Beauty in Brutalism

Beauty in Brutalism. Washington, D.C., U.S.A. August 2017.

Washington, D.C., USA. August 2017.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is one of the more interesting brutalist buildings in D.C. Modernist Marcel Breuer designed the building and included two of his style signatures: the concrete curve and the deep-set rectilinear windows. The "curvilinear" shape of this 10-floor building was designed to ensure the maximum amount of light to shine into the offices while the seemingly endless grid of windows reminds you just how immense the concrete structure is. I am not typically drawn to brutalism, but HUD is striking to me because it integrates these two opposing design aspects. 

Walking with a Purpose

Walking with a Purpose. Washington, D.C., U.S.A. February 2017.

Twice a year, the Library of Congress welcomes the public to it's famous Main Reading Room for an open house.  One of the open house dates lands on President's Day every year and I visited during my staycation this year.  

The Reading Room in the Thomas Jefferson Building is truly breathtaking, however the most unique moment I saw was this group of sisters exiting the Library together. Running into sisters traveling together in public was a common sight in Italy, however it's not something I see every day here. I noticed their bright blue habits as I approached the Library and was happy I snapped them before they disappeared out of frame. 

Freshly Minted

Freshly Minted. Washington, D.C., U.S.A. July 2016.

I used to race through the Main Hall of Union Station to catch the Amtrak, however since the recently completed renovation I have taken a bit more time walking through to enjoy the transit hub. For the first time in 50 years, the Main Hall is clear of any obstructions. The renovations were prompted four years ago when an earthquake shook D.C. and damaged parts of the Station. Stakeholders used the opportunity to rethink the atrium of the hall e.g. remove the monstrosity of a cafe that used to sit in the middle of this beautiful space. Now visitors can appreciate the beautiful Beaux Arts hall the way that brilliant architect/urban planner Daniel Burnham created and designed it.