The beautiful tulips around the Pappajohn Sculpture Park don't sleep at night.
The sculpture in the background is Untitled (Three Dancing Figures, version C) by Keith Haring.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Project365: Day 117 - Pole Vault at the Mall
As part of the 102nd Drake Relays, Jordan Creek Mall hosted a pole vaulting exhibition. It's been a looooooong time since I was a pole vaulter in high school, but watching the pros never gets old for me.
Mark Hollis flies above the second floor of the mall on his way to clearing one of the early heights in the competition.
Kylie Hutson makes one of the early women's heights look easy. She would set a new Personal Record of 15-5. Her previous career best was 14-9.
Mark Hollis clears 17-7 1/4
2-time Olympain Derek Miles clears 18-5 1/4, which was the top height for the men. I used to watch video of Miles' vaults when I competed to learn and get better. Watching him compete live was very impressive.
Mark Hollis flies above the second floor of the mall on his way to clearing one of the early heights in the competition.
Kylie Hutson makes one of the early women's heights look easy. She would set a new Personal Record of 15-5. Her previous career best was 14-9.
Mark Hollis clears 17-7 1/4
2-time Olympain Derek Miles clears 18-5 1/4, which was the top height for the men. I used to watch video of Miles' vaults when I competed to learn and get better. Watching him compete live was very impressive.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Project365: Day 116 - Saint Francis of Assisi
In the final installment of the 2011 Architecture Month Lecture Series for the Iowa Architectural Foundation, we visited Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in West Des Moines, Iowa.
The first phase of construction for Saint Francis began in 1994. In subsequent phases 2 and 3 a new worship space was built, the original worship space was converted into a gathering hall, and the K-8 school was added to the building. The parish has grown from 300 families in 1994 to over 2700 families currently.
The first phase of construction for Saint Francis began in 1994. In subsequent phases 2 and 3 a new worship space was built, the original worship space was converted into a gathering hall, and the K-8 school was added to the building. The parish has grown from 300 families in 1994 to over 2700 families currently.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
Project365: Day 113 - Geocaching: Inside the Tree
Geocaching with my family on their visit to Des Moines. It's a good thing we had a ladder for this one!
My brother slid way down to the bottom of the giant hole in the tree to retrieve this cache.
Project365: Day 112 - Fog on the Tracks
A rainy day with just a little sun in the late evening brought the gift of some low-lying fog just after sunset.
Project365: Day 111 - Cesca Chair
Marcel Breuer has always been one of my favorite architects, so when I had the opportunity to score six of his Cesca armchairs in great condition last year I was thrilled. The chair is very simple in its overall design, but the woven pattern of the caning is complex and beautiful.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Project365: Day 110 - New Plans
One of my coworkers sketches out floor plan ideas during the Algona Public Library design charrette.
Prpject365: Day 109 - Design Charrette
Residents of Algona, Iowa take a closer look at early planning diagrams during the first day of a two-day design charrette for the Algona Public Library.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
Project365: Day 107 - Night Lights
Sunday nights are very quiet in Valley Junction--most of the businesses are closed then. But even late at night on a Sunday these two storefronts are almost always glowing.
Project365: Day 106 - Chocolate Chip
I went back up to the Twin Cities again this weekend to visit my parents. On Saturday I joked with my mom that they had no good cookies in the house for me to mooch off of them. I went outside to help my dad in the garage for awhile, and when I came back in my mom was making chocolate chip cookies! My mom is the best :)
Friday, April 15, 2011
Project365: Day 105 - Rainy Streets
These April showers better be worth it by bringing some pretty awesome May flowers.
Project365: Day 104 - Temple B'Nai Jeshurun
The Iowa Architectural Foundation held its third of five lectures in its Architecture Month Lecture Series on Sacred Spaces yesterday evening at the B'Nai Jeshurun Jewish Temple in Des Moines. I drive past this very stately building frequently but, until now, had never had the opportunity to peek inside.
Though most architectural historians would agree that this building is a strong example of Byzantine architecture (think Hagia Sophia), it also seems to have been influenced in many ways by Gothic Revival, Romanesque, Moorish, and even Art Deco architecture.
Today's Photo of the Day is the beautiful stained glass chandelier that hangs in the center of the Temple:
Though most architectural historians would agree that this building is a strong example of Byzantine architecture (think Hagia Sophia), it also seems to have been influenced in many ways by Gothic Revival, Romanesque, Moorish, and even Art Deco architecture.
Today's Photo of the Day is the beautiful stained glass chandelier that hangs in the center of the Temple:
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Project365: Day 102 - B-Cycle
B-Cycle bikes parked one of four rental stations in Downtown Des Moines.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Project365: Day 101 - From the Ashes
A large field of prairie grass sprouts new life after a controlled burn in the park last week.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Project365: Day 100 - Budding
More signs that Spring has arrived in Central Iowa! Many of the trees in our neighborhood seem to have sprouted leaves virtually overnight.
