Freeway river
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One more image of Our Lady of Angels Cathedral. Notice the Hollywood Freeway reflected in the window then read (in italics) what the architect thought of creating this building right next to the freeway.
The challenge in designing and building a new Cathedral Church was to make certain that it reflected the diversity of all people. Rather than duplicate traditional designs of the Middle Ages in Europe, the Cathedral is a new and vibrant expression of the 21st century Catholic peoples of Los Angeles.
Just as many European Cathedrals are built near rivers, Moneo considered the Hollywood Freeway as Los Angeles' river of transportation, the connection of people to each other. The site is located between the Civic Center and the Cultural Center of the city.
'I wanted both a public space,' said Moneo, 'and something else, what it is that people seek when they go to church.' To the architect, the logic of these two competing interests suggested, first of all, a series of 'buffering, intermediating spaces' -- plazas, staircases, colonnades, and an unorthodox entry.
Worshippers enter on the south side, rather than the center, of the Cathedral through a monumental set of bronze doors cast by sculptor Robert Graham. The doors are crowned by a completely contemporary statue of Our Lady of the Angels.
A 50 foot concrete cross 'lantern' adorns the front of the Cathedral. At night its glass- protected alabaster windows are illuminated and can be seen at a far distance.
The 151 million pound Cathedral rests on 198 base isolators so that it will float up to 27 inches during a magnitude 8 point earthquake. The design is so geometrically complex that none of the concrete forms could vary by more than 1/16th of an inch.
The Cathedral is built with architectural concrete in a color reminiscent of the sun-baked adobe walls of the California Missions and is designed to last 500 years.
Posted by: Rootsap | permalink
Comment
Gallery: ARCHIVE
Tags: architecture
Name:: don
Thursday, Feb 21, 2008 - 08:33AM
A fascinating image beautifully shot. I found the comment very interesting. I'd like to see this in person!
Name:: pieterbie
Thursday, Feb 21, 2008 - 10:56AM
Cool how you managed to catch the architecture and an important part of its environment!
Name:: Philip
Thursday, Feb 21, 2008 - 06:22PM
Architecture and reflections...two of my favorite things to see in photography. Today's my lucky day, I guess. Excellent.
Name:: klaproos
Friday, Feb 22, 2008 - 12:52AM
close your gap klaproos:-)
wow pieter what an amazing building,
seeing the highway refelcted in it,gives this photo an extra dimension,
my compliments.
have a nice weekend
klaproos
wow pieter what an amazing building,
seeing the highway refelcted in it,gives this photo an extra dimension,
my compliments.
have a nice weekend
klaproos
Name:: Volker
Friday, Feb 22, 2008 - 02:52AM
Great shot. Excellent composed by viewangle and cropping.
