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A military police officer stands in quiet vigilance outside Washington D.C.’s Union Station, framed by shadows and history.
Anchoring the corner of Oakdale Avenue and Mendell Street in San Francisco’s Bayview neighborhood, Providence Baptist Church is a bold and dignified example of mid-century modern religious architecture. With its angular roofline, asymmetrical bell tower, and spare white façade punctuated by tall stained-glass windows, the church is both architecturally striking and spiritually grounded.
Founded in 1944 and housed in this modernist structure since the 1960s, Providence Baptist Church has long been a pillar of the Bayview community—serving as a house of worship, cultural hub, and center of Black spiritual life in San Francisco. The sharply sloped roof and exposed wood beams inside hint at Scandinavian modernist influences, while the front tower—with its thin metal cross reaching skyward—adds a vertical flourish to the otherwise horizontal building.
Though simple in materials, the building commands attention through proportion and purpose. The entryway, flanked by clean signage and low-maintenance landscaping, opens onto a sanctuary known for both its intimacy and resonance. The structure’s minimalism allows the stained glass—each window a vertical strip of color and light—to take on added significance as a design feature and source of inspiration.
In the context of Bayview’s history of resilience and community strength, Providence Baptist stands as both a sanctuary and a symbol. It’s a place where faith meets form, and where architecture serves the spirit of service.
At the golden edge of dusk, the Keegan Theatre’s red-brick façade glows warmly against a clear Washington, D.C. sky. Located at 1742 Church Street NW in the Dupont Circle neighborhood, this former church building has been transformed into one of the city’s most beloved intimate performing arts venues. With light spilling softly from its symmetrical arched windows and entryway, the building invites visitors in with the promise of storytelling, creativity, and community.
Originally built in 1905 as the Mount Vernon United Methodist Church, this structure has seen the neighborhood around it evolve dramatically over the past century. Its dignified Romanesque design—with rounded-arch windows, decorative brickwork, and modest stone trim—retains the gravitas of its ecclesiastical origins while now embracing a lively new purpose as a theater.
Posters flank the entrance announcing upcoming performances, while the LGBTQ+ pride flag waves proudly above the doorway, signaling the venue’s inclusive spirit. The modern glass expansion to the left harmonizes gracefully with the original architecture, showcasing how adaptive reuse can balance heritage with growth.
This image captures more than just a theater; it reflects the soul of a city that values art, diversity, and historic preservation. It’s a moment of stillness before the lights go down and the curtain rises.
Architectural Survey Appendix (Historic Documentation Format):
Name: Keegan Theatre (formerly Mount Vernon United Methodist Church)
Address: 1742 Church Street NW, Washington, D.C.
Date of Construction: 1905
Style: Romanesque Revival
Architectural Features: Red brick façade, arched windows with fanlights, decorative stone keystones, symmetrical elevation, modern glass addition
Building Material: Brick masonry with stone accents
Number of Stories: 2
Historic Integrity: Well preserved with sensitive modern addition
Current Use: Theater / Performing Arts Venue
Contributing Structure: Yes (within the Dupont Circle Historic District)
Bathed in natural light and defined by sculptural steel columns, Porto’s Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport embodies the harmony between engineering and elegance. Designed by Portuguese architect Carlos Prata, the terminal’s clean geometry and open sightlines guide travelers through an airy, intuitive space. Layers of glass, metal, and wood flooring create a rhythm of light and warmth, while mezzanine seating and sleek signage enhance its modern European aesthetic. One of Europe’s most acclaimed regional airports, Porto’s gateway reflects Portugal’s design-forward identity — where travel, architecture, and human flow merge seamlessly into a contemporary expression of movement and possibility.
San Francisco's Edwin M. Lee Apartments are a striking example of contemporary urban design, featuring an eye-catching facade with alternating blue and white panels. The building’s architecture reflects a commitment to sustainability, incorporating energy-efficient windows that not only provide ample natural light but also contribute to the city's eco-friendly initiatives. Named after the city's former mayor, Edwin M. Lee, the apartments are part of a broader effort to offer affordable housing in a bustling urban setting. The sleek, modern aesthetic of the building, combined with its practical design elements, showcases San Francisco's innovative approach to residential architecture. Located in a vibrant neighborhood, these apartments provide residents with a dynamic living experience, blending style with sustainability. The building's unique design stands out in the city's skyline, making it a notable landmark for both locals and visitors interested in the evolution of urban housing solutions.
