I Don't Think This Is a Smashing Visual Success - Do You?

To my eye it's interesting visual clutter, not my style. So on this gray Sunday morning I saw it on foot, walked all the way around.

They tore down the I. M. Pei designed Gulf Oil Building. In fact they tore down the whole block except for St. Paul's Presbyterian to build 131 PONCE Apartment Homes.


There are done now and this is what we got. View east on Ponce de Leon.


I'm not going to rehash all the controversy but you can rehash all you want. View south on Juniper.


Not every angle of the old Gulf Building was magnificent; not everybody loved it.


The developers saved the marble and built an homage to the old building and put the pool on top. Bathers will have a great view of the Midtown skyline. View west on Ponce de Leon.


I was most concerned about St. Paul's Presbyterian, a one-of-a-kind that I fear is a white elephant for which which we must hope. I don't think "131" leveraged St. Paul's beauty though. The block looks like a mess from this angle too.


They scraped off the Gulf Oil Building, a former office furniture store, and parking lots, a little more than 2.5 acres. View east from the top of the Ponce Apartments.

I give credit for building on one of our most road-isolated blocks. Juniper (bottom of picture, one-way right) has five one-way lanes south, Piedmont (bottom of picture, one-way left) has four one-way lanes north. Six lanes each on North and Ponce de Leon. It's busy and fast on these streets.

I walked counter-clockwise starting at Ponce then south on Juniper.


The Gulf Oil Building gave Juniper a cold shoulder. View south on Juniper.


The Juniper side felt comfortable to me, from here it seemed like an apartment building. I felt safely buffered by a green strip and protected by a row of poles and trees. I wasn't expecting comfort. Walking here has never been so good. View south on Juniper.


Emory's new Proton Therapy Building (the beached white whale) is a lot less inviting. View Northwest from North Avenue.


From the corner of North and Juniper I could see the whole new composition without the Pei homage or the church. It's what I imagine the Khumbu Icefall on Everest looks like. My eye couldn't get a grip on it but I did see balconies. View east on North Avenue.


The North Avenue Side.


Here's the view from North and Piedmont. My eye didn't get it except for the balconies.


It kind of woks as the foot hills protecting Peachtree Ridge and the Midtown skyscrapers. You might think of it as a fortified line. This could be the most picturesque building on Ponce between North Avenue Presbyterian and Highland School Lofts. View west on North Avenue.


The Ivy Hall Apartments on the right are a bit more traditional.


I'm most interested in the Church, in making sure it survives. I hoped the new apartment would leverage it, compliment it.


I'm not sure it does.


It needs help.


The green corner makes a difference. Go have a look.



Happy New Year.

Atlanta's best drive-through view?

This is the view from the Bank of America drive-window at the Emory University.


It's Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church. To me it's the most pleasing Philip Shutze public building. It also serves as Emory's largest auditorium and it contains Shutze's "Little Chapel" (more in post script).

I don't mind the teller line when I can peruse the proportions and details.


When the leaves fall I get a better view.




It's been home to many graduations, church services, concerts, weddings, and funerals. I think it's the centerpiece of Druid Hills and the standout building at Emory.


What a pleasure to see this uplifting and humane building while waiting for the teller or for the light to change, or eating pizza at Everybody's.

Thanks,
Terry

P.S. Folks just don't know about the little chapel. From the Glenn website:

"The chapel is almost an exact replica, on a smaller scale, of the interior of St. Stephen Walbrook, an Anglican church in London that is considered to be one of Sir Christopher Wren’s masterpieces."

Appreciation: Atlanta churches and church windows

There are so many and most Atlanta churches are worth a good look inside and out. Most regular church goes only see the inside of their own. I don't know how to photograph church interiors. Better to go in person.

Here is one on Ponce:

And one in Decatur:

Greek revival: an Emory Theater and a Brookhaven dry cleaner.

