by Architectural Observer | Nov 3, 2016 | Blog, Drag Queen Architecture, Observations
The insanity never ends… these fake quoins go one step further than most in demonstrating their superficiality. Originally a wood-frame house of conventional construction, this place was given a makeover in an effort to elevate its common origins, including a...
by Architectural Observer | Nov 2, 2016 | Blog, Observations
While it’s fair to say that there is more awareness and appreciation of historic styles than there was forty years ago, it’s also fair to say that there is room for improvement – especially where issues of scale, proportion, details...
by Architectural Observer | Nov 2, 2016 | Blog, Observations
I’ve been digging through a lot of old photographs recently and became curious about what had happened to some of the places I had photographed years ago. This photo, for example, was taken in downtown Cherokee, Iowa about ten years ago. At the time I was...
by Architectural Observer | Nov 1, 2016 | Blog, Drag Queen Architecture, Observations
Sometimes the choices made in historic preservation efforts aren’t always clear-cut. Increasingly, there is debate over what is worthy of preservation and what is not. Many years ago I photographed this vibrant 1960’s-vintage metal facade which...
by Architectural Observer | Nov 1, 2016 | Blog, Observations
Sometimes people get it wrong in their eagerness to “get it right”. This small addition to a late Victorian-era house is a good example. Whoever designed the addition (which is made of wood) clearly wanted to “respect” the original brick...
by Architectural Observer | Nov 1, 2016 | Blog, Observations
Here is a house which is a nominal example of Drag Queen Architecture. Aside from the decorative flourishes atop two windows, the only alterations to the character of this house were made with color. As a Colonial Revival style house – likely built...
