Alright, let’s talk about them famous brick buildin’s, you know, the ones made of all them red blocks. Folks seem to like ’em, so I guess they’re important or somethin’.
First off, there’s this place, the University of Birmingham – Aston Webb Buildin’ in the U-nited Kingdom. They say it’s a real good lookin’ one, all red and fancy-like. Built a long time ago, back in 1909, they tell me. Started this whole “Red Brick University” thing over there, whatever that means. Sounds important though, with all them smarty-pants kids goin’ there.
Then, there’s a bunch of other places, built by all sorts of big-shot architects. Names I can’t even pronounce, like Louis Kahn and that Frank Lloyd Wright fella. They must be real good at stackin’ them bricks, ’cause folks are always talkin’ about ’em. Made houses and big buildin’s, all over the place, I reckon.
- They built all sorts, houses, big places, you name it. Must’ve used a whole heap of bricks.
- And let me tell ya, them bricks ain’t light. I tried liftin’ one once, nearly broke my back!
Now, there’s this big ol’ fort, called Fort Jefferson. It’s out in the water, way down in Florida, in some park called Dry Tortugas. They say it’s the biggest brick thing in all of the Americas. Never been there myself, too much water for my likin’. But it’s big, real big, they say. Unfinished though, which seems kinda silly. Like startin’ a quilt and never finishin’ it.
And speakin’ of houses, there’s all sorts of fancy ones. Folks call it “residential architecture” and all that, but it’s just houses to me. Some are real pretty, with nice yards and all. City folks like ’em all modern and sleek, but I like a good porch and a swing myself.
This fella, Philip Jodidio, he wrote a whole book about brick buildin’s, called “100 Contemporary Brick Buildings”. Must be a lot to say about bricks, I guess. He probably knows more about them than I do about cookin’ grits, and that’s sayin’ somethin’.
Then there’s this Wegmans Hall at the University of Rochester, up in New York State. Another school buildin’, see? Must be somethin’ about bricks and learnin’. Maybe they think the bricks will keep the kids from runnin’ off, ha! I dunno.
So, yeah, there’s a whole bunch of these famous brick structures all over the world. Old ones, new ones, big ones, small ones. They all got somethin’ special, I suppose. People like lookin’ at ’em, writin’ about ’em, even buildin’ more of ’em. Me? I just like a good, solid brick house, keeps the wind out and the warmth in. Can’t ask for much more than that, can ya?
Brick’s been around forever, it seems. Folks been usin’ ’em for houses and walls and whatnot for ages. Guess there’s a reason for that. They’re strong, last a long time, and they look kinda nice too, in a plain sort of way. Not flashy, like them glass buildin’s, but sturdy and reliable. Just like a good pair of work boots.
So next time you see a brick buildin’, take a minute to think about it. Think about all the folks who worked to put them bricks together, all the history behind ’em. It’s more than just a pile of rocks, you know. It’s somethin’ special, somethin’ that lasts.
Tags: [brick structures, architecture, buildings, history, design, construction, famous buildings, landmarks, materials, architectural styles]
