Oct 3 2022 - World Architecture Day

 

This is world architecture day and Bing's front page has Antwerp's Port Authority Building as the example of preserving historic buildings by combining them with modern structures.  World Architecture Day coincides with World Habitat Day.   That connection seems a bit ironic to me. The  architecture who designed the Antwerp building is Zaha Hadid who is known for never designing a building containing a right angle.  That is "she was the inventor of 89 degrees, nothing was done in 90 degrees."  It is wonderful to look through her designs - so many beautiful curving shapes.  But back to us in the small world of individual/family residential living. The average house size varies from 484 square feet in Hong Kong to 2300 sq ft in Australia.  In the U.S. the average is similar to Australia.  It is around 1,500 sq ft in Canada, but growing quickly.   We in the first world countries live in big internal spaces.   The houses emerging on Ontario's landscapes are on narrow lots.  The houses are very tall, in order to accommodate the sparsity of land, but also the desire for big square feet and royal dimensions.   They have 2 garages and a double height entrance. All the rooms have extra-tall ceilings.  I think of this as "everyman castle syndrome. " The second trend in these homes is everything black - the brick, the windows. This I consider to be the same as black cars with black windows - keeping everyone from looking in.   So here we are on World Architecture Day, celebrating beautiful architectural accomplishments, side by side with bad residential architecture.

This is the Losani development in Beamsville.  I can see Benchscape, the property where I tended the raised herb and edible flower garden.  The paths to the end of the garden are clearly shown.  It is on the first west-side street on the upper left side just past all the "promises." Continue along Mountain Street going south up the escarpment, and just above the brow of the escarpment is Floyd Elzinga's studio.   Here are two Grimsby versions - these are older houses so spread across a property.   Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblog.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca