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The Mesa Laboratory / I.M. Pei

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The Mesa Laboratory of the National Center for Atmospheric Research by I.M. Pei (1967),  in collaboration with landscape architect Dan Kiley.  The complex sits on the redundantly-named Table Mesa, at the foot of the Flatirons rock formations in Boulder, Colorado. It's surrounded by a 565-acre nature preserve. Pei was inspired by Puebloan cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde. The structures are built from poured-in-place concrete, mixed with local red Lyons sandstone aggregate to match the rose-pink color of the surrounding hills. A large model of the planned complex is on display. Some of the buildings seen here were never realized. The surfaces were bush-hammered to create that rough texture. I was under the impression that the surface was combed (when wet) like they do when putting in the grooves on concrete highways.  However, here is a slightly smaller example of the chisel they used. I love that they had to point that out. I'm guessing one of the scientists working at the f...
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Weekend / Stuff

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Slim pickings in Denver...weed pots and a Brazilian display table.  Travel size = no need for checked luggage.
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Michael Graves / Denver Public Library

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 Denver Public Library by Michael Graves (1996) It was my first time in the Mile High City. I don't think it's known as a hotbed of modern architecture but I was pleasantly surprised. The library is adjacent to the Civic Center Park and next to The Denver Art Museum. Greaves was awarded the project after the firm won a design competition. The seven-story addition  was a 390,000 SF expansion and also included a 147,000 SF renovation of the existing library.   Source: Michael Graves The 1955 library was designed by Burnham Hoyt.  Source: Denver Public Library Special Collections The new and old library buildings. Source: Richard W. Longstreth via Society of Architectural Historians There was a recent renovation that included adding what they call the " Grand Staircase". Special Collections and Archives are on the fifth floor. The Graves sculpture, titled “Symbol of the West”, is constructed of reclaimed beams from a Western sawmill.  It's held together with w...
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Doyle Lane / Master of Clay

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Doyle Lane : Master of Clay at the Huntington Art Museum, Library and Botanical Gardens. This is the first major museum retrospective on Doyle Lane (1923–2002). It's long overdue and certainly won't be the last. The exhibition was curated by Lauren Cross, who also wrote the accompanying book , which you need to get.  Most people know Lane's weed pots and maybe even the clay paintings, but this exhibition includes the whole breadth of his work. He made everything from ashtrays, lamps, bowls, beads, and even metalwork.  The book adds so much to what we know about Doyle. Lauren writes about Lane's childhood and time before moving to California, which hasn't been explored before. There is so much firsthand information about Lane, the person, from friends, relatives and in his own voice. The interviews are some of my favorite parts of the book. Reading transcripts of Doyle going into depth about his glaze process is next-level craft geek stuff. This post is more of an o...
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