I've been a bad blogger this week with only 1 post, so I'll make up for that here with 2 photos I took this week. The first is a beautiful garden, ready for fall, in Cleveland Park. This quaint Victorian house is up on a little hill and I love how the plants get gradually taller (and more colorful) as they work their way up the embankment.
The 2nd photo I took on my favorite block of N street, across from the house with the
rupunzel tower. I love how a very basic townhouse takes on a whole lot of character with great intricate brickwork patterns. Why don't we experiment with this more today? Also notice the bells and whistles up on the roof too. Hope you all have a great weekend!
I've been a bad blogger this week with only 1 post, so I'll make up for that here with 2 photos I took this week. The first is a beautiful garden, ready for fall, in Cleveland Park. This quaint Victorian house is up on a little hill and I love how the plants get gradually taller (and more colorful) as they work their way up the embankment.
The 2nd photo I took on my favorite block of N street, across from the house with the rupunzel tower. I love how a very basic townhouse takes on a whole lot of character with great intricate brickwork patterns. Why don't we experiment with this more today? Also notice the bells and whistles up on the roof too. Hope you all have a great weekend!
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13 comments:
I love brick. There's something very warm and stable about it. It really says "home" to me. It really sucks that contractors and developers basically only use balloon frames and other low-quality materials to build houses nowadays. My hometown is just outside DC, and I'd just recently begun to understand what a beautiful city it is.
It seems to me that there should be ArchitectDesign tours (subscription, of course) of DC architecture on the weekends - you're finding buildings you love and they might not be famous but they are beautiful.
The brickwork is a delight but I wonder in answer to your question if this effect could be achieved with todays' brick veneers without it looking too pre-molded.
Great brick work indeed. Thanks for sharing.
I too wonder why there isn't more experimenting with brick.
I love the old buildings. There is no comparison to the slap stick
work of today. Not as much style.
In Holland most houses are still built using brick. Lots of room to experiment using this great building material you would think. But it is rarely done. You asked why don't we experiment with this more today? Well the answer is simple: cost. Anything out of the ordinary requires a specialist craftsperson and time, which equals money and lots of it. Thankfully in my area you do still see that time, effort and money is being put into restoring old farmhouses (18th and 19th century)with some pretty fabulous brickwork. Especially the chimneystacks are works of art. It means that the skills are not lost and hopefully we will see them being used in modern building in the near future.
Wonderful building with the rapunzel tower. I'd love to have my bedroom up there :)
Great eye Stefan, that brickwork is special.
xs
We forgive you. Especially when you give photos like these. What a gorgeous garden!!!
Cheers for brick details. From what I've seen, the Masons seem the happiest building trade, good compensation for the backbreaking work. Their work shows and will last as long the structure. Something to show the grandchildren and great grandchildren.
I watched a designer do an on-the-fly design for some columns in a yard. Just simple 4' tall square pedestals with concrete urns with fruit on top. The masons could tell that the designer knew what he was doing. They knew they were building something beautiful, something better than it had to be. I was moved by the process, but about bricks, I'm very easy.
I confess I'm mildly mystified by what you like about that particular block. It seems to me that there are others, on the same side of Dupont Circle, that have more of what you seem to like here (dense, interesting brickwork and quirky Victorian features).
Confession Number 2: I went out of my way to see the Rapunzel Tower, just to wonder how I had managed to not see it -- what? -- a thousand times.
Best.
I used to live in DC and still travel there for work quite often, and I love seeing all of the beautiful brick.
In California, unreinforced masonry is a big seismic no-no, and while it leads to a lot of amazing modern architecture, nothing replaces the beauty of brick laid by a true craftsman.
Stefan, Love catching up all on your fabulous posts. I always enjoy your architectural perspective on everything. You are right how you always comment on the small details, they all add up. Hope you are doing well.
I just found your blog for the first time through Maison 21. I love seeing all the architectural details you've shot of all the buildings. I am a historic architecture nut...so I'm thrilled to have found your blog, I'll be reading it from now on.
What a gorgeous building. Thank you so much for the sweet post!
E+J
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