Building life expectancy:  "There's a lot of spread in that. The average residential building lasts about  150 years, but the average Walmart or a (not so hot) apartment complex last 10 or 15 years but the average is 80 years." Paul Knight's Streets Lecture - Part 1 



Please Come see part 2: Streets: Designing a Master Street Plan (Part II) on Tuesday, December 13th at 6:30 pm at the Atlanta City Studio on the 2nd floor of Ponce City Market.

"Streets" is one the Architecture Tourists favorite subjects, streets as public spaces, making them more fun, less boring, more democratic.

It's free. I'll be there. Please say hey. Don't let the word "lecture" scare you off. This will be fun.

Paul L. Knight, architectural and urban designer at Historical Concepts and president of Douglas C. Allen Institute for the Study of Cities, will present his second lecture about Streets on Tuesday, December 13th at 6:30 pm at the Studio. Last month we learned why streets are the most critical and long-lasting components of our cities. If you missed it, you can view a recording of the lecture below. This month, Paul Knight returns to explain how to analyze the best examples of American town planning, garnering design lessons and principles that can be used for future development.The free second seminar focuses on master street planning and design. Come join us to learn how streets can improve our cities. Please come early--it was a packed house last time and we ran out of chairs.

Here's part 1, about 38 minutes. Part 3 to be announced soon.




What is the Douglas C. Allen Institute for the Study of Cities?

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All the folks I knew at Georgia Power / Southern Company worked at the corner of Peachtree and Baker. In 1981 they moved to the new Georgia Power Corporate Headquarters. Georgia Power moved out of downtown while technically staying downtown. Many of our big corporate citizens follow suit. They aren't coming back downtown.


I like the place OK. I've been to a meeting in the top floor boardroom, nice with a terrific view. Way better than the Jackson Street bridge.

But these folks aren't on Peachtree any more.


Seemed like a cool idea at the time. The utilities were growing with the region, security was a big issue, and the energy crises. They decided to build an energy conscious landmark between the downtown connector and the Civic Center.

And hey, nearly 300,000 vehicle occupants see it every day.


Round here you need a fence and wall.


Shuttles park here.


Pedestrian entrance with nice private park to the right.


Lot's of fences. A suburban office park.


But more private.

This has bugged me for 35 years.

Would they do this today? I think not. They'd just build in Midtown like NCR or at Permeinter like State Farm or Sandy Springs like Mercedes-Benz.

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Heck of a night August 13. It was the BlackCatTips (Kyle Brooks) solo show for the Art Institute of Atlanta. I met Kyle's mom and dad, I met Nicole Jacobs, and I met Michael Kleeman, the Academic Department Director for Design, Leading Interior Design, Illustration, Graphic and Web Design for The Art Institute of Atlanta.

I've wanted to blog Michael for the last five years because...


Michael Kleeman is the J. Neel Reid Prize winner for 2002 and I'm trying to blog all the prize winners.


Because this is the kind of work Neel Reid Prize winners can do. Hat tip to the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation who awards this prize and to author William R. Mitchell whose book, J. Need Reid Architect helps fund the prize.

The application deadline for the 2017 Neel Reid Prize is February 10, 2017.

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Italicized text is from Michael's prize application.

Sansovino�s Logetta, Venice

 

Sansovino�s Library and Logetta, Venice

"Venice to study the work of Sansovino
Vincenza to study the work of Palladio
Verona to study the rok of Sanmicheli
Mantua to study the work of Romano
Florence to study the work of Vasari and Ammanati
Rome to study the work of Vignola and da Sangallo the Younger"



Basilica, Venice

"I hope to complete my research of Sebastiano Serlio through first hand recording of the works of his contemporaries throughout Italy."



  Palazzo Porto, Vicenza, Italy




Villa Rotunda.

 "The conferenacse that I attend and present at, the classes that I instruct currently at Georgia Tech...lead to my goal of becoming a professorof architectural history and promoting that field within the schools of architecture."


Palazzo Te



Palazzo del Te or Palazzo Te is a palace in the suburbs of Mantua, Italy. It is a fine example of the mannerist style of architecture, the acknowledged masterpiece of Giulio Romano.

"I remember...seeing only one slide of some buildings folowed by research in textbooks showing the same view again."


The Palazzo degli Uffizi (Uffizi Palace) was built between 1560 and 1580 to house the administration of the government of grand duke Cosimo I de' Medici. The elegant building was designed by the duke's favorite architect, Giorgio Vasari,


Palazzo Pandolfin 
 

Palazzo Pitti.

 

"By allowing me to gain a first hand understanding I take a step coloser to bringing that information back though my sketches, photographs, notes. and memories. "

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Almost all of them were taller than me. And smarter. Even the quiet ones crackled with energy. It's as if their sensors were all dialed to 11 while most of mine have been shut down by age and experience.

It was Excursion Week at Galloway. Our 20-student group chose "Interaction of Art and Social Justice" with the theme of "separate but equal." With the help of Galloway artist in residence and Georgia State sculpture professor Ruth Stanford the group explored, researched, and made some art. Galloway teacher Mary Stuart Hall gave me Tuesday to "do something." Mary and former Galloway principal, Gordon Mathis, had two little buses at our disposal to take on the town.

My idea was to visit neighborhoods and corridors "below the line" in the morning then talk with Atlanta's city planners in the afternoon.


