Tag: featured

“As I am traveling alone this time, I have leisure to think over all I have seen and done during the past few months, and I do so with great pleasure.”

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Italian Journey

It was late Sunday afternoon and was standing near the lakefront looking back at the skyline at the north side of the Loop. It was pouring down rain and the tree I was standing under was providing marginal shelter at best. But I didn’t mind. Part of the fun of exploring is going out regardless of the weather. I was taking in the view and reflecting on the weekend I had.

Continue reading “A Long Weekend in Chicago” →

The next city on my itinerary was Strasbourg, a major city in France in the Alsace region. It is located on the river Rhine, which serves as the border between France and Germany. The historic core of Strasbourg is called the Grande Île (German: Große Insel; English: Large Island) and its border is formed by the river Ill and a canal that was constructed off the Ill called the Canal du Faux-Rempart (English: Canal of the Fake Rampart). The city is home to the European Parliament, a university, a medieval church, and some beautiful parks. The Grande Île was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988.

Continue reading “A Rainy Day in Strasbourg” →

Next stop on my trip was Freiburg im Breisgau, the fourth-largest city in Baden-Württemberg. Freiburg is located on the Dreisam River, a tributary of the Rhine, and sits on the western edge of the Schwarzwald (Black Forest). Looming over the town is a large hill called the Schlossberg. It is home to a university, a medieval church, and a lot of interesting features for a wandering tourist.

Continue reading “A Rainy Day in Freiburg” →

“A great style is not made by uttering great words…A great style is not made at all. It is discovered by a host of explorers with their minds and hearts full of the thoughts and feelings of their day. When it is discovered it becomes the property of a whole culture, to draw on as it will, until it has been sucked dry of meaning in its turn. “

Robert A. M. Stern, Tradition and Adventure in Architecture: Conversation and Essays

The time for discovery of a great style may be ripe. The opportunity, not only to share, but to lead in the exploration is ours…This task we will share together.”

Robert A. M. Stern, Tradition and Adventure in Architecture: Conversation and Essays

The title for this blog post is taken from “Song of the Broad-Axe” by Walt Whitman. Here is a photo series from Paris.

Continue reading “The Shapes Arise: Photos from Paris” →

“Architectural travel does not end with maturity – all the practicing architects I know travel in order to see places with their own eyes, to observe the effect of a specific form, a quality of light, or a particular dimension, and to learn how people behave in certain spaces.”

Witold Rybczynski, How Architecture Works: A Humanist’s Toolkit

While I am not an architect, I do enjoy traveling to new cities. Each new city brings with it the excitement of seeing beautiful buildings. Pictures can only show us one particular detail or a single segment of scenery. They are crafted to show their subjects in the most flattering light. But seeing something in person is a completely different experience. We see how all of the elements that define a city interact with each other. We see their flaws and shortcomings and we also see their beauty from different angles and perspectives. There is a new context, and for us, the traveler, that is what excites us.

Continue reading “Museums and Architecture: London” →