looking for interesting urban design in DC, PHL and BWI
Nov 2nd, 2002, 09:15 AM
#1
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looking for interesting urban design in DC, PHL and BWI
Hi
We are a group of LAR students traveling to DC, Baltimore and Philadelphia- looking for places of well known or not so well known urban design examples that we can learn from.
By that I mean parks, plazas, landscapes within these cities that you think are great places to see. Thanks for your help!
We are a group of LAR students traveling to DC, Baltimore and Philadelphia- looking for places of well known or not so well known urban design examples that we can learn from.
By that I mean parks, plazas, landscapes within these cities that you think are great places to see. Thanks for your help!
Nov 2nd, 2002, 10:44 AM
#2
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Helen: Union Station in DC, off the top of my head.
I'm going to offer a couple of "vicinity of" examples that are worth a look.
The James A Michener Museum in Doylestown PA has a delightful George Nakashima reading room. I've put up a 4-picture album at http://photos.yahoo.com/avenerable1 .
South of DC, towards Mt Vernon, on the grounds of a plantation, is the Pope-Leighy House. It was one of FLW's Usonian houses, and is worth a look around if you're in the area. http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/1469/flw_va.html for a look at that.
Wish I had more truly urban examples to offer, but I'm not that familiar with the cities. If I think of something else, I'll send it along.
I'm going to offer a couple of "vicinity of" examples that are worth a look.
The James A Michener Museum in Doylestown PA has a delightful George Nakashima reading room. I've put up a 4-picture album at http://photos.yahoo.com/avenerable1 .
South of DC, towards Mt Vernon, on the grounds of a plantation, is the Pope-Leighy House. It was one of FLW's Usonian houses, and is worth a look around if you're in the area. http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/1469/flw_va.html for a look at that.
Wish I had more truly urban examples to offer, but I'm not that familiar with the cities. If I think of something else, I'll send it along.
Nov 2nd, 2002, 11:10 AM
#3
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It would be fun to compare Phila's 30th street station with Union Station--both are grand, Beaux-Arts style.
And the Nakashima room at the Michener is really special, but I'm not sure it qualifies as urban design, being that it's indoors in leafy suburban Doylestown (but it is worth a visit).
The following Philadelphia places come to mind:
The Parkway, from City Hall (A Second Empire Wedgewood Wedding Cake of a building), past the mid-century Modern mid-rise buildings known as Penn Center, on toward Logan Square (which is actually a circle) and the Philadelphia Museum of Art (laid out by Paul Cret, I believe).
West Philadelphia, a Victorian neighborhood that was Phila's first "streetcar suburb". The University of Pennsylvania, with its Frank Furness-designed library is here.
Many wonderful individual buildings--especially the International-style former bank building that is now Loew's hotel (maybe a good place for you all to stay?), built by Howe and Lescaze during the 20s. Two other nearby buildings that are excellent examples of adaptive re-use are the Lit Building at 7th and Market with its cast-iron facade and the Italianate Reading Terminal Headhouse, which links the Convention Center to Market Street (and is, alas, also the home of the Hard Rock Cafe).
The Avenue of the Arts--you might want to start on North Broad (which is on the gritty side and hasn't quite been refurbished in the way that South Broad has), check out the fabulous interior as well as the exterior of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (another Frank Furness design), proceed down Broad past City Hall, check out the magnificently restored Classical Revival bank building that is now the Ritz Carleton, then the Second Empire former Bellevue Hotel, which is now the Park Hyatt. (Michael Graves designed the parking garage). The Rendell Administration turned this stretch of Broad Street into an arts mecca--a must see is Rafael Vinoly's design for the new Kimmel Performing Arts Center at Broad and Spruce. Behind the Kimmel Center is the Moorish revival Drake Towers apartment building.
Another great walk is to walk up Chestnut Street from about Independence Hall to the Schuylkill River. The ground level of so many buildings on this street is just dreadful--lots of cut rate stores, but look up to see some splendid architecture on the upper stories--everything from art deco to moorish revival.
I could go on--pretty much all of Philadelphia has something to offer the student of urban design. The city still reflects much of William Penn's original plan for his "greene countrie towne", which he designed with broad streets, lots of green spaces (Rittenhouse Square and Washington Square are especially picturesque), and brick buildings as a counterpoint to the "unhealthy, unsafe" London (he lived through the fire and a plague there).
Society Hill--which was kind of a slum until urban renewal projects of the 1960s is fun to walk through, as is Old City, which is more SoHo industrial than colonial.
Definitely check out Eastern State Penitentiary at 23rd and Fairmount (near the Art Museum), designed in the early 1900s as a new style of prison.
I'm sure I'll think of more. . .
And the Nakashima room at the Michener is really special, but I'm not sure it qualifies as urban design, being that it's indoors in leafy suburban Doylestown (but it is worth a visit).
The following Philadelphia places come to mind:
The Parkway, from City Hall (A Second Empire Wedgewood Wedding Cake of a building), past the mid-century Modern mid-rise buildings known as Penn Center, on toward Logan Square (which is actually a circle) and the Philadelphia Museum of Art (laid out by Paul Cret, I believe).
West Philadelphia, a Victorian neighborhood that was Phila's first "streetcar suburb". The University of Pennsylvania, with its Frank Furness-designed library is here.
Many wonderful individual buildings--especially the International-style former bank building that is now Loew's hotel (maybe a good place for you all to stay?), built by Howe and Lescaze during the 20s. Two other nearby buildings that are excellent examples of adaptive re-use are the Lit Building at 7th and Market with its cast-iron facade and the Italianate Reading Terminal Headhouse, which links the Convention Center to Market Street (and is, alas, also the home of the Hard Rock Cafe).
