Thursday, December 15, 2011

Terra-Cotta Works

I can't take FULL credit for this post, my friend Kait posted this series on her facebook that she found from the website Scoutingny.com. This being said I will take credit for passing this along. 

Under the 59th Street Bridge is a this little house (posted below).


It had been boarded up forever but recently Silver Cup Studios bought the historical landmark protected building and is restoring it to its glory. First the boards came off....

And this sign was revealed: 


Terra Cotta Works office and showroom was housed in the building through the 1920s but the building has lasted for over 100 years. The detail on the building makes you wonder why people don't build buildings like this anymore. What I find most amazing about all the reliefs on the facade of the building is how DEEP they are- I mean these are some intense relief sculpture! 


Below: Year built- 1892.





My most favorite feature- the three chimneys each with its own unique design embellishing it.

Of course all these images are courtesy of Scouting NY and you can read the original post with more images here.

This also brings me to one point I tell a lot of people I talk about design with in person but haven't spoken about on this blog. My first semester of graduate school an important furniture scholar spoke to our class and pointed out the sad fact that intricate and great mansions are rarely made in America anymore. The scholar pointed to the homes of the Vanderbilts, the McLean-Walshs and the Rockefellers- all amazing and innovative mansions which still stand out today then he said, think of the richest person in America, at the time Bill Gates and look at his home- yes it's big and yes inside it has amazing computer technology but as far as design and style go the house is empty of this. It's a sad fact that few homes are being made interesting and innovative design methods.

 Enjoy!

-Grace

No comments:

Post a Comment

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...