Buildings and Architecture
So Dan Cruickshank has basically caused me to fall in love with architecture, so much so that I'd be tempted to take that at college if I hadn't already sorted everything else out, and if I could draw. (Don't say you don't need to be able to draw. You need far better art skills than I've got, trust me.)
But, that doesn't prohibit discussion on the matter! So, do you like architecture? What styles do you like? And what buildings do you like?
I think my favourite building in the world is the Chysler Building. It's just so well put together, and while there is form not suited to its function, it's both restrained and, more importantly, it works incredibly well. In my eyes it's one of the best examples of Art Deco anywhere. And that would be one of my favorite styles. I would say Modernist is my fave style, but that has more potential to go wong than any other style I can think of, and often has, so I don't think I can put it up there. Still, when they get a Modernism building right, they make something special.
Of course, that's not to discount the older styles of architecture. Two particularly stand out; Gothic and Classicism. Gothic is just plain cool and wonderful to look at. In a lot of cases what looks like spectacular and even ostentatious ornamental is actually a part of the building itself, as necessary as walls. Classical architecture is pretty fundamental even today, having influenced two thousand years of Western architecture. My favorite example of that would almost certainly have to be The Pantheon, which wins out over others due to the absolutely magnificent construction of the domed roof.