Project365: Day 99 - Scotch Ridge Church
Scotch Ridge Presbyterian Church, Carlisle, Iowa.
This church was Sacred Space #2 of the Iowa Architecture Foundation's Architecture Month Lecture Series. The church was built in 1885 by Scottish immigrants and is a fine example of vernacular rural church architecture in Iowa.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Project365: Day 97 - Oreon E. Scott Chapel
Tonight was the kickoff event for the annual Iowa Architecture Foundation's Architecture Month Lecture Series. The theme for this year's five lectures is Sacred Spaces. Each lecture will offer information and a tour about a different worship space in the Des Moines area.
The first of these beautiful spaces was the Oreon E. Scott Chapel at Drake University. The chapel and Medbury Hall, the classroom building attached to it, were designed by Eero Saarinen in 1955. The two buildings were the home of the School of Divinity at Drake from 1955 until 1968 when the School of Divinity closed.
The Saarinen's (Eero and his father Eliel) had a major impact on the formation of Drake University's campus through the middle part of the 20th Century. For more information on all of their work at Drake check out www.buildingamoderncampus.com
The first of these beautiful spaces was the Oreon E. Scott Chapel at Drake University. The chapel and Medbury Hall, the classroom building attached to it, were designed by Eero Saarinen in 1955. The two buildings were the home of the School of Divinity at Drake from 1955 until 1968 when the School of Divinity closed.
The Saarinen's (Eero and his father Eliel) had a major impact on the formation of Drake University's campus through the middle part of the 20th Century. For more information on all of their work at Drake check out www.buildingamoderncampus.com
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Project365: Day 95 - EMC Tower
One of our long-time clients, EMC Insurance, is celebrating its 100th Anniversary this month. This is their tower in Downtown Des Moines that Brooks Borg Skiles completed in 1997. It is one of the more iconic buildings in the Des Moines skyline because of its height and the "vodka bottle" shape in the south face of the tower.
I've photographed this side of the building a number of times, but it was usually on cloudy, gray days and before I had my extra-wide angle lens. I couldn't have asked for better shooting conditions today!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Project365: Day 94 - Duluth Pack
My Duluth Pack book bag may just be the most durable bag I've ever owned. If only they made a shoulder camera bag too!
Monday, April 4, 2011
Project365: Day 93 - Grilling Time
With our first taste of Summer (87 degrees today!) we decided to wake up the grill from its winter slumber and make some delicious burgers.
Project365: Day 92 - City Beautiful
Des Moines City Hall (1910; Proudfoot and Bird, et al) is one of seven Beaux Arts style buildings along the banks of the Des Moines River.
The City Beautiful Movement was an urban planning philosophy that believed that a beautiful civic heart of a city would inspire its inhabitants, provide for a healthier community, and encourage citizens and visitors to work and spend money in urban areas.
The "civic heart" of Des Moines had always been the riverfront along both sides of the Des Moines River. When the ideas of the City Beautiful Movement reached Des Moines, the ideas took hold and stayed strong for nearly 40 years in the minds of the city's planners and designers.
From 1900 to the late 1930s, seven public buildings were built along the riverfront in Downtown:
- The Des Moines Public Library (1903)
- Coliseum (1908, Demolished 1949)
- Post Office (1909)
- City Hall Municipal Building (1910)
- Public Safety Building (1918)
- US Courthouse (1929)
- Argonne Armory (1935)
Recently, Des Moines has rediscovered the value of the contributions that the City Beautiful Movement made to the character of downtown. The riverwalk is being re-established with the help of a few new buildings, renovations to the old gems, and and some beautiful new pedestrian river crossings.
The City Beautiful Movement was an urban planning philosophy that believed that a beautiful civic heart of a city would inspire its inhabitants, provide for a healthier community, and encourage citizens and visitors to work and spend money in urban areas.
The "civic heart" of Des Moines had always been the riverfront along both sides of the Des Moines River. When the ideas of the City Beautiful Movement reached Des Moines, the ideas took hold and stayed strong for nearly 40 years in the minds of the city's planners and designers.
From 1900 to the late 1930s, seven public buildings were built along the riverfront in Downtown:
- The Des Moines Public Library (1903)
- Coliseum (1908, Demolished 1949)
- Post Office (1909)
- City Hall Municipal Building (1910)
- Public Safety Building (1918)
- US Courthouse (1929)
- Argonne Armory (1935)
Recently, Des Moines has rediscovered the value of the contributions that the City Beautiful Movement made to the character of downtown. The riverwalk is being re-established with the help of a few new buildings, renovations to the old gems, and and some beautiful new pedestrian river crossings.
Project365: Day 91 - View from a Bridge
My first (sort of) Self Portrait for my Project365.
Brittany and I went walking along the bike trail from Gray's Lake to Downtown and stopped to watch the skyline from the Jackson Avenue Pedestrian Bridge.
Friday, April 1, 2011
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