The Schwartz Center for Performing Arts at Emory University is a showpiece at the corner of North Decatur and Clifton Roads. It has a lot to live up to. Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church anchors the west street front of Emory. The Schwartz center anchors the east end. It's a very high style block where Emory shows it best. If you can find a parking place, tour the center on foot. It's special.


But why shouldn't a dry cleaner on Dresden share the classic glory?

Angel Cannon Chapel Column Capitals

My post about Pitts Theology Library at Emory University said I'd get back the Emory's Cannon Chapel. It's a brutalist building that doesn't seem brutal, a complex building that easy to navigate, a big building that's not intimidating, an odd building with gentle delights around every corner. (Christa suggested I mention my post about Agnes Scott's new Julia Thompson Smith Chapel by Maurice Jennings architects. I haven't been inside yet.)

It's covered in abstract concrete angel wings.













It's interesting that the downspouts appear to be columns, very skinny ones. Notice the angle pattern on the barrel roofs.





I think these windows have angel details too:



It's well worth a walk-though if you are near Emory University.



Thanks and best wishes for your family for Thanksgiving.

Terry

Architecture Tourist Project: Blogging Ponce de Leon, Atlanta's Church Street

As far as I can tell there is no "Church Street" inside the Atlanta city limits. I hereby nominate Ponce de Leon between The Varsity and Decatur, bookended by All Saints Episcopal Church in Atlanta and Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Decatur.

I've visited and blogged All Saints Episcopal	but not Holy Trinity Episcopal.

Atlantans are fascinated with Ponce. It's got history, personality and a reputation for baseball, Sears, Mary Macs, Olmstead, Krispy Kreme, and sleaze.

I've set a goal to visit and document each place of worship on Ponce. It's a long term project. I think folks need to see these places. It's a natural project for architecture tourists. Perhaps you'd like to join me.

Ponce is home to some of our oldest congregations, church buildings by Atlanta's most prominent architects, stained glass, organs, and acoustics that match any in the area. Some of the church buildings are nearly 100 years old.

I'm making a map:



If you want to know more or help: Blogging Ponce de Leon Churches.


There is much more to see: Gold Pink Blue Beaux-Arts at Druid Hills Baptist.

Hanging In: Hapeville's Stone Church After a Week of Demolition

I want to see the inside so bad, it almost hurts. Yesterday, I got a glimpse.

Maybe these pictures will trigger your memories. I'd love to read your comments. I ask a lot questions below.

I hope there is still to time save it. You can sign the petition: "Save the Hapeville First Baptist Church Stone Sanctuary from Demolition." A big check and a plan would work better.

Demolition started Monday, October 29, maybe earlier. I visited yesterday, Saturday. November 3 just before dusk. The light was just right for me to see into a window.

So far there is no wrecking ball, no demolition/excavator, no line of dump trucks.. Workman are dismantling it from the inside, hard dangerous work I'm sure.

You can't really see what's going on. Is it just a shell?


Workers hand out lumber and debris though the old windows. There was just enough light to "see" inside with my telephoto. As much as I'd like to see inside I don't dare get close.


Is this a balcony or a choir loft? Is the chancel to the east (left) or west (right)?


The ceiling is partially gone. Looks like there is some temporary bracing.


This really confuses me. See the window with the blind arch over there? It is not expressed on the outside.

Did they board up the window when they built the new education building? Did it ever have stained glass? Reader, do you know?


A little Photoshopping helped me bring out some detail.

I gasped when I saw a patch of ceiling.


Is this how you remember it?

I wasn't expecting to see anything, certainly not sturdy, handsomely detailed beams and what looks like metal panels.


Impressive. What about the chandeliers? Do you remember?

Note:
Is the granite structural? No. It's a decorative stick-on veneer. If it was structural, it would be a national treasure and mighty hard to tear down and haul off.


Your eye will never trust this arch.


This is from 1954. The portico was still there, and the stained glass. Permisson to use this image purchased from the Atlanta History Center.