^ That's a great bridge, Mindfulness; a simple design idea but really effective.

__________________________________________________ ______________________________________

The design of Christian churches isn't simple, but I find it very intriguing, partly because it's so widespread. They started out a couple of milennia ago and in the last 500 years they have spread out all round the world. Lots of style changes of course, but also many elements that stay the same too

https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media...ywfqa2tpoy.jpg......https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...%2C_Alaska.jpg
Mozambique.................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ................... Alaska

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/24/ac...c79f71ecfd.jpg
Bali

But where ever the church is, architects are likely to call the main entrance bits "the west works", because the European tradition was that the altar end should face East - so that worshipers were pointing at Jerusalem, or so the theory goes. Not every European church follows that rule, but many do. So what happens in these other places? Do African churches point north? Do churches in Bali point west? And how about where you live? Do all the churches point in the same direction?

Here's some smaller scale architecture, but still historical and fascinating. To me anyway.

Dellwood Park used to be a playground for the recreation seekers of the times. Now, it's a playground for the disc golf chain music seekers of our time. Originally opened in 1905, it was a destination for swimming, picnicking, and dancing, with a small amusement park built around it. Over the years, the dam was altered to let the the water flow and a small creek called Fraction Run now travels through it's length, winding though it's relics and structures keeping the surrounding area dry as it drains into the Des Plaines River to the west. This made the location ideal for a disc golf course, which was opened in 2014. One of the premier disc golf locations in Illinois the course utilizes the old architecture in it's lines and fairways, making it as beautiful as it is difficult to play.

The dam then and now:

http://livinghistoryofillinois.com/a...liet_IL_01.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/LKqJae8.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/RH4hCf5.jpg?1

The trail extends under the adjacent highway:

https://i.imgur.com/bjdBivW.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/lUmlUTx.jpg?1

...and has been sealed off to keep vandals, etc. out:

https://i.imgur.com/iWm3KW9.jpg?1

One of the few bridges that remain, then and now:

http://livinghistoryofillinois.com/a...liet_IL_04.jpg

http://livinghistoryofillinois.com/a...liet_IL_05.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/FQw1CLk.jpg?1


I'm recreating the entire park in VR for people to take a walk around without having to be there, using either a PC w/mouse or an Oculus. This will be available for everyone for free. Soon.

https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net...b3&oe=5E818EF3

More pics/history:
Dellwood Park, Joliet, Illinois 1905-ca1938

^ That's a really interesting post, Plankton. Especially useful were photos 1 and 2, which show before and after shots of the dam. Are they from opposite directions, though? The new highway is downstream of the dam, right? I don't think the new bridge is standing where the lake water was, or is it?

Either way, Dellwood park looks like a great place to visit: once conventionally attractive and now beautiful in a slightly sad way, I imagine.

I also like pic #8 of the boating lake. I'd love to meet that lady in the white hat, sitting up so straight in her boat.

Pic 1 is looking NE and Pics 2 & 3 are looking SW and NW respectively. Yes, that new steel/wood bridge is right where the lake used to be. Here's a real view of the same area, looking west. The woman with the hat would be on the other side of the concrete arch bridge.

https://i.imgur.com/lNC60kv.jpg?1

Lots of vandals and riff-raff have left their mark over time. Once the Disc Golf park went in, the area changed drastically for the better though. There's a strong community of people dedicated to the sport that will go to great lengths to keep it safe and fun for everyone.

:beer:

I'm surprised that no-one, afaik, has mentioned this development yet, also surprised that I'm hearing about Hudson Yard's for the first time, even though The Vessel has been open for several months now:-



Looks like a super-cool place to visit.

^^Whoa. I had no idea. A bit like Millenium Park here in Chicago, but on a much larger scale.

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/dept...nium_park.html

https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/...fallwinter.gif

Here's a few of my latest albeit humble architectural offerings:

Glad to see it's getting some media attention, Mindfulness!

I liked the slideshow of Millenium Park, Plankton, and you have a right to be very proud of your constructions. They've got a good look that comes from being clean and functional, and this one is especially attractive:-

The video about The Vessel makes a blink-and-you'll-miss-it ref to a stepwell in India. It really deserves a longer look imo, so here are pics of the deepest step well in the world, Chand Baori in Rajasthan, India:-

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...fDw6wk5GYn6Z7K.....https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...EG5wbpMz5AFPjp

This place looks so unusual because it is. It must've been so difficult to construct, even if they started with a suitable hole in the ground. And what did they get for their efforts? A hidden building without much practical purpose - no wonder this kind of inside-out building is so rare. Nice venue for a concert though.

Thanks Lisna.

That well looks very Escher-esque.

^ Yes, it does. That didn't occur to me, but if you've walked down to the bottom of the well, I think you'd welcome the notion that you were in fact back at the top and didn't have to climb all those steps again! I also notice that there are a lot of steps, a lot of direction changes and hardly a guard rail in sight - so not a place to take small children, who would otherwise love running up and down.

*checks NY's The Vessel for handrails*
__________________________________________________ _________________________

Nothing is as simple as it first seems, and here's an analysis for nerds of the title, "World's Tallest Building".



^ "... the world's vainest skyline" :laughing: