three monumental churches he built in Glasgow, providing a very nice contrast to the less traditional (to put it nicely) buildings in the neighborhood.

Inspiration of the Day - 1/22/12

Courtesy Cadet Chapel by athenius22

US Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs - (BTT) In stark contrast to last week's Inspiration, the Cadet Chapel at the US Air Force Academy is a true triumph of modernist architecture. Designed by SOM's Walter Netsch and completed in 1962, the building was extremely controversial when initially completed, but has since been recognized for its importance - it even became a National Historic Landmark in 2004. Although there are several places of worship found within, the Protestant Chapel is easily the grandest, taking full advantage of the space located beneath the 17 iconic spires.

Inspiration of the Day - 1/15/12

Courtesy Cathderal of Learning by steveh30

University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - (BTT) While some institutions consider education to be an almost spiritual experience, few take it as literally as the University of Pittsburgh. The 42-story Cathedral of Learning, designed by architect Charles Z. Klauder and dedicated in 1937, was not only planned to be the tallest building in Pittsburgh when it broke ground, but remains to this day the tallest educational building in the entire Western hemisphere. Before you head off for class, make sure you write down the room number carefully - with over 2,000 rooms inside, it could take the whole semester finally find your way.

Inspiration of the Day - 1/8/12

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts by army.arch

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - (BTT) Known for his bold styles and creative use of materials, Philadelphia born architect Frank Furness was one of the more notable American architects following the Civil War. His competition winning design for the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, completed in 1876, was one of many buildings in his city of birth - sadly, it is also one of the few still standing. Other gems, such as the magnificent Broad Street Station, have been demolished over the years, but thankfully some have escaped the wrecking ball. Influences from Furness live on in the work of one of his former draftsmen, Louis Sullivan, who is also known for his similar use of organic decorative elements. 

Inspiration of the Day - 12/11/11

Courtesy Stockholm Public Library by halinge

Stockholm, Sweden - (BTT) Designed by Gunnar Asplund, quite possibly Sweden's most celebrated architect, the Stockholm Public Library is a stunning example of the rather short-lived Nordic Classicism style. Completed in 1928, it was the first library in Sweden that had open shelves accessible to the public without the need for a librarian - the grand interior was specifically designed to show off the collection and allow its visitors to browse unaided. 

Inspiration of the Day - 12/4/11

Courtesy Geisel Library by Chimay Bleue

University of California, San Diego - (BTT) Easily one of the most iconic examples of brutalist architecture, the Geisel Library (named after at Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel) the UCSD campus looks straight out a sci-fi movie - no surprise it has been featured in several over the years. Architect William Pereira, who completed this library in 1970, was truly one of the masters of the style, and the state of California is home to dozens of landmark worthy buildings of his work. While there are still a lot of people in which brutalism is remembered less than fondly, there has been a bit of a traction in the preservation movement as of late - it's worth remembering that more than just classically designed buildings are worth saving.

Inspiration of the Day - 11/20/11

Courtesy Einstein Tower by Studio Jonas Coersmeier

Potsdam, Germany - (BTT) A landmark of Expressionist Architecture, Erich Mendelsohn's Einstein Tower is a true survivor. Construction started in 1919, but by the time the building was fully operational in 1924 there were already problems with the facade cracking, due in part from the materials being changed from concrete to stucco covered brick without any alterations made to the design. In World War II the building was heavily damaged in the Allied bombings of Potsdam, but thankfully its significance to the world of architecture was realized and it was repaired. While the upkeep on the Einstein Tower has been a bit on the steep side - the most recent renovations being completed in time for the 75th anniversary of the building - I don't think it is controversial to say that it has been money well spent.

Inspiration of the Day - 11/13/11

Courtesy Seagram Building by anthonyling86

New York, New York - (BTT) A triumph of the International Style, design architects Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Philip Johnson not only built the most expensive skyscraper in history up until that point with their Seagram Building, completed in 1958, but also the most influential. Featuring floor to ceiling windows (the first office building in the world to do so), exposed I-beams on the facade, and a public plaza that people actually want to spend time in, the building was an instant hit that lead to more copycats than anything else erected after the war. Despite being a modernist building through and through, the proportions and detailing is still deeply rooted in classical architecture, and even the lobby pays homage to last week's Inspiration directly across the street.

Inspiration of the Day - 11/6/11

Courtesy Racquet and Tennis Club by matthaei

New York, New York - (BTT) Easily one of the most prolific and influential architecture firms at the turn of the century, McKim, Mead and White knew how to create a monumental building. Charles Follen McKim's Racquet and Tennis Club, completed in 1918 and fine example of the Beaux Arts style, stands as a lone masonry gem in a sea of glass that is the Park Avenue of today. One of those other buildings, directly across the street from the Racquet and Tennis Club, will actually be the subject of the next Inspiration post.

Inspiration of the Day - 10/29/11

Courtesy The Dulwich Picture Gallery by Eric Hardy

Dulwich, South London, England - (BTT) Even if you have never been inside the Dulwich Picture Gallery, architect Sir John Soane's landmark 1817 building and England's first purpose-built public art gallery, chances are you have been to a museum that was directly influenced by it. Designed as a series or interlinked rooms, illuminated indirectly from above through the use of skylights, Soane set the standard to how paintings should be displayed that continues on to this very day.

Inspiration of the Day - 9/23/11

Courtesy Cincinnati Union Terminal by Robby Virus

Cincinnati, Ohio - (BTT) Completed in 1933 by architects Alfred T. Fellheimer and Steward Wagner (with a little guidance from Paul Cret), this iconic Art Deco train station very nearly suffered the same unfortunate fate as New York's Penn Station before being declared a historic landmark, but not before the bulldozers had already razed most of the train concourse. Thanks in large part to the efforts of Jerry Springer (yes, the one you are thinking of - he was once the mayor of Cincinnati after all), the building is now enjoying a new life as a museum, inspiring lovers of culture (and comics) for many years to come.

Inspiration of the Day - 9/16/11

Courtesy Forest Hills Gardens by Joe Shlabotnik

Forest Hills Gardens, Queens, New York - (BTT) Yes, you read that right - this is not some sleepy town in Europe but a planned community right in New York City. Architect Grosvenor Atterbury, along with landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., began planning the 142 acre neighborhood around 1908, and just a few years later the streets were in place and landmark buildings like the Forest Hills Inn above were proving that a 10 minute train ride out of Manhattan could transport a person to a completely different world.

Inspiration of the Day - 9/9/11

Courtesy Villa Capra "La Rotunda" by Sebastià Giralt

Vicenza, Italy - (BTT) Despite working exclusively in a relatively small part of Italy, Andrea Palladio is considered the most influential person in the history of Western architecture. Appropriately done in the Palladian Style, Villa Capra, completed after the architect's death around 1590, has possibly influenced the design of more buildings than any other project.

Inspiration of the Day - 9/2/11

Courtesy National and University Library by piotrsmolnicki

Ljubljana, Slovenia - (BTT) Architect Jože Plečnik spent much of his life in his home town of Ljubljana, making a lasting impression as both a designer and educator. Completed in 1941, the National and University Library of Slovenia remains the most monumental of his contributions to the city and one of the best examples of his unique style in a time when such Classical ideals were sadly falling out of favor.

Inspiration of the Day - 8/26/11

Courtesy Wainwright Building by msabeln

St. Louis, Missouri - (BTT) It's sometimes easy to forget that while certain building types seem commonplace now, there was a single landmark example that started it all. When Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan completed the Wainwright Building in 1891, they not only created one of the first skyscrapers ever built, but also the standard by which all future ones would be judged.