Here's a theory. Spanish Colonial is to Florida as Gothic
Revival is to London. That makes the former Ponce de Leon Hotel in St Augustine
equivalent to St Pancras Station. Both catered to the Nouveau Riche of the
industrial revolution heading south on new railway lines. The power of steam
opening up unprecedented travel opportunities.
Henry Flagler made his money in Oil and went on to build the Florida East Coast
Railway which served a series of Hotels that he either bought or built along
that coast. The Ponce de Leon was the first major project of architects Carrere
& Hastings who went on to become very successful in the Neo-Classical
style.
St Pancras was built as the London Terminus for Midland Railway, centred in Derby and connecting major industrial towns (Sheffield, Manchester, Birmingham, Carlisle) Engineer William Barlow and Architect George Gilbert Scott both made remarkable contributions to this iconic Victorian landmark.
So on the face of it, two very different styles of architecture and types of building. But in terms of their significance to the height of the industrial Revolution in two countries that played such pivotal roles in this great energy transition that gave birth to the modern world... They have much in common.
Just letting my mind wander across built history.
My time in the home of the brave is drawing to a close. This
weekend took me to Detroit to meet up with in-laws. Wish I had more time but a
memorable trip all the same.
My favourite, I think... The Guardian Building. It represents a very specific
point in history. Sandwiched between two World Wars, the aftermath of the
industrial revolution. What did modernity mean? Was it a kaleidoscope of
dreams, or the tyranny of the machine. Stark simplicity or lavish excess. Wirt
C Rowland chose style, invention, colour, texture : a veritable riot of the
senses. Native American references, gold, marble, coloured glass.
I didn't get to see Lafayette Park by Mr Less-is-More, Mies van der Rohe. That
would have have been the perfect contrast to the glorious excesses of Art Deco.
I have visited some of his work though, several years ago in Chicago and New
York. Crown Hall for example, the archetypal black box: sacred, impenetrable,
like the Kaaba in Mecca. And yet the home to a functioning school of
architecture, a simple container for the messy business of life.
The tension between minimalism and playfulness is everywhere in our lives, like
the tension between Conservative and Liberal. There are trade-offs to be made
at every turn. We try to take these decisions based on hard evidence, but we
only see the tip of the iceberg and life is short.
Aesthetics is inescapable. It's not everything, of course, and it's only a
proxy. It evolved most likely for mate selection, but proved it's worth in many
aspects of decision-making, used right across the animal kingdom. So it seems
to me.
Hormones, gut feelings, thinking on-the-fly. Beauty is a word for this inner
sense of rightness, excitement, fulfillment. To calculate the odds would take a
lifetime. Better to spend that life experiencing the tension between simplicity
and complexity, in the moment.
Fisher Building, by Albert Kahn, (not to be confused with
Louis Kahn) You could call this Art Deco but it leans heavily towards the
Neo-Classical on the inside, and the stripped-down Classical on the outside.
Cadillac Place is diagonally opposite Fisher Building with a very different
massing. Designed for General Motors also by Albert Kahn.
Shinola Hotel is a restoration of T. B. Rayl Company 1915 by Wirt Rowland. An
earlier work than the Art Deco, Guardian Building. More akin to Sullivan
perhaps with its windows grouped into vertical columns and use of terracotta.
Buhl Building, again by Rowland and channeling his Neo-Classical side although
Wikipedia calls it Neo-Gothic with Romanesque accents. Difficult to classify
perhaps.
I guess all this is evidence that the early skyscrapers of the 20th century
were very fluid in style, searching for a suitable way to express this new kind
of building. Trying out different options.
I honestly find this period more interesting than most of what has been built more
recently. Not sure why.
Its exuberance and rich use of color and texture reflect a unique moment in history. It really feels like a celebration of modernity and the complexity of the era, in contrast to the simplicity of minimalist architecture.
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It’s a constant push and pull in design, politics, and life. It’s as if we need both to make sense of the world—structure and chaos working together.
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The comparison between Spanish Colonial and Gothic Revival as emblematic styles tied to specific regions is an interesting cultural lens. Do you think these styles reflected the aspirations of their patrons?
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His minimalist approach stands as an almost meditative response to the frenetic energy seen in the Art Deco period. His buildings, like Crown Hall, seem to create a space for quiet reflection amidst the noise of the world.
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The way they experimented with styles, from Neo-Classical to Art Deco, reveals just how much architects were grappling with defining the modern age. Each building felt like it was pushing the boundaries in its own unique way.
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The Fisher Building’s blend of styles really stands out as a testament to how architecture can evolve through time, while Cadillac Place gives a nod to the industrial growth and power of companies like GM. It’s impressive how buildings like these reflect their creators' vision of the future.
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It's so interesting how old buildings like this one can maintain their original character while adapting to current trends. It adds a layer of history to contemporary living.
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