architecture

The Space Between

Here’s another space between buildings on Main Street in St. Charles, MO. It is almost identical to an alley I photographed at Christmastime, but with the picket fence-like gate closed and a different terminating view…the tree in the distance gives it a very different look!

The Space Between

Another look between buildings on Main Street in Belleville, IL…I love how reflective the building on the left is, and I also like the line of street lights that run down the middle of the path:

A Mid-Century Modern Bank Building

Belleville has a good deal of cool mid-century modern architecture, and one example of this is the former Associated Bank building on East Washington that was designed by Eugene Hausmann and Lyman Wiesenstein in the 1960s as the Citizens’ Bank and Trust Co. The thing that immediately catches my eye are the circles in the windows…they suggest bubbles floating up to the sky:

The entrance itself also has a cool mid-century modern aesthetic:

I’m not sure what is currently planned for this building, but I hope it finds some use, because it is a fantastic example of my favorite type of commercial architecture!

The Space Between

For this edition of “The Space Between” I’m taking a look in between two buildings on Main Street in Belleville, IL. What I really like about this in-between space is the brick path between the buildings…it looks like it has some interesting stories to tell!

At City Hall

I have mixed feelings about our town’s City Hall. On the surface, I should love it. Built in the 1950s, it has a great mid-century modern vibe. It has a lovely archway in front, and fantastic windows. But I have seen pictures of the old City Hall, and it was an amazing, old, imposing, building, and I have some sorrow that it was torn down and replaced with something much less stately. But it is what it is, and like I said, I do appreciate the mid-century design of the current building.

A real treat can be found inside the building…the familiar outline of the town fountain, against a background of beautiful mid-century tile work!

Sometimes I wish I could see our downtown the way it was, with the old grand City Hall adjacent to the equally grand old county courthouse building on the town square, but I do appreciate the design of this building as it is now (even though I will always think the “new” county building is an eyesore!).

The Space Between

Time for another installment in my “Space Between” series. This time, I’m looking at a cool alleyway on Main Street in historic St. Charles, MO. I love the bricks and timbers, and the view through towards the Missouri River!

Black & White & Color

I love taking pictures of my town’s Main Street. There is so much lovely old architecture there, that sometimes I feel like I know exactly what it was like in the 50s. Inspired by that notion, I thought it would be fun to use a black & white filter on a photo I took yesterday, to get a “then & now” perspective:

The Space Between

I decided to make “The Space Between” a regular feature here on my website. There are so many great alleyways and other in-between places to discover, and I’d like to highlight as many of them as I can. Today I’m looking at a spot on Main Street in Belleville that is not only visually interesting, but would also make a great home to an installation like the Umbrella Sky Project!