It has been a long time since this blog has included a fundamentally photo-driven article, so this one is long overdue. It’s a novelty in a few other ways as well: my first article in the State of New York, and the first since Afghanistan where I was entrenched in a community where I was
When a recognizable meme gets untethered from its usual habitat—its preferred social and cultural context—it’s amazing how quickly people forget what it was intended to signify. That’s exactly the case with this neon sign in a downtown storefront window: Does it ring a bell? Probably not at first blush. But look at the general shape
My latest just went up at Urban Indy. It looks at Indianapolis International Airport (IND), which, when the new terminal opened in 2008, received accolades for the sensitive integration of public art throughout the premises. Six years have passed, and most–but not all–of the artwork remains. But now, virtually every surviving flat service gets monetized:
As work commitments prevent me from getting to the sort of articles I want to write, I have to settle for much shorter filler material for the time being. But, unlike most of my blog posts, the photo below is not reflective of any particular location. It could be just about anywhere in the country.
Driving westward from the suburbs to downtown Grand Rapids earlier this year, I came across an unusual road sign. Needless to say, it wasn’t easy to read, but it clearly wasn’t a conventional one. In Grand Rapids (as in many cities), most street signage uses a bold, white sans-serif lettering against a green background, as
As much as certain media outlets are alerting the rise of the “unchurched” and religious “nones”, this country remains replete with religious institutions, for congregations of all denominations, faiths and sizes. The core expectations for what constitutes a house of worship are so minimal that their associated structures can be remarkably flexible in layout and
Whimsical signs in unexpected places are so commonplace these days that it’s difficult even to use to the word “unexpected”. But signage in general is ubiquitous, and since most signs communicate their messages in a no-frills manner, any notification with a slightly different tone still comes across as atypical. Which, most likely, is precisely the
While Part I of this series concluded with an anecdote, explaining my own personal connection to “the king of instruments”, this section continues with a trip to an organ manufacturer, just outside of downtown Indianapolis. Along Massachusetts Avenue, east of College, the offices of Goulding and Wood sit ensconced among many of the other
At long last, a significant number of older urban centers in the country seem to be recognizing that it’s a good idea to build infrastructure that accommodates pedestrians. While we are far from perfecting the design of crosswalks or vehicular turn lanes, the trajectory clearly manifests improvement with each passing year. Finally. But even the
When it comes to particular quirks that appear in an otherwise relentlessly average landscape, the devil is often in the details. Something odd is always there, even if it’s hidden in plain view. A home for sale in the suburban outreaches of Indianapolis shouldn’t raise any red flags; a “for sale” sign really wouldn’t elicit
It has been a long time since this blog has included a fundamentally photo-driven article, so this one is long overdue. It’s a novelty in a few other ways as well: my first
When a recognizable meme gets untethered from its usual habitat—its preferred social and cultural context—it’s amazing how quickly people forget what it was intended to signify. That’s exactly the case with this neon
My latest just went up at Urban Indy. It looks at Indianapolis International Airport (IND), which, when the new terminal opened in 2008, received accolades for the sensitive integration of public art throughout
As work commitments prevent me from getting to the sort of articles I want to write, I have to settle for much shorter filler material for the time being. But, unlike most of
Driving westward from the suburbs to downtown Grand Rapids earlier this year, I came across an unusual road sign. Needless to say, it wasn’t easy to read, but it clearly wasn’t a conventional
As much as certain media outlets are alerting the rise of the “unchurched” and religious “nones”, this country remains replete with religious institutions, for congregations of all denominations, faiths and sizes. The core
Whimsical signs in unexpected places are so commonplace these days that it’s difficult even to use to the word “unexpected”. But signage in general is ubiquitous, and since most signs communicate their messages
While Part I of this series concluded with an anecdote, explaining my own personal connection to “the king of instruments”, this section continues with a trip to an organ manufacturer, just outside of
At long last, a significant number of older urban centers in the country seem to be recognizing that it’s a good idea to build infrastructure that accommodates pedestrians. While we are far from
When it comes to particular quirks that appear in an otherwise relentlessly average landscape, the devil is often in the details. Something odd is always there, even if it’s hidden in plain view.