while i do adore nature more than anything in the world, i also have a huge affinity to architecture. in the past i've been into historical architecture the most - think medieval timber-framed houses & castles, rococo/renaissance palaces, gothic/romanesque cathedrals & churches and wilhelminian/19th century/art nouveau townhouses. but this past year my focus turned onto contemporary and modern architecture. i realized there's a simply beauty to it, minimalistic, easy on the eye, but still visually stimulating. while in the past i didn't really like modern architecture all that much ( except if it was an outstanding, overwhelming and artistically well executed building - something groundbreaking ), i came to the mindset that a building doesn't need to have excessive/elaborate embellishments in order to be a beautiful building. sometimes less is more. sometimes a minimal take on building something can bring the same joy as decorating it with the most delicate embroideries and figurines.
i think if done right architecture can enhance our lives in a profound way - no matter if it's ancient or modern. i'm maybe not very well-versed and educated enough on this subject, but i still want to try to capture more architecture in the future. it's something i'm actually passionate about ( always was, never really took it seriously, though ).
it all happened after i had a conversation about brutalist architecture, eichler homes and american lifestyle with a friend, and this conversation left me so inspired that i set out on the next day and started searching for modernist structures - something that i keep associating with america, even though we have tons of modern architecture history in europe as well. just think about bauhaus and soviet constructivism, or even trans automatism ( hundertwasser houses! ). i realized i live on a continent and in a place were there's literally a hodgepodge of architectural styles and why shouldn't i try to capture some of them that are outstanding to me? why shouldn't i try to look at them with a different eye, from a different angle than before, instead of walking by all these buildings everyday without looking at them more closely?
and that was the spark that started it all. i hope to focus some more on architecture this year, and try getting better at architectural photography, too.
so let me take you on my first architecture walk, a walk
that i consciously made in order to photograph more buildings.
this building has recently been remodeled. before it was really an ugly piece of architecture, but now i really like it.
loved these planters in front of the building.
a classic case of brutalism. strangely, i'm kind of attracted to it. it's ugly, yes, but at the same time imagine it being overgrown with plants! the juxtaposition is tremendously beautiful in my mind.
another brutalist building - the commerzbank currently resides in here.
a little bit of historism thrown in.
for good measurement, rusty fences.
the day i did the walk little thunderstorms were brewing. i had to take shelter a few times under bridges and in house entries, haha.
i call this building the black tower. what i like most about it is obviously it's blackness and the golden windows.
school building. i always love when nature tries to take hold of architecture, so overgrown houses and buildings are probably my most favourite thing when it comes to architecture.
the relief reminded of gdr architecture ( which has its roots in socialist realism.).
hiding from the downpour under a bridge.
the clouds lifted again for a little while. love the mirroring in this glass building. ( it's also a very classic example of contemporary architecture in commercial properties )
storm clouds leaving the scenery.
an airstream trailer! i love finding gems like this.
dramatic sculpture in front of dramatic sky.
the black tower again. easily my most favourite modern building in the city. the golden windows are simply the best. the black tower is actually called zirkon tower, was built 1973 and is an example of international style architecture. i can see it from my flat every day!
the district i took all of my pictures in is wiesbaden's main commercial district, with offices, hotels, malls and state agencies. i live on the outer edge of wiesbaden-mitte and i can walk there in about 20 minutes. makes for quite a nice walk, especially on sundays when there's close to no people there and everything feels a little deserted.
i really adored the way those cacti were attached to the building's walls.
cool graffiti. the line on the bottom says: let's go to the sea with a taxi. i don't know why, but i was really smitten with it, probably because i love the sea and the idea is kind of nice.
favourite part of the graffiti.
on a mall parking lot.
i love the idea of an icecream parlour with a drive in, haha. needed to capture this.
this building is fairly new. it's the justice and administration center of wiesbaden and was completed in 2009. i should probably consider revisiting it, as the complex is really huge and extensive.
mainzer straße.
schlachthof tower and area. the schlachthof is an event hall for the alternative music scene in wiesbaden. it's a really cool place where lots of great concerts take place and a lot of 'hip' people meet up to hang out.
more buildings that belong to the schlachthof complex.
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