View of the Audubon Avenue facade of the George Washington Educational Campus, which houses multiple high schools and was the home of George Washington High School from the building’s opening in 1925 until its closing in 1999 when the building was reconstituted with smaller programs.
The Colonial Revival style building opened in February 1925 and was dedicated on Washington’s Birthday, February 23, 1925.
The design is credited to Board of Education architects C.B.J. Snyder and William H. Gompert.
It is located at 549 Audubon Avenue, at W. 192nd Street on the site of Fort George, a British fort during the American Revolution and the promontory is known as Fort George Hill.
It was profiled in the December 1925 issue of Architecture and Building magazine. See here for link:
babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015086591925;view=1u...
babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015086591925;view=1u...
This collage shows the four Fire Alarm Telegraph Stations built in New York City during the 1910s and '20s. Clockwise from the upper left, are the central stations for the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens. These facilities were placed in parks to isolate them from other buildings to reduce the possibility that fire from neighboring buildings would spread to them. All of these buildings are still used by the Fire Department of New York (FDNY).
For more information, please see my article on Untapped Cities at:
untappedcities.com/2016/04/21/nycs-beautiful-and-mysterio...
This is The Egg, a performing arts center located at Agency Building 1, S Mall Arterial, Albany, NY located on/in Empire State Plaza.
The Egg was built between 1966 and 1978, and features some stunning Brutalist architecture. The venue itself is suspended in the egg shaped part of the building, and atendees are shutteled up by one of two completely round elevators.
These escalators go between The Egg and inside Empire State Plaza.
The building in this photo is the Queens Fire Alarm Telegraph Station, located in Forest Park, at the corner of Woodhaven Boulevard and Park Lane South (formerly known as Ashland Street), in the New York City borough of Queens. It was built as a central dispatching office for the Fire Department of New York City (FDNY). The facility started operating in 1928 and is still used by the FDNY. New York developed facilities of this type in each of the five boroughs as part of improvements to the city's fire alarm system. They were deliberately placed in parks to isolate them from other buildings, in order to reduce the possibility that a fire from neighboring buildings would spread to them. At the time it opened, this facility served all of Queens, except Astoria and Long Island City, which were already served by the Brooklyn central office that opened in 1923.
City officials quoted in the Daily Star of 29 July 1925 hailed the station as "an advanced step forward making Queens safe against fire." The new facility allowed for more space and equipment to accommodate improvements in Queens' fire alarm system. The FDNY previously operated its fire alarm central office in a "damp basement" in the Town Hall in Jamaica. The new facility was touted as providing capacity to serve the borough for the next 100 years.
The design of this building, which features Beaux-Arts and neo-Georgian features, is attributed to John R. Sliney, the FDNY's long time chief Building Inspector. Even before it was completed, the Long Island Daily Press praised its design. In an 18 January 1926 article, the paper concluded that "a civic structure of real beauty will the grace this corner then. It will be set well back from the street on the crest of a terraced and landscape slope. Steps will lead from the sidewalk through the gardens in a semicircle to doors in the two wings which will branch out from each side of the center of the building, topped by a handsome dome and cupola. Trees, shrubs, and lawns will add to the attractiveness of the structure." Nine decades later it is still an apt description.
A ground breaking ceremony was held in September 1925. However, it was not put into service until November 1928, although a formal opening ceremony was held in July 1928. According to news reports, the building was completed in 1926, but needed improvements to and connections with the fire alarm system delayed its opening. As one newspaper put it, "a fire alarm telegraph building isn't of much use without a telegraph system."
Construction of the building at this location was vociferously opposed by many community groups and politicians at the time it was proposed. In fact when the project was first planned it was intended to be at a different location in Forest Park, at Myrtle Avenue and 108th Street. Even after the site was changed, protests continued. The Leader-Observer, a "live local" weekly newspaper in the area supported opponents of the plan to place the Fire Alarm Telegraph Station at the Woodhaven location. "There seems to be no good reason," the paper contended in an editorial in its 1 October 1925 edition, "why the parks of the city should be used for the accommodation of public buildings." It added, "city parks are for recreation purposes and should not be desecrated by unsightly buildings."
