Traveling Architect
Travel and Inspiration: Insights from 7 Architectural Minds
Architecture is an interesting craft in that it relies heavily on both analytical and artistic skill. The former is honed by each project we undertake, and by meticulously checking and rechecking our work. When it comes to the creative side of what we do, nothing is more informative and enlightening than traveling to other parts…
Read MoreTraveling Architect: Postcards from Paris
For me, Paris is more than just one of the world’s great cities — it’s a source of endless architectural design inspiration. I have been fortunate to spend a significant amount of time there as an architectural student, living with my parents when they were on sabbatical, and visiting friends I’ve made through the years.…
Read MoreTraveling Architect—Old Montreal at Night
A recent weekend trip to Montreal provides an inspiring look at lighting design. Interior and exterior lighting can transform a space or structure like nothing else. Lighting can create an atmosphere of warmth, introduce drama to the unremarkable, help foster a feeling or emotion, or even tell a story. And when you pair phenomenal lighting…
Read MoreTraveling Architect – Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
A week away provides inspiration, needed rest and brings this traveler back to her ancestral roots… Lunenburg is a coastal town on the south shore of Nova Scotia, West of Halifax, located in Mahone Bay. Established in 1753, its architectural history has been respected, preserved and maintained. In 1995, Lunenburg was named a UNESCO World…
Read MoreTraveling Architect: Phoenix in 4 Days
Music, Nature and Architecture As luck would have it, this trip was an amazing convergence of three things I love—nature, music and architecture. The main reason for the trip was to rehearse and perform the American premiere of my father Donald Patriquin’s Songs of Innocence, an adaptation of William Blake’s poems in an 8-movement suite…
Read MoreGuadeloupe: A Caribbean Island with French Flair
I had the pleasure of visiting Guadeloupe in April. The weather was beautiful and the islands a delight to all senses! During our vacation, I had time for a little work – fun work, that is! I explored the interesting and eclectic architecture that shapes this Caribbean archipelago. The architecture tells its own story about the history…
Read MoreWashington Walking Tour: Art in the Federal Triangle
Last week, a couple of us from the office took a train to the AIA Convention, which this year was hosted in Washington, DC. Two and a half days filled with lectures, classes and an architectural materials expo began, for me, with a walking tour of the Federal Triangle. Armed with a Metro Pass, a…
Read MoreBest of 2011
At the close of the year 2011, we want to thank you, our readers, for reading, for commenting, and hopefully, enjoying! We have compiled our top blogs of the year, based on interest from our newsletter readers and visitors to our site (with the help of our trusty ‘Mad Mimi’ and ‘Google Analytics’). TRAVELING ARCHITECT…
Read MoreNew York High Line
For a very different perspective of Manhattan’s West Side, walk the High Line, a linear park elevated 20 to 30 feet above street level, where freight trains used to run through manufacturing neighborhoods. Currently running from Gansevoort Street in the West Village to 30th Street, it will continue West and North in a loop to the…
Read MoreTraveling Architect: Santa Fe
Oh, the colors, the smells and the sounds of Santa Fe! We have visited here a few times now, and every time, there are new discoveries. The landscapes are varied, and explorations to new areas are always rewarded with yet another beautiful view. The city is as old in its design as the art that…
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