Jackie's Architecture Blog February 2008 Archive

Whether you are writing a research paper or simply curious about buildings and design, you want to find answers fast. Where are the best places to go for facts and ... Read More

The inventive and irreverent architect Frank Gehry was born on February 28, 1929 in Toronto, Canada. From his earliest works, Frank Gehry has shattered conventions, designing buildings that some critics ... Read More

A historian might argue that the house featured below isn't really a Victorian, because it was built in 1905... a few years after the reign of England's Queen Victoria. But ... Read More

Fanciful Queen Anne architecture takes on many shapes. Over the past year, readers have been sending us photos of their favorite "Queens," from towered mansions to relatively simple homes ... Read More

It's hard to imagine any house withstanding the kind of earthquake that shook western Indonesia this week. Even the much smaller quake in Wells, Nevada managed to flatten dozens of ... Read More

February 21 marks the day when the newly completed Washington Monument was officially dedicated in 1885. Architect Robert Mills had a very different vision for the tall white obelisk. He ... Read More

The world-renowned architect Louis I. Kahn was born on February 20, 1901. Kahn designed some of the most important buildings of the twentieth century, yet he died penniless. Kahn's ... Read More

Of course, the White House (see below) is only one of many architectural landmarks in Washington DC. Dozens of remarkable buildings illustrate the ways architecture was used to express democratic ... Read More

One of the most popular ways to celebrate Presidents' Weekend in the USA is to stop by the White House and tour the presidential home. I live too far away ... Read More

Over the past decade, school officials in the United States have developed extensive plans to protect students and staff from violence like the tragic shootings at Northern Illinois University. Drills, lock-downs, ... Read More

A century ago, the multi-millionaire George Boldt planned to give his beloved wife a spectacular Valentine's present: a luxurious "castle" in the Thousand Islands, New York. His romantic plans ... Read More

The spacious log "cabins" we build today are likely to include skylights, whirlpool tubs, and other luxuries. But, in the age of Abraham Lincoln, log cabins fulfilled more basic needs. ... Read More

Speaking of romance, what could be more romantic than a big, white Neoclassical house? Inspired by the classical architecture of ancient Greece and Rome, Neoclassical buildings are often frosted with ... Read More

A castle isn't supposed to be romantic. In medieval days, castles were built for war, not love. But something about the stone towers and fanciful parapets stirs the imagination. You ... Read More

We can thank the multi-talented John Ruskin for the rise of Gothic Revival architecture in Victorian England and the United States. Born on February 8, 1819, Ruskin was a writer, ... Read More

February 7 marks the beginning of Chinese New Year, a fifteen-day celebration to welcome the year 4706. China is home to one of the world's oldest civilizations, but when ... Read More

Dynamic leaders like Barack Obama are household words, but few people know the names of the many Black architects and designers who helped build the United States. Only about ... Read More

Mardi Gras comes early this year. The world's biggest party starts today, Tuesday, in New Orleans and spills out of Louisiana to infect the country with an atmosphere of wild ... Read More

Forget the Super Bowl. The big celebration today is for Finnish architect Alvar Aalto, who was born February 3, 1898. Often called the "Father of Modern Scandinavian Architecture," Aalto became ... Read More

Even if you don't follow football, you'll want to tune into Super Bowl XLII this Sunday. The New York Giants will play the New England Patriots in a stadium like ... Read More