With the passage of time, it seems the opponents opinions were misguided. The Long Island Daily Press, disagreeing with the sentiment of the Leader-Observer, noted that "the appearance of the building when it is completed and the grounds landscaped, will add greatly to the beauty and distinctiveness of its location and surroundings, say those in charge." This time, at least, those in charge have been proven right. As the Leader-Observer newspaper reported on 26 November 2013, a local artist Madeline Lovallo, who paints picturesque locations, created a well-received painting of the Fire Alarm Telegraph Station.
For more information on this and New York's other Fire Alarm Telegraph Stations, please see my article on Untapped New York at:
untappedcities.com/2016/04/21/nycs-beautiful-and-mysterio...
Situated in a quiet corner of Heaton park,Manchester,UK is this grand colonade.
It seems rather out of place, as it dosent lead to anything and its not an arch, you cant even walk through it as its fenced off currently.
However the history behind this fine piece of carved masonry, is very interesting!
It was once situated on the corner of King street and Cross street in Manchester city centre, forming a grand facade to non other then Manchester's first town hall!
The present town hall, that internationaly famous high Gothic masterpiece, was completed in 1877 as a replacement for this older, classical style town hall, which had become too small for the growing town.
After the present town hall was completed, the old building(which had been completed in 1825) was used as a lending library at first, and then by Lloyds bank. However in 1912 the old building was pulled down to make way for a new Boroque style Bank, itself now a Grade II listed building.
But the people of Manchester recognised the significance of this old building as their first town hall. So its finely carved facade was taken down carefully and re-built in Manchester's green heart, Heaton Park, a former Manor estate which had been donated to the town in 1902.
Here she still stands today! a beautiful scenic monument to the history of this fantastic city!
One of Manchester's greatest buildings is currently undergoing a thorough restoration.
Manchester's 142 year old Gothic masterpiece of a town hall closed back in 2018 as a study of the building found it to be in a worse state of repair then was originally thought.
This multi-million pound project aims to re-furbish this great symbol of Manchester aswell as modernising the structures ageing wiring and plumbing.
It is due to re-open in 2024 and i for one cant wait to get in!
The Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida, is an architecturally and historically significant building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Capitol is at the intersection of Apalachee Parkway and South Monroe Street in downtown Tallahassee, Florida.
The Historic Capitol, sometimes called "The Old Capitol," built in 1845, was threatened with demolition in the late 1970s when the new capitol building was built. Having been restored to its 1902-version in 1982, the Historic Capitol is directly behind the new Capitol building. Its restored space includes the Governor's Suite, Supreme Court, House of Representatives and Senate chambers, rotunda, and halls. Its adapted space contains a museum exhibiting the state's political history, the Florida Historic Capitol Museum, which is managed by the Florida Legislature. On April 18, 2012, the AIA's Florida Chapter placed the Historic Capitol Building (Restoration) on its list of Florida Architecture: 100 Years. 100 Places.
The New Tower houses executive and legislative offices and the chambers of the Florida Legislature (consisting of the Florida Senate and Florida House of Representatives).
The buildings are universally, though informally, known as the Old Capitol and the New Capitol; the former is sometimes called the Historic Capitol, or also, confusingly, the Florida State Capitol. The latter was its official name prior to the construction of the New Capitol in 1977 and was so called by the National Park Service even after the New Capitol was operating. Its legal name today, however, is the Florida Historic Capitol Museum. The New Capitol, as a whole, does not have a legal name. When it was planned, the Capitol Complex (which is a legal name) was going to consist of the House and Senate chambers, and the twenty-two-story office building.
Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_State_Capitol#Architecture_...
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This sharp-edged modernist office block in Porto exemplifies clean geometry and functional design. The white stone façade, accented with deep vertical louvers, creates a rhythm of shadow and light across its grid of windows. Its minimalist volume contrasts with the surrounding residential towers, giving it a striking presence near Casa da Música. Ground-floor glazing introduces transparency, while the elevated structure conveys both weight and refinement. Seen here in the warm afternoon sun, the building captures the clarity and precision of mid-to-late 20th-century European modernism, adding another layer to Porto’s rich urban identity of heritage, innovation, and architectural diversity.
Marché Jean-Talon (Jean Talon Market) is a public market in Montreal’s Little Italy. Adopting its present name in the 1980s, it was originally called Marché du Nord (Northern Market or North End Market). Architect Charles-Aimé Reeves designed the Art Deco main building which opened in 1933. This facility replaced the Shamrock sports club, which explains why it was also known as the Marché Shamrock (Shamrock Market) in its early years. Featuring a large open air market with a smaller main building than other public markets in Montreal, this structure is nicknamed the Chalet. For many years, in addition to fruits and vegetables, live animals were also sold here. Even without that aspect, it remains a popular food market.
For more information on this and other Art Deco gems of Montreal, please see:
My article for Untapped New York (English):
untappedcities.com/2019/11/14/a-guide-to-the-art-deco-gem...
Blog posts based on my article by LM Le Quebec (French):
The building in this photo is the PATH (Prevention Assistance and Temporary Housing) Center, an intake center for homeless families located in the South Bronx, New York City. The building, which was designed by Ennead Architects (formerly known as Polshek Partnership), opened in 2011. It is operated by the NYC Department of Homeless Services (NYC DHS) and the facility is sometimes referred to as the DHS Family Center. This project was overseen by the NYC Department of Design and Construction (NYC DDC) and developed under its program Design + Construction Excellence (D+CE), which aims to provide "efficient, contemporary, and visually-engaging civic structures."
For more information on this and other Postmodern buildings in the Bronx, please see my article for Untapped Cities at:
untappedcities.com/2016/06/30/top-10-nyc-postmodern-build...
This is The Egg, a performing arts center located at Agency Building 1, S Mall Arterial, Albany, NY located on/in Empire State Plaza.
The Egg was built between 1966 and 1978, and features some stunning Brutalist architecture. The venue itself is suspended in the egg shaped part of the building, and atendees are shutteled up by one of two completely round elevators.
This is The Egg, a performing arts center located at Agency Building 1, S Mall Arterial, Albany, NY located on/in Empire State Plaza.
The Egg was built between 1966 and 1978, and features some stunning Brutalist architecture. The venue itself is suspended in the egg shaped part of the building, and atendees are shutteled up by one of two completely round elevators.
This photo shows two court buildings on East 161st Street in the Bronx, New York City, the Family and Criminal Courthouse on the left and the Bronx County Hall of Justice on the right. They present an interesting contrast in architectural styles, Modern on the left and Postmodern on the right.
The Family and Criminal Court building was completed in 1977 and designed by architects Harrison and Abramovitz. Also known as the Bronx Criminal Court Building, it is an imposing limestone structure, which apart from its entrances, primarily meets the street at ground level with solid flat walls. Although the team of Wallace K. Harrison and Max Abramovitz had a well-respected body of work including Avery Fisher Hall and the Time & Life Building, this building has had its share of critics.
The Hall of Justice, completed in 2008 has a similar massing, but a very different facade. It features a sawtooth, frosted glass curtainwall on the southern, front facade and the southern part of the eastern and western facades. The building is L-shaped, and its northern facade and tail of the L feature transparent clear and colored glass that allows in daylight, showing stairways and hallways from a courtyard to the north. The upper floors cantilever above a central area that allows pedestrians to walk directly from East 161st Street to the courtyard without walking around the two-block long building. The Hall of Justice was designed by Rafael Viñoly Architects (RVA). Viñoly, who earlier designed the Housing Court building on the Grand Concourse, is famed for a number of other buildings including 432 Park Avenue.
Fred Wilmers, the RVA project manager, told the New York Times that the firm had designed the building to be welcoming rather than intimidating, which may be a reference to the Family and Criminal Courthouse as much as it is to historic courthouses in general.
The two buildings are separated by Sherman Avenue and are located a few blocks east of Yankee Stadium and the Bronx County Courthouse (the latter is at East 161st Street and the Grand Concourse).
For more information on the Hall of Justice and other Postmodern buildings in the Bronx, please see my article for Untapped Cities at:
untappedcities.com/2016/06/30/top-10-nyc-postmodern-build...
The Dusseldorf Main Customs House built in 1901-1902 was reconstructed after the Second World War and is now a hotel called "The Red." The brick-façade building is a listed historic monument and its monument listing credits the design to "Bongard und Kochs." The German Wikipedia entry for the State Archives building, built around the same time in Dusseldorf, credits that building to "Baurat Bongard und Regierungsbaumeister Kochs"; presumably the same team that worked on the Customs House.
