Architecture and public buildings

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Thursday, February 13. 2020

Architecture and public buildings

It seems as if the official Maggie's Farm view is that government should be put into humble shopping centers and abandoned buildings in odd places rather than in grandiose, imperial-style rockpiles.

I am all in favor of grand public building, though. Just not governmental. Grand Central Terminal, for example. Public places which uplift the spirits of the common man or woman and government structures which humble our public servants.

A podcast (with transcript): Why Classical Architecture Matters

Posted by The Barrister in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation at 13:58 | Comments (5) | Trackbacks (0)

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I'm really not in favor of huge buildings. They always have the effect of making people feel small, and insignificant. I prefer medium sized buildings, where real thought has gone into the interior. Catholic churches often seem to achieve this. A good building welcomes people, and makes them feel as if they have arrived in a good place. I love the lobby of the Palmer House, in Chicago. To me, today's spartan design seems to be cold and impersonal.

#1 Ron Lieberman on 2020-02-13 16:55 (Reply)

Ah, but when grand buildings collapse, they can remove so much more trash in the process!

#1.1 Mark Matis on 2020-02-13 17:01 (Reply)

I think the problem is how we think of ourselves. If you feel small in a great building, get a clue. It's you. Great buildings (St. John's, GC, Chartres) are an inspiration to humanity. They inspire us to think big, think about what is really important, think about what is possible. Don't be so GD self centered!

#2 tim ferrell on 2020-02-13 17:41 (Reply)

Whenever I enter a grand Gothic cathedral, I am struck by the sheer audacity of the man who first conceived, let alone built, such a structure. As Tim says, an inspiration.

#2.1 RJP on 2020-02-13 19:58 (Reply)

The fire stations in my city are monstrous ugly, modern architecturally, and hence utter inefficient, surrounded by fraudulent, claptrap, modern, 'art', bought at vast expense by pig-ignorant politicos who never achieved anything, including a high school education, or a job paying more than trivial wages.

Fire stations are industrial buildings.

Do these political demons from an insane Boschian Hell not understand that?

#3 Fred Z on 2020-02-13 20:01 (Reply)

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Thursday, February 13. 2020

Architecture and public buildings