Mark and I have collaborated on this one. -- CharlesTyler Green made a request for bloggers to select our five favorite works of American architecture. This is really, really difficult -- no, impossible. There are so many cultures and influences. Churches, housing, human and animal, industrial, transportation. We can't stop thinking of possibilities: pre-fab housing, high-rise buildings. Oh well, here are five of our favorite buildings (with their architects, when known), in no particular order:
- B&O Railroad Roundhouse, Baltimore (Ephraim Francis)
- The Baltimore Basilica, Baltimore (Benjamin Henry Latrobe
, with Archbishop John Carroll and Thomas Jefferson) - U.S. Coast Guard Lighthouse, Marquette, Mich.
- The Kreeger House (now Museum), Washington, D.C. (Philip Johnson, with Richard Foster)
- Library of Congress (Jefferson Building), Washington, D.C. (John L. Smithmeyer)
All local, I see. Familiarity dost not necessarily breed contempt! And because absolutely no one cares (nor should): "Lipstick Building", Philip Johnson.
ReplyDeleteJens, I love the Lipstick Building, too. Actually, several Philip Johnson buildings came to mind, but I went with the Kreeger.
ReplyDeleteand why did you get three choices? oh yeah, your the boss. I even considered Amish barn designs and tree houses.
ReplyDeleteThanks for recognizing the Kreeger. I have been a docent there for over 10 years. It is a fantastic building and I always enjoy being there!
ReplyDeleteJust FYI (even though this blog entry is over a year old), the architect of the Baltimore Basilica was only Latrobe. Carroll simply oversaw the project as Bishop of Baltimore. Thomas Jefferson was not involved, save for his skylight design which Latrobe essentially copied (Latrobe was Jefferson's Architect of the Capitol.)
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