Indy Home Book » Architecture & Design

Trellis Mandala

Richard — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 12:53:07 +0000

Just a photo I liked. Taken in the gardens south of Oldfields Lilly House, Indianapolis Museum of Art. I was drawn to the symmetrical design that the trellis made. To me it was like a simple mandala. While gazing at it there, the scent from the flowering plants made the experience even more delightful.

There’s an infinite number of other things to gaze upon and enjoy at IMA…another discovery around every corner. An amazing place.

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Garage Evolution

Richard — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:44:46 +0000

A garage is something that most of us probably take for granted. But if our cars had to stay outside during weather extremes, we’d appreciate them more. A customer of mine has been looking for a home in an area where most of the homes have garages, but maybe a fifth of the homes do not. Of the ones that do, most of them are detached garages that stand alone from the home. That’s just the way they built them back then in this neighborhood which was developed between 1925 to about 1945. I was thinking that the detached garage was probably a carry-over from earlier days when carriage houses and stables were located separate from the house. When the horseless carriage came along, it went in it’s barn too. The car evolved then into such an integral part of our culture and daily life…and the convenient access and use of them made way for attached garages, which are here to stay.

If a home does not have a garage, it is definitely harder to sell. Not that it won’t sell without a garage, but a lot of people will pass on it to find one that does. So it reduces the chances of a sale. If you look at an old home built before 1950, chances are the garage is not visible from the front…just the lines of the home itself. Now it’s not uncommon to see a home design where the garage door is probably the most prominent feature of the front facade. Most of that is because the architect or builder has to figure out how to fit both home and garage on a lot that’s not real wide. The garage door can take up a third or more of the front elevation. A side-load or rear-load garage solves that design issue, but a larger lot that accommodates the driveway and turning area costs more, raising the overall price of the home.

I was driving around recently, saw this garage and had to snap a photo. As garages go, I really like the look of this one. What car wouldn’t want to call this home?

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Doorway to the Past

Richard — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 02:28:41 +0000

This remnant of the wall from the old market with archway and masonry detail has always intrigued me. It stands alone out in the open, in the park area to the west of the main entrance of the City Market. I know that it was preserved probably because of it’s historical significance and rich detail, but don’t know enough about the old market building to understand where and how it was actually used. It definitely makes the park there a little classier though.

Paris has got the Arc de Triomphe. And so I’m calling this the Arc de Marche deVille. (pardon my french) Sounds a little more World Class? Although I know most of us Hoosiers would probably just prefer to call it The City Market Arch.

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Set in Stone

Red Building

Richard — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:32:29 +0000

I liked the strength and simple elegance of this building…and the contrast in the photo of sun and shadow on it’s exterior against the blue sky. I guess that’s why this shot made today’s cut. The repeating windows really define the exterior with their pattern, and the Federalist style details at the top are a nice touch too. Maybe someone can enlighten us with the name and use of this building? I have no idea. I’m guessing it has offices inside…rather than residential apartments. I remember where I took this though. It’s located downtown…near Circle Centre. Walked outside of the east side of Circle Centre on Meridian Street and there it was.

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Cloaking Devise

Richard — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 22:55:25 +0000

I was cutting through the Community Hospital North campus and thought this view of one side of the main building had some interesting qualities. The rounded design with curved crown and large square mirror-like windows looks more like a modernistic hotel or swanky office building. The buildings reflective qualities reminded me a bit of one of the high-tech airplanes that has a cloaking devise so that when you look at it, you still see what’s outside instead of the shape of the plane itself. I was afraid that I would be seen in the photo, so I hid within the reflection of one the trees. Go ahead and look…I’m there, but invisible!

If you drive then around to the main entrance, it still has the feel of a hotel. There is valet parking at the curb, and the front facade is an immense wall of glass that lights up the huge main lobby. I guess if one has to be ill, or if you have to visit someone who is, it’s better to have this than a dark and depressing old hulk of a building to be in.

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ISM’s Multiple Looks

Richard — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 02:08:06 +0000

Recently I was downtown and exploring around the White River Park area. I’ve been inside the Eiteljorge Museum several times of course, but I never had looked around outside that much. This day I started walking around and discovered a path that meanders through a beautiful garden area with natural stone formations. It eventually leads you out on the walkway by the side of the Canal. I didn’t know that was even there so I was kind of surprised to find it. But also I was surprised that the path gave me a look at the Indiana State Museum next door from a different vantage point too.

From this side, the square and angled sections with rounded tower of the ISM looked like a sculpture in stone, metal and glass growing out of a wooded area with blooming indigenous flowers, plantings and giant rocks.

From the front, the ISM looks really long and low and has a stark institutional look. I guess that’s why I was surprised by this new perspective. Almost like it had another personality.

Once you are on the walkway along the Canal, there is still yet another look awaiting. I guess you can call it the museums back door…but yet it’s no less inviting. The stone, metal and dark glass entrance has a clean look about it. The canal flowing nearby and walkways provides a picturesque threshold.

You’ve heard the expression that “it’s what’s on the inside that matters”. While the inside of the museum definitely holds the greatest treasures, the building itself is certainly an wonderful vessel to keep them in.

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Set in Stone

Richard — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 19:29:11 +0000

I was showing homes recently in an area of 1930-40′s era homes, and happened to see this detail over the doorway to an apartment building nearby. The building looks like it’s of that same age. Of course I was fascinated by the intricate nature of the detail. The look of most of it appears to resemble stone that has been carved and set in with the rest of the stonework that surrounds the doorway. But thinking about it later, I came to the conclusion that it was some kind of cement that was cast in a mold to produce the individual pieces that were laid by a masonry contractor. The detail looks so perfect and repeated itself to perfection time after time…to me that was the give-a-way that it was a form and not a carving…although expert stone carvings can be awfully good.

I was wondering though what was used to color the crest and the trumpet-like flower buds that the Cherubs are emerging from? And I wondered if the crest had any significance. I finally decided it was just a fancy ornament to doll the place up a bit. I guess I just can’t remember seeing things of this nature too often.

A perfect example of “They don’t make ‘em like they used to.”

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Gazebos

Richard — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 12:00:24 +0000

You don’t see whole lot of these. This gazebo looks inviting though, doesn’t it? I think it’s an interesting concept. It’s kind of like a porch on a home, except it’s a porch that’s separated from the home. Gives you a place to sit, relax, and get a way from the goings-on inside. And a good place to read, talk or view the landscape from a different perspective. Definitely one of the more romantic architectural features.

If you have the room and space for a gazebo in your yard or property, it might be something worth considering.

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Veranda

Richard — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:00:40 +0000

Ever had a need to use any of the services in any of the departments located in the Indiana State Government Center? The complex is located between the old State House and White River State Park on the north side of Washington Street. Since Indianapolis is the seat of our state government, we have all the official departments and bureaus at our fingertips. I had a need to visit the BMV there recently which prompted this photo. This was taken about 11:00am there…and the place was humming. There are several entrances off of this corridor. People coming and going like you wouldn’t believe. When I saw this straight shot down the veranda though I just had to have it. I liked the angles and shadows. So I waited..and waited..and waited…and finally for one split second there was no one there.

I’m not sure an architect would call this a veranda? There might be a different term for it on a large building. But if something like this were on a home I would call it a veranda. That’s a feature though that very few homes have now days. Verandas are a very close cousin to porches, and a fine line between the two sometimes. A lot of the older homes especially that were built before air conditioning was invented, have verandas…or full-length porches. It was so hot inside sometimes in the summer, people sat outside where it was cooler, shaded by the veranda roof, with a chance to catch a stray breeze or two. Probably why in those days people actually talked to their neighbors more as they walked down the street. Now people jump on Facebook or Twitter to communicate. Maybe they should bring verandas back on homes? Face to face is always better. Some of us would say “that sounds great” but still have our laptops or Blackberry on the veranda with us too. And, picture this Government Center veranda with a bunch of Adirondack chairs and rockers. Everyone could get their business done inside and then sit a while, talk and get to know each other.

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Please Come In

Richard — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 12:00:46 +0000

I just wanted to post this photo because I like it so much and felt like passing it on. I sometimes see an old home just brimming with character and feel like taking a piece of it with me…using my camera. This doorway is fabulous. This is not just a doorway and doors to me but more like a piece of artwork. A finely crafted wood sculpture. The fact that they are functional too is even more impressive. This is the doorway to the Benjamin Harrison home on north Delaware. I wrote a post with a photo about it not to long ago on Flag Day.

Quite a few people have come and gone through these portals for over a hundred twenty-five years. Just looking at this, I bet there’s only one thing that has changed and not original. One thing here that the earliest visitors may not have used. The doorbell button. That had to be an addition at some point. I’m not going to fault them for that though. Anyway…hope you enjoy.

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Flag Day