Ten Buildings

I'm enjoying my first day of the summer by watching a PBS documentary with Sam. It's profiling ten architectural wonders of the U.S.

#1) The Virginia Capitol, Richmond: We've been there! We visited it the day before Easter when we last visited Sherry's brother. It was the product of Jefferson's micromanagement and his zealous desire to avoid vestiges of monarchy. Even the statue of George Washington in that building shows small un-king-like details to differentiate us from our ancestors across the pond.

#3) Wainright Building, Chicago: I vaguely remember this building. Sherry and I visited our friend, Brian, in 2005 and took an architectural tour of Chicago. That was one of our favorite ways to traipse around a city for an afternoon. We saw some neat buildings, though I can't say I particularly remember that building.

#4) The Robie House, Chicago: Never seen it. But visits to Frank Lloyd Wright homes in Springfield, IL and in southwestern Pennsylvania were quite memorable. Kentuck Knob was a gem. I'm a little frustrated I must wait another few years before taking the kids to Fallingwater (they have a minimum age requirement for tours).

#6) Apparently the first modern indoor mall was designed by an architect who had very idealistic views on what the mall could be, as a meeting place that would bring people together and offer something more aesthetically pleasing than the vulgar commercial displays of strip malls. Having driven through Fredricksburg, Virginia and it's mecca of big box stores, I think that architect might have been right.

Uh oh. I have need to pause and watch the rest of this later.