The Museum of stone and concrete. Reptilian urban relics.

[Gianluca Drago]

 

[Stevenson Gawen]

Wow. Love this one, Gianluca! Wonderful shapes that perfectly compliment the artwork.

 

[Gianluca Drago]

Wow. Love this one, Gianluca! Wonderful shapes that perfectly compliment the artwork.

Thank you Steve! I'm glad you like it.That was something different from my usual style, I just wanted to experiment something new (or old).

 

[Brian Moore]

"Reptilian",...the first thing I thought of when I looked at that concrete bit with shapes was the monumental architecture of Mesoamerica. (They were big on serpents and things like that.) I like the contrast/juxtaposition of that piece with the tall, Modernist building on the left.

 

[Gianluca Drago]

"Reptilian",...the first thing I thought of when I looked at that concrete bit with shapes was the monumental architecture of Mesoamerica. (They were big on serpents and things like that.) I like the contrast/juxtaposition of that piece with the tall, Modernist building on the left.

Thank you, Brian!

Now the boring details...
This photo was taken a very few days ago, in that little square where I also shot the crocheted covered tree and where some kids approached me thinking I was photographing them. No, I was studying the shapes of the city, this "museum of stones and concrete", history and art. The tall building in the background was built between 1959 and 1961 and was a collaboration of architects, the most prominent of them being Renato Iscra. Here we call it "skyscraper" because it's the tallest building in the city (but it has actually only 15 stories). I like the geometry of its windows and its overall detailed elegance. On the right in the photo, on the other hand, is a detail of a long balcony surrounding another building from those same years whose parapet has these modular sculptures molded in white concrete (I think), the work of sculptor Gianni Strazzabosco. Its snout juts out to challenge the skyscraper like the snout of a dinosaur in a paleontology museum.

 

[Brian Moore]

Thank you, Brian!

Now the boring details...
This photo was taken a very few days ago, in that little square where I also shot the crocheted covered tree and where some kids approached me thinking I was photographing them. No, I was studying the shapes of the city, this "museum of stones and concrete", history and art. The tall building in the background was built between 1959 and 1961 and was a collaboration of architects, the most prominent of them being Renato Iscra. Here we call it "skyscraper" because it's the tallest building in the city (but it has actually only 15 stories). I like the geometry of its windows and its overall detailed elegance. On the right in the photo, on the other hand, is a detail of a long balcony surrounding another building from those same years whose parapet has these modular sculptures molded in white concrete (I think), the work of sculptor Gianni Strazzabosco. Its snout juts out to challenge the skyscraper like the snout of a dinosaur in a paleontology museum.

Some fine details there, Gianluca. Thank you.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

These buildings are the same age as me (1959) but I never thought of myself as Modernist, but I suppose we all are. I’m always in two minds with this kind of architecture. When done well, it is fascinating, when not done well, it is unfortunately all too common.

Between the two buildings I see some landscaping. This always slightly amuses me. The Barbican Centre is a large Brutalist housing scheme in London, one of the best of its kind, and I have enjoyed walking around it. Despite the wishes of the architects, the locals have plants and flowers almost everywhere - at least when I visited some years back - to soften the brutalist features. And the water troughs have dried out, and nature’s fightback has begun in the form of weeds. I’m on nature’s side in this battle, despite appreciating the thoughts that went into the planning of such buildings.

Wonderful photo, Gianluca, which has encouraged contemplation - something all good photography does.

 

[Gianluca Drago]

These buildings are the same age as me

Now that you said it, I'm one year older than you. From now on, you should show some respect
Just joking, of course, I'm honoured to chat with you.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

I’d have respect for you no matter your age, old man!

 

[Gianluca Drago]

These buildings are the same age as me (1959) but I never thought of myself as Modernist, but I suppose we all are. I’m always in two minds with this kind of architecture. When done well, it is fascinating, when not done well, it is unfortunately all too common.

Between the two buildings I see some landscaping. This always slightly amuses me. The Barbican Centre is a large Brutalist housing scheme in London, one of the best of its kind, and I have enjoyed walking around it. Despite the wishes of the architects, the locals have plants and flowers almost everywhere - at least when I visited some years back - to soften the brutalist features. And the water troughs have dried out, and nature’s fightback has begun in the form of weeds. I’m on nature’s side in this battle, despite appreciating the thoughts that went into the planning of such buildings.

Wonderful photo, Gianluca, which has encouraged contemplation - something all good photography does.

There are some clichés that irritate me a little. I have spent more than half of my life in the defense of the natural environment, but I have always understood the defense of the environment in a concept that also included the history of humans. The contrast between nature and culture usually plays into the hands of building speculators: a place where nature takes back its spaces at the expense of concrete is the ideal place on which to build more concrete. That same neighborhood where I took this photo is proof of this; before there was a popular neighborhood full of mills and tanneries of poor people and wild grasses that invaded the streets. This was enough at the time to raze an entire neighborhood to the ground and wreak havoc on history. And today, here, in our century, the same thing is happening.

 

[Beth Carter]

great comp., love the different textures between the old and new world buildings. can't wait to see what the lizard men from the center of the earth do next!

 

[Gianluca Drago]

great comp., love the different textures between the old and new world buildings. can't wait to see what the lizard men from the center of the earth do next!

There is no fight between the old buildings and the new ones, because they share the same age like twins. But the fight, I can see it.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

There are some clichés that irritate me a little. I have spent more than half of my life in the defense of the natural environment, but I have always understood the defense of the environment in a concept that also included the history of humans. The contrast between nature and culture usually plays into the hands of building speculators: a place where nature takes back its spaces at the expense of concrete is the ideal place on which to build more concrete. That same neighborhood where I took this photo is proof of this; before there was a popular neighborhood full of mills and tanneries of poor people and wild grasses that invaded the streets. This was enough at the time to raze an entire neighborhood to the ground and wreak havoc on history. And today, here, in our century, the same thing is happening.

Interesting. Thoughtful.