"Below the Line" Courtesy Atlanta City Studio, Ryan Gravel, Tim Keane, Jodi Mansbach, Vanessa Lira, Kevin Bacon (Atlanta's Kevin Bacon), Heather Alhadeff, and more.

To compare the booming corridors like Peachtree Street


"Peachtree Corridor" Courtesy Atlanta City Studio, Ryan Gravel, Tim Keane, Jodi Mansbach, Vanessa Lira and more.

To compare booming Peachtree with the less booming west side.



To compare the booming Peachtree corridor with the less booming westside corridors of  Donald Lee Hollowell, Joseph Boone, Ralph David Abernathy. Courtesy Atlanta City Studio, Ryan Gravel, Tim Keane, Jodi Mansbach, Vanessa Lira, and more.


We saddled up at Chastain Park.

Our first stop was at Lincoln Cemetery which led us through English Avenue and Vine City. Lincoln Cemetery 1926, an early African American Cemetery

Next stop Washington Park

"Prior to the construction of Washington Park in 1919, there were no recreational parks in Atlanta available to African Americans. The park started with a gift of six and a half acres and expanded to 25 acres (100,000 m2) when completed in 1928. It originally included a swimming pool, dance hall, pavilions, and tennis courts."


Washington Park


I did not know that the current SW BeltLine construction ends at Washington Park. This place will change!


We'll be able to bike to swim at the Washington Park Natatorium.

Next stop Brown Middle School and West End.

Formerly Brown High School.

Joseph E. Brown Jr. High School, located at 765 Peeples Street SW in Atlanta's West End neighborhood, was opened in 1924

Then we did a West End Walkabout, in my opinion one of the most charming neighborhoods in Atlanta.

My personal favorite activity: small blocks, styles that have been consistently popular for 150 years, mix of sizes, close to the curb in a way that enhances the beauty of the street as a public space for all passersby.


Agree?


Corner of Peeples and Ralph David Abernathy.

How we marched.


The West End Parade.

Then to Ponce City Market for lunch and a lecture at Atlanta City Studio.

Because by then we had some questions.


Jodi Mansbach had the slides.


Jodi had the giant posters.


Jodi had the big table.

That was just Tuesday!

On Thursday I rejoined the excursion at the Atlanta Contemporary.

I'll let you in on an art secret in case you didn't look.

What is really behind this piece Phillip Andrew Lewis� Distribution in Red, 



It's the Colonel.



Tiny tips for touring with teens? I'll work on these for next time.

1. Get two experienced teachers for each 10 students.
2. Do lunch with options: Ponce City Market and the Sweet Auburn Market are superb.
3. Talk briefly to the group whenever you can get them together.
4. Stop talking before they stop listening.
5. Huddle with teachers at stopping points.They make it look easy but...
6. Find a way to integrate their phones. Students are superb at their phones.
7. Pretend that they can't smell you fear.
8. Enjoy the ride though it won't turn out exactly as planed.

Thanks so much for the experience.

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A place to relax is important now as holidays are near. Lots of festivals are closer too so if you have the plan to visit any place, then we can help you here. One of the best Indian tourist places is Lansdowne a well-known hill station of Uttarakhand.

History of Lansdowne:

This heaven place is previous recognized as �Kaludanda�. However, local people still call it as Kaludanda so don�t get confused about the spot if you face direct interaction with localizes. The meaning of Lansdowne and Kaludanda is a black hill. It was renamed after the British Viceroy Lansdowne managed the state during 1888 and 1894. 

The first brigade of Garhwal Rifles was established here on 5th November 1887. It was migrated from another tourism place Almora to beautiful land, Lansdowne. Later it was established as a cantonment and the training center for recruitments of Garhwal Rifles. Presently this town is administration part of the same brigade for the Indian Army. Here you can watch rustic buildings, old taverns, and churches at Lansdowne.

Lansdowne Activities:

Activities related to Adventure:

It offers amazing opportunities for activities related to adventures such as bird watching, rock climbing, trekking and some more. Lansdowne is beautiful land and special destination for bird watching paradise.

Boating:

Paddle boats are available at the man-made lake known as Bhulla Lake. Travelers can take pleasure of water activities conducted at Kho River closer Durga Devi temple located at Kotdwar - Lansdowne Road.

Nature Walks:

The healthy and tranquil climate of Lansdowne is enough to refresh your mood. This Indian tourist place is surrounded by lush hills and its ideal location for long walks. The greenery with stunning morning view is definitely going to improve your health.

Accommodation in Lansdowne:

This popular destination is full of plenty of lodging and tourists could spend their valuable time at Lansdowne. Plenty of luxury hotels is available as well so no budget issue.

How to reach Lansdowne?

This hill station of Uttaranchal is reachable through road. However, the nearest station is Kotdwar and Mussoorie Express is available from Delhi for such station.

By Train: Kotdwar is closest railway station connected to Delhi. Delhi is just 250 km away can be covered in 7 to 8 hrs drive.

By Air: Nearest airport for Lansdowne is Jolly Grant Airport of Dehradun located at 152 km. Dehradun is properly connected to all over cities of India so reaching through the air is not difficult task for Lansdowne.

By Road: Reach the spot through beautiful roads to Lansdowne but get the route of Delhi. This Indian tourist place is easily reachable and safe as well.

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