# Take Us on an Architectural Walking Tour . . . **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 8, 2005, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-us-on-an-architectural-walking-tour/325265 "2005-10-08T01:42:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ins\_Outs\_What-have-yous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8797f3/32.png) [@Ins\_Outs\_What-have-yous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ins_Outs_What-have-yous)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2005, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-us-on-an-architectural-walking-tour/325265/21 "2005-10-09T23:27:44Z")
I once lived near [this](http://www.westonlandmark.com/history.htm) old mental hospital. A sign near the building claims that it’s the largest hand cut stone building in the U.S. According to the website linked, the hospital has 9 acres of floor space. These [pictures](http://www.westonlandmark.com/photo_gallery.htm) fail to do the building justice. I mean this building is HUGE especially considering it was built in the 19th century. I recommend reading about the Weston Hospital’s quirky history. I find it difficult to believe the hospital was still active only a decade ago. * * * I worked in [this](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.abodia.com/architecture/TopORock/Day/image_data/Day16.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.abodia.com/architecture/TopORock/Day/image_html/Day16.html&h=552&w=800&sz=225&tbnid=XZb1_d3JWU0J:&tbnh=97&tbnw=142&hl=en&start=40&prev=/images%3Fq%3D%2522top%2Bo%2Brock%2522%26start%3D20%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26sa%3DN) building for several years * * * Today, I live across the street from [this](http://ukcc.uky.edu/cgi-bin/dynamo?maps.391+campus+0456) library that looks like a big birthday cake. ---
**Author:** ![gum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bbe5ce/32.png) [@gum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gum)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-us-on-an-architectural-walking-tour/325265/22 "2005-10-10T09:30:59Z")
I expect that everyone knows about our old houses, museums, canals and canal houses. If not, [take a panoramic look around here](http://www.panoramsterdam.com/) I like the old stuff. I _do_, but I have to admit that my favorite building style goes to the ‘Amsterdam school’ and is much more recent. [around 1920] A beautiful [imho] example [is this](http://www.dutcharchitecture.com/school1.jpg) Another one [is this](http://www.archimon.nl/pictures/amsterdamspaarn02b.jpg). Mind you, these houses aren’t considered special and are not just for the happy few. [as opposed to the canal houses] They’re all over Amsterdam and you don’t need to be rich to live in one of them. I find the attention to details breath-taking. Just look at an [old telephone booth, for crying out loud](http://www.hetschip.nl/images/interieur1.jpg) More info [and awesome pics] about the ‘Amsterdam school’ [here](http://www.hetschip.nl/achtergrond_en.html) The three main architects: De Klerk, Kramer and Van der Mey were said to be inspired by Hendrik Petrus Berlage, who designed [among others] a bridge over the Amstel river and our stock-exchange. [http://www.amsterdam2000.nl/zuidelijkewandelweg/architectuur/berlagebrug.htm](http://www.amsterdam2000.nl/zuidelijkewandelweg/architectuur/berlagebrug.htm) [http://www.vdmnet.nl/~yvette/architec/beurs1.gif](http://www.vdmnet.nl/~yvette/architec/beurs1.gif) [http://www.vdmnet.nl/~yvette/architec/berlage3.jpg](http://www.vdmnet.nl/~yvette/architec/berlage3.jpg). There’s also a [beautiful cinema](http://cinematreasures.org/theater/2314/) [not from the above school] you got to see, when in Amsterdam. Going to a movie in a Jugendstil decor and sitting in one of those old, comfortable chairs is a real treat. Visit the ladies room, while there. Even if you don’t have to pee. 🙂 [btw: That other photo, in my post above, is a public toilet. As far as I know, only used by men] 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-us-on-an-architectural-walking-tour/325265/23 "2005-10-10T14:43:14Z")
It’s hard not to start with [these old buildings](http://www.waxvisual.com/waxscozza/thumbs/edinburgh01.htm) as this is pretty much the view if I step outside where I work! The line of tenements dates back several hundred years; parts of the big building at the back are quite a bit older! In Edinburgh wherever you turn, there’s some historic building or other… ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-us-on-an-architectural-walking-tour/325265/24 "2005-10-10T16:28:11Z")
Not many interesting buildings around here - the UNC campus has the [Old Well,](http://osr.unc.edu/images/sptOldWell.png) the Wilson Library [(outside)](http://cs.unc.edu/~davisb/personal/fall_2002/27Oct02/WilsonLib.jpg) [(interior)](http://classics.unc.edu/images/snapshots/wilson-interior.jpg), and the Bell Tower [(night)](http://gazette.unc.edu/archives/04oct06/10-6-webpix/bell-tower.jpg) [(day)](http://lion.mnu.edu/~hattig/unc/DSC00132_s.jpg). There’s also the [Gimghoul Castle](http://www.carrboro.com/gimghoulcastle2.jpg) nearby. In Durham, Duke University is known for its Gothic architecture, the most representative example being the Duke Chapel [(exterior)](http://photo1.dukenews.duke.edu/pages/abele/chapel%20story/another.chapel.aerial.jpg) [(interior)](http://www.stolaf.edu/depts/music/stolaf_choir/photos/2001-2002/tour/020502_DurhamNC/images/choir%20in%20duke%20chapel.jpg). When they build something new on that part of campus [(the West Campus)](http://www.anupshetty.com/images/duke_west/duke_west_gallery.html), they try to fit the new structures in with the old style, which leads to having to find artists that can do gargoyles and such. East Campus looks a lot like UNC’s campus does and even has a couple hideous-looking dorms that must have been put up during the hideous dorm-building stage that infected every campus from the 50s through the 70s. Durham is also in the process of revitalization, and is developing what they call the [American Tobacco Historic District](http://www.americantobaccohistoricdistrict.com/images/archives/2004/model.jpg). Unfortunately I wasn’t able to find a good photo of the entire project - it encompasses a series of buildings that were once an old tobacco factory. It’s partially done now and will be a combination of business, retail and residential spaces. Here’s a photo of one of the [interiors of the buildings](http://www.americantobaccohistoricdistrict.com/images/archives/2004/bay7_topLevel.jpg) as it was being refurbished. And [here’s](http://www.americantobaccohistoricdistrict.com/images/archives/2004/bay7_extSidewalk.jpg) one of the entryways. This is a very large project and the difference between the decrepit old buildings and the refinished ones is amazing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/take-us-on-an-architectural-walking-tour/325265.md?page=1)