Tag: architecture
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An Arch to Nowhere?
Last week the New York Times published an article comparing the proposed triumphal arch by President Trump to other triumphal arches both in the United States and abroad. Firstly, it ought to be pointed out, as my title alludes, significant questions remain about the legality of the proposed arch. Personally, I’m still waiting for Infrastructure…
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The Pandemic’s Influence on Home Design
I took last week off for the Orthodox Easter holiday. But I am back now. For some of the time I was away, I stayed at an old stone farmhouse that the owners renovated into a short-term rental. That made me think about what I would want or need in my own space. Of course…
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Ventfort Hall
On the last day of my trip I took some time to visit two Gilded Age mansions, called “cottages”, though they are anything but the image the word cottage conjures in my mind. Ventfort Hall, the subject of today’s post, was the cottage of Sarah Morgan, sister of J.P. Morgan. Yeah, that J.P. Morgan. So…
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Philadelphia’s Changing Skyline
Yesterday I mentioned how I spent Monday researching some old family properties in Philadelphia. In some cases the homes my family owned still stand. But, in many others the homes have long since been replaced. But that’s the nature of city development. That got me thinking about an article published earlier this month at Philadelphia…
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The Fire at Notre Dame Cathedral: Part Trois
On Tuesday I talked about a small article published by the New York Times that looked at the cathedral fire. I lamented that there were no immediate graphics explaining what happened. Just give me two days. Tuesday we had the BBC piece and then yesterday the New York Times published a more extensive look. As the user…
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Revealing the Past Through a Heatwave
The United Kingdom has been…well, enjoying is not the right word for me, so let’s just say witnessing a heatwave. And it is having some unexpected consequences. In short, things like grass will behave differently in extreme conditions when planted on soil vs. when growing atop stone, wood, or other non-natural features. This helps identify…
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Rotting Wooden Beams
Earlier this week a balcony collapse in Berkeley, California killed six Irish students. The building had only been finished in 2007 and was barely ten years old. While the investigation is ongoing, the Los Angeles Times reported on what might have been the cause: dry rot. Credit for the piece goes to Rong Gong-Lin II.
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The Tallest of the Tall (in Los Angeles)
I have always had an interest in architecture. And so this piece from the Los Angeles Times is just because I like to indulge myself every so often, a look at the five tallest buildings in Los Angeles. Credit for the piece goes to Scott J. Wilson, Matt Moody, and Anthony Pesce.