Thursday, November 16, 2006

The New Stuff

I'm not a huge fan of modern architecture. Anything built after World War II -- or, in architectural terms, after the Art Moderne style -- is generally quite ugly and bland. From time to time, something will stand out to me, but the architecture of the modern era is usually something I can pass by without looking twice.

This is why I rarely photograph "the new stuff." However, here is a blog entry devoted solely to Michigan's architecture of today. Enjoy it -- or not -- though when I photograph modern architecture, I try to make it look as appealing as possible, even when the actual structures stand out like a sore thumb in their surroundings. I will not express my displeasure or approval of the following five buildings -- that is for the reader. It is your duty to weigh these new structures against historic architecture, and draw your own conclusions.

[insert Tom Cruise joke here]

The Radisson Hotel in Kalamazoo.

Planetarium

The planetarium, owned by Delta College, in Bay City.

Lansing

An office building in Lansing.

Huron Music Wing: Morning

Huron High School in Ann Arbor, built in the late 1960s.

Dentistry building

The University of Michigan's School of Dentistry building in Ann Arbor.

7 comments:

Anthony said...

They suck! No soul to them!

mfophotos said...

Nice photos of these structures -- which have their own sort of beauty. Consider that the type of craftsmanship that went into the ornamentation of buildings of yesteryear is nearly extinct today -- at least on the scale to make it financially feasable. Different eras, different expectations of beauty and utility. Well-photographed!

Anonymous said...

It's my duty to decide??!!?? I thought voting was my duty. Actually, I like the pictures of the office building in Lansing and the planetarium. So, can you design better?

Anonymous said...
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Anthony said...

Speaking of new stuff, where's the new blog stuff? Too much Duck Hunt to post now, or what?

Erich Z said...

Great pictures. I completely agree that there is a lot of blood and sweat in the older architecture that you'll never see in the new stuff. Less soul, more cold steel. Still, it has its moments.

Another building you should get out to see is Pontiac Osteopathic Hospital in, you guessed it, Pontiac, Michigan.

Mikoyan said...

Cool. Haven't seen a post from you in a while.