‘ART IN ARCHITECTURE”

It seems that in tough economic times a general building boom begins.  It was that way after the Great Depression and after WWII, not to mention the off-decade boom and bust cycles we have born since.

However, our era is not much different.  Recently I read of a new multi-million dollar cathedral in the Oakland California area.  On Grand and 21st to be exact.  The Glass and Steel structure is new and up-to-the minute in every way.  The entry is a long walkway devoid of any superfluous decoration, except for the treetops beyond the walls on either side.  Once inside it must be truly awesome.

The sanctuary is backed by an enormous glass wall, peaked high at the top, called “alpha”.  It brings an exuberant light into the area along with it’s flanking wooden louvers, floor to ceiling, made from our own Northwest Douglas Fir…the best wood the Architects could find for the project, the best lasting qualities, and the lovely color.  The Louvers echo the shape of the window and, of course, can be opened to let in light.

Naturally, the focal point of the Sanctuary is the opposite wall, the “Omega” wall, also a soaring glass pointed arch enclosing an immense image of the Christ enthroned…all in light coming from outside through cracks in strategically placed aluminum triangles.  The whole thing is a tremendous engineering feat…made to outlast every quake the California faults can deliver over the next 300 years.

There is so much going on in this era, from water treatment projects, fully landscaped so as to enhance the visual image of the property…to the human-scale reawakening of America’s urban parks.  Everywhere across our country our “old towns” are being brought up to standard with new gardens, lawns and trees, as interplay between people and nature. This treatment brings new interest to historic buildings as home to new business to accommodate our burgeoning populations.

Closer to home we are witnessing a glitzy new mall’s gamble in Bellevue…”The Bravern”,  A beautiful up-town mall resembling a downtown rather than a covered mall, opening this week amid warnings about the recession.  From a customer, “I think it’s great we are going to have all these new options.  I’m looking for a new fall coat and leather jacket.  And would love some Jimmy Choos!”

It takes some bravery to develop a 305,000 square foot shopping center but Schnitzer West seems to have the chops to do it.  We can now run up to Seattle and have fun perusing the Neiman Marcus window displays as well as shopping, dining and workout space spread across four floors.  Several Restaurants, including Wild Ginger and John Howie’s Steakhouse accompany shops for Louis Vuitton, Brooks Brothers Country Club, Piazza Sempione and Salvatore Ferragamo.  This is the first major shopping center to debut locally since Westfield Southcenter and Northgate Mall completed expansions last year.

For a Custom Fit we can look north to Vancouver BC to the very newist Multi Use Bridge.  A slender curve, the North Arm Bridge over the Frasier carries two rail tracks and a suspended path for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as cars, across an amazing body of water.  The problem was, how to cross a wide span of navigable river beneath an airport’s flight path given the fact that a cable-stayed bridge would be too tall and a concrete box girder bridge too deep.  The solution, an extradosed bridge…a hyrid of the two bridge forms that feature shorter towers and shorter girder profiles.  The new bridge is the first extradosed bridge to be completed in North America.  See it on your next trip North!

Shirley and her daughter, Wendy are the owners and creative directors at Teague’s Interiors, located in Downtown Longview, WA.