The Avenue of the Arts--you might want to start on North Broad (which is on the gritty side and hasn't quite been refurbished in the way that South Broad has), check out the fabulous interior as well as the exterior of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (another Frank Furness design), proceed down Broad past City Hall, check out the magnificently restored Classical Revival bank building that is now the Ritz Carleton, then the Second Empire former Bellevue Hotel, which is now the Park Hyatt. (Michael Graves designed the parking garage). The Rendell Administration turned this stretch of Broad Street into an arts mecca--a must see is Rafael Vinoly's design for the new Kimmel Performing Arts Center at Broad and Spruce. Behind the Kimmel Center is the Moorish revival Drake Towers apartment building.
Another great walk is to walk up Chestnut Street from about Independence Hall to the Schuylkill River. The ground level of so many buildings on this street is just dreadful--lots of cut rate stores, but look up to see some splendid architecture on the upper stories--everything from art deco to moorish revival.
I could go on--pretty much all of Philadelphia has something to offer the student of urban design. The city still reflects much of William Penn's original plan for his "greene countrie towne", which he designed with broad streets, lots of green spaces (Rittenhouse Square and Washington Square are especially picturesque), and brick buildings as a counterpoint to the "unhealthy, unsafe" London (he lived through the fire and a plague there).
Society Hill--which was kind of a slum until urban renewal projects of the 1960s is fun to walk through, as is Old City, which is more SoHo industrial than colonial.
Definitely check out Eastern State Penitentiary at 23rd and Fairmount (near the Art Museum), designed in the early 1900s as a new style of prison.
I'm sure I'll think of more. . .
Nov 2nd, 2002, 05:05 PM
#4
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The National Building Museum in DC is my favorite museum in that city. It focuses on architecture/engineering/urban planning and design-type issues. The gift shop alone is fantastic!!
I also love exploring DC and seeing how the grid system of streets interacts with the broad diagonal avenues, producing magnificent views and interesting circles (Dupont, Scott, Logan, etc).
I also love exploring DC and seeing how the grid system of streets interacts with the broad diagonal avenues, producing magnificent views and interesting circles (Dupont, Scott, Logan, etc).
Nov 3rd, 2002, 06:51 AM
#6
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I live in DC and have a particular interest in urban architecture, but know more about buildings than parks and landscapes. I think DC itself has an interesting urban design, of course, with the Mall and Capitol, reflecting pool and monuments, etc. But, I can't think of any recent great plazas or landscapes -- some of the newer ones are rather ugly IMO, like L'Enfant and Freedom Plazas. I think the western park area where the monuments are, espec. the VietNam Memorial, is a good example of urban design, and a lot of the circles and radiating streets are good examples, such as Dupont Circle, and the park area around the Capitol Building.
The urban area around the National Gallery E bldg could be a good example, as there is a plaza between the east and west buildings. The East bldg is designed by Pei and worth seeing. One reason I suggest this area as good urban design is that the Canadian embassy is across the street, and I thinkn it is one of the most beautiful modern buildings in DC. It was designed by Arthur Erickson, one of the best Canadian architects, and has some good plaza areas incorporated.
If you were interested in mansions or buildings, I'd have a lot of other suggestions (e.g., Tudor Place, the Octagon, Heurich Mansion, Decatur House, Hillwood House and maybe the Lithuanian and Indonesion Embassies).
The urban area around the National Gallery E bldg could be a good example, as there is a plaza between the east and west buildings. The East bldg is designed by Pei and worth seeing. One reason I suggest this area as good urban design is that the Canadian embassy is across the street, and I thinkn it is one of the most beautiful modern buildings in DC. It was designed by Arthur Erickson, one of the best Canadian architects, and has some good plaza areas incorporated.
If you were interested in mansions or buildings, I'd have a lot of other suggestions (e.g., Tudor Place, the Octagon, Heurich Mansion, Decatur House, Hillwood House and maybe the Lithuanian and Indonesion Embassies).
Nov 4th, 2002, 08:17 AM
#9
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I second the recommendation re Meridian Hill park (AKA Malcolm X park). It is along 16th Street NW above V or W street. The last time I went there (probably a year or so), it looked rather forlorn; I hope it has received the maintenance it deserves in the intervening time, because it is truly a magnificent design.
Nov 4th, 2002, 10:31 AM
#11
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How about the Frederick Law Olmsted neighborhood of Roland Park in Baltimore? Also, in Locust Point, an old neighborhood on the water in south Baltimore, there is one of his original parks, which is still in use everyday, with an old cinder track. it is right on the way to Fort McHenry.
Also in Baltimore is Gwynns Falls/ Leakin Park which is one of the largest urban wildernesses.
Good luck!
Also in Baltimore is Gwynns Falls/ Leakin Park which is one of the largest urban wildernesses.
Good luck!
Nov 6th, 2002, 11:45 AM
#13
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Meridian Park is interesting to see and most of the heroin addicts and prostitutes have been shooed away as the neighborhood gentrifies.
I don't know if you are into more contemporary design, but some interesting examples of 70s urban design include Columbia, Md., one of the precursers to "New Urbanism." From a starkness perspective, the urban renewal in Southwest DC is interesting to see just to get a sense of what they tried to do, an probably failed at.
In Baltimore, I think the area around Mt. Vernon is interesting and the recent reviatlization of the Inner Harbor and Federal Hill give some good examples of urban redevelopment.
I don't know if you are into more contemporary design, but some interesting examples of 70s urban design include Columbia, Md., one of the precursers to "New Urbanism." From a starkness perspective, the urban renewal in Southwest DC is interesting to see just to get a sense of what they tried to do, an probably failed at.
In Baltimore, I think the area around Mt. Vernon is interesting and the recent reviatlization of the Inner Harbor and Federal Hill give some good examples of urban redevelopment.