Although not famous for its Art Deco architecture, the provincial Victorian city of Ballarat, which was established between the 1860s and 1880s when the area was at the centre of a gold rush, does have some fine examples of interwar and post war architecture when the gold boom was replaced with wealth generated through grazing and agriculture.
The former Ballarat Girls School, now part of Ballarat Secondary College, is a beautiful example of post war Art Deco architecture. Although built between 1954 and 1955, the school's main building of honey yellow clinker bricks is very Art Deco in its design. It features an emphatic vertical fin and a stepped facade and roofline. Minimalist in its decoration, it has Functionalist Steamline Moderne windows. Even its round porch lamp, is very modern in design. All these features give the building a very elegant and striking appearance in comparison to the 1860s architecture surrounding it.
Fred Taylor (1875-1963).
Frankfort O/M via Harwich - Flushing Daily/The Hook Nightly - Der Romer' LNER poster, 1923-1947. Poster produced for the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER), promoting rail travel to the German city of Frankfurt AM Main, showing market traders setting-up their stalls in front of the City Hall (or 'Romer'). Forming the historical centre of the city, The three Gothic buildings of Frankfurt's City Hall were originally built between 1288 and 1305.
© All rights reserved.
A bittersweet celebration was held in celebration of Engine 31 of the Detroit Fire Department. The purpose of the celebration was to mark the 100 years of service the engine provided to the city.
What makes this celebration sad is that this engine company is seen as another pawn in the city's "firehouse roulette." That is, this engine is constantly one of those out of service because the department feels it can save money, whereas it creates a longer response time in a city busy with calls, which means lives are at stake. One of the firemen at the celebration remarked that 31 had been open for a few days and would most likely go out of service in a day for about six-months. Happy one-hundred years!
July 19, 2008.
Although not famous for its Art Deco architecture, the provincial Victorian city of Ballarat, which was established between the 1860s and 1880s when the area was at the centre of a gold rush, does have some fine examples of interwar and post war architecture when the gold boom was replaced with wealth generated through grazing and agriculture.
The former Ballarat Girls School, now part of Ballarat Secondary College, is a beautiful example of post war Art Deco architecture. Although built between 1954 and 1955, the school's main building of honey yellow clinker bricks is very Art Deco in its design. It features an emphatic vertical fin and a stepped facade and roofline. Minimalist in its decoration, it has Functionalist Steamline Moderne windows. Even its round porch lamp, is very modern in design. All these features give the building a very elegant and striking appearance in comparison to the 1860s architecture surrounding it.
© All rights reserved.
A rare glimpse into the Wayne County Building in downtown Detroit. Design in 1897 by John Scott and located at 600 Randolph, this restored structure is home to county offices.
The Ballarat School of Mines and Industries building in Lydiard Street, was first constructed in 1899 for the School of Mines. It is the third oldest tertiary institution in the country, after the universities of Sydney and Melbourne. It is a typical two storey red brick and stone educational building of the turn of the century. The street facades are divided into five bays with paired and tripled rectangular windows with segmental heads and hood moulds. In 1914, additions were done by Clegg, Miller and Morrow and in 1915 Clegg and Morrow designed the outbuildings. It is substantially intact, apart from the original paintwork, the entrance door and the removal of the roof finials.
The School of Mines has had a long history in Ballarat and has played an important part in the spread of mining expertise to elsewhere in Australia.
The School of Mines became especially famous for its science, engineering, metallurgy, chemistry and geology courses. It merged with the University of Ballarat in 1998 and is now known as the SMB campus.
© All rights reserved.
A bittersweet celebration was held in celebration of Engine 31 of the Detroit Fire Department. The purpose of the celebration was to mark the 100 years of service the engine provided to the city.
What makes this celebration sad is that this engine company is seen as another pawn in the city's "firehouse roulette." That is, this engine is constantly one of those out of service because the department feels it can save money, whereas it creates a longer response time in a city busy with calls, which means lives are at stake. One of the firemen at the celebration remarked that 31 had been open for a few days and would most likely go out of service in a day for about six-months. Happy one-hundred years!
July 19, 2008.