The Left Bank of the Duna

I really do not know what this building is, or rather used to be. It has office space in it now that was being advertised. It's near the Mariott Hotel where the "famous" all you can eat dessert buffet is (it may not be famous to everyone, but was to us when we were in Hungary 10 years ago to get egy kávét kérek, and dobos tortát kérek.) It is on the river walk by all the cafes between the Szénchenyi Lánchíd and Erzsébet Híd on the Pest side, or the left bank of the Duna.
(Duna=Danube River) (Híd=Bridge)





I love that there are faces coming out of the designs, and I think the lines of the designs are so elegant.

Széchenyi Lánchíd

Széchenyi Lánchíd=Széchenyi Chain Bridge, and is the most famous and oldest bridge in Budapest. It is a suspension bridge that was designed in 1839 to replace temporary floating bridges across the river and it was finished being built in 1849. Széchenyi István was one of the main supporters of building a permanent bridge, so it was named after him. This bridge was bombed in World War II, as were each of the seven bridges in Budapest in order to separate Buda and Pest.

Normally it is a bridge that cars drive over, but last weekend they were having a summer festival. People were selling food, drinks, and wares, and all automobile traffic was blocked off.







By the way the lions do have tongues. (If you have no idea what I'm talking about Google it!) Also, young children believe that the bridge gets pulled into the tunnel by Clark Ádám tér on the Buda side every night.

Pesti Barnabás utca

My heart lives in Budapest, so you may have to bear with me in the coming weeks. I think everything in Hungary is interesting because it is so beautiful, historical, and decorative, but then a lot of it is falling down, or under construction. The second picture shows great evidence of this. I hope you can enjoy these photos even a fraction of how much I enjoy the details from this beautiful country.





These three pictures were taken of the south side of Pesti Barnabás utca, which is a tiny little street off from the famous shopping/tourist walking street Váci utca (by the way utca=street) on the Pest side of Budapest.


So begins my tour of architecture in Europe...Austria and Germany to come.

Stay Tuned for European Elements!

Budapest here I come!

Major Close-Ups

These are elements I had previously posted, but I GOT A NEW CAMERA! Here's to close-up elements.

Signs Signs Signs

I have stumbled on some fun signs in the last couple days. Now that I look at these pictures again there are more signs in them than I focused on when I was taking the pictures. So this blog has a signing bonus.
The first two are from Clarkson Street, and the last one is from Broome Street.

I love the scale of this and the fact that it's a brick wall "painted" on a brick wall. Plus Batman: The Dark Knight is the talk of the town right now.


I love objects as signs, so a coffee cup letting me know there is a Dunkin' Donuts there makes me happy.


This sign is clever. It's for an eyewear store. Plus look at the detailed roll as architectural element at the edge of the building. Very nice!

On Graffiti & Shoes

On my way home from the Brooklyn Brewery I noticed some fun urban elements in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. If you're going to do graffiti art at least make it good...



I'll find some good urban art to post here. This will just be my urban element warm-up.

This is on Wythe Street by 11th Street, which is around the corner from where the Brooklyn Brewery is located. I highly recommend checking out the former Matzo ball factory in a tour. Tours happen on the hour every Saturday and Sunday beginning at 1pm and ending at 4pm. For More information!

Architecture On Broome: Westside Edition

This is a continuation of the previous post...same street just a bit further West.



This definitely looks like WPA stuff to me, but I have no idea what the history of this building is. It just has a Social Realist look to it.

Can anyone tell what the first man is doing? It looks like he is planing something, but if he is he is cutting toward his hand and that's a definite no no. He also looks like he has the halo of a saint. The second man, it appears, is some sort of chemist.

Architecture On Broome: Eastside Edition

Two buildings with interesting elements from east to west on Broome Street in Manhattan.


Almost everything around this window had shape and detail to it. I wonder what inspired the plant motif...


These little gargoyle-looking creatures caught my attention right away. They look like they have chicken legs. I love them!






Look at the dragons! They have such elegant flow from head to tail. And the one on the right looks like it is eating its own tail.

I would have to say these are some of the most interesting elements I have noticed in Manhattan in a while.

More Miami

Architecture As Wave

These sections of buildings in Miami look like waves to me, so I thought I would post them together.

Miami Signs

I love typography and architecture, so here are two of my loves put together.

Art Deco In Miami

Pastels and Bright Colors

Market in Lima, Peru

Arequipa, Peru

Peru has quite a variety of architecture for a relatively small country. Part of that is the distinctly different climates in different areas of the country and part of it is the change over in governmental power structures over the centuries.

Cage as Firescape...Firescape as Cage

From a distance these just look like jail bars. That is not where I would like to be stuck during a fire. I love the repetition, and angles in the building, and variety of lines in the photos though.

53rd Street between 5th Ave. and Madison Ave.
Manhattan