Thursday, January 23, 2020

Grand Space


This is the courtyard at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC.  The museum is a merger of several buildings, the sandstone building on the left was a hospital in the civil war. Walt Whitman read to patients there and helped them write letters home. The building straight ahead was the patent office. Joining the buildings with the glass covered courtyard created a delightful indoor space.  We met an old friend there recently, (we have known him a long time, and he is old.) Wandered a bit of the gallery and had a nice lunch. 

What others spaces like this are around the world? 


6 comments:

  1. Ive seen many but was so glad I got to see this redo on my last visit. Didn’t look like that in the 80s!

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    Replies
    1. DC has gotten better over the past 40 years.

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  2. union station in DC

    wanamaker's (now macy's) department store in philly

    marshall fields (now macy's) department store in chicago

    [side note: the 2 stores were designed by the same architect, daniel burnham]

    philly's 30th street station are some of my fave spaces

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    Replies
    1. Union station is scheduled for new platforms and train sheds. I have been in Wanamakers, didn't know that was originally open (makes sense)

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  3. check out the ceiling of the Milwaukee art museum; looks something similar.

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