I once lived near this 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 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 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 Another one is this.
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
More info [and awesome pics] about the ‘Amsterdam school’ here
There’s also a beautiful cinema [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]
In Durham, Duke University is known for its Gothic architecture, the most representative example being the Duke Chapel (exterior)(interior). When they build something new on that part of campus (the West Campus), 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. 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 as it was being refurbished. And here’s one of the entryways. This is a very large project and the difference between the decrepit old buildings and the refinished ones is amazing.
