Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Shutze's sparkling brick at Grady High School

Whole sections of the wall sparkle in the low winter sun.
P1000478-2010-01-31-Shutze-Grady-HS-East-Facade-NE-Corner-Brick-Sparkle-bw

I've just bought my ticket to the
2010 Philip Trammell Shutze Awards on February 20th in Atlanta. You should too. Mr. Shutze "...placed Atlanta on the map of America's great classical architecture." The awards recognize new architecture and landscaping in the classical tradition here in the southeast.

I went to the Shutze Awards last year. It's quite a treat for architecture tourists. The event gathers the architecture, the architects, and the clients in one place for one evening. And there will be way more bowties than average.

Atlanta is full of Shutze buildings. This was a busy, productive man with great clients.

In the run up to the awards I will do a batch of posts about Shutze in my neighborhood, places that reward deeper looks.

Shiny brick?
On Sunday while taking pictures of Shutze's Grady High School (where my kids went to school, where I've been 100's of times), I had my first brick epiphany.

I took a routine photo of the brick in the shade. It's Flemish bond with gray headers, red stretchers. Nice. Why did Mr. Shutze selected these particular bricks?
P1000488-2010-01-31-Shutze-Grady-HS-Brick-Detail

I presumed that's all there was to know about the brick. Then I moved to the sunny side and with a sidelong glance caught the reflections. The gray headers shine:
P1000478-2010-01-31-Shutze-Grady-HS-East-Facade-NE-Corner-Brick-Sparkle

What else am I missing?

I will do another post on Grady High School. For fellow Atlantans, it's across 10th street from Piedmont Park. You've been there but you haven't really noticed. It's worth a closer look. How 'bout them urns?
P1000470-2010-01-31-Shutze-Grady-HS-South-Facade-Urn-Fascia-Cornice-Detail-Detail

Thanks,
Terry

P.S. If you are going to the Shutze awards, please let me know at terry @ surf303.com.

8 comments:

  1. Damn fine post, Terry. I realize I've never looked at Grady High School and begin to wonder if I've ever in all my time in Atlanta actually seen it.

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  2. That's an interesting catch with the bricks. I didn't realize Shutze designed Grady High School. I'll have to investigate in person. When I first saw the pictures in this post I thought Blayne had taken them. Your getting good with the HDR.

    I'm thinking of attending the Shutze awards. The formal attire is a bit intimidating though. I'm a jeans and t-shirt kind of guy.

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  3. James, me too. Last year I wore a button down shirt with sweater. Nobody seem to care. This year I'm going to do a tiny bit better and wear my old blue blazer, now that it fits again. I mean I don't even own a cocktail dress.

    P.S. These aren't HDR. The sun and the brick were just doing their job. You had to be looking and looking in the right direction to see this. But it's been there all along and I guess Mr. Shutze planned it that way.

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  4. How cool! I can't wait to see all the houses in your neightborhood...

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  5. I am planning a tour of privately owned Shutze homes for a silent auction item, and was investigating some of the other Shutze designed buildings around town...I was surprised to see that Grady HS was one of them! Thank you for posting this - beautiful pictures!

    One of these pictures ties in beautifully with a blog post I am writing...may I use it (with a link to your blog, of course)?

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  6. TTI- I think I remember you posted this when I was doing my Shutze series! Envious!! Love him love him. Hmmm... may have to get tickets for that award function! I have too many formal dresses- would be nice to use one. ;-)

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  7. This is a great blog, I would also like to know who designed the old O'Keefe High School on Ga. Tech's campus and Washington High School.

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