Love/Hate

Any great city has architecture within architecture, like the layers of an onion. The great city inspires you with the old, then surprises you with the new. I was recently inspired (again) by the work of Turkey based design firm Autoban. TPWP has posted examples of their work before. But this inspiration highlights a troubling fact about DC: the new consistently falls short of the old.

The Inspiration:

Located within a modern shopping mall in Istanbul, this space adds an unexpected twist to the already dramatic architecture of the mall itself. Go here for more pics.

DC spaces that could be so much more:

The conservatory room at Clyde's Gallery Place. Clyde's has always been an approximation of something past, when DC desperately needs a new perspective.


Poste could reside within one of the great spaces in Washington. A space combining the best of old and monumental with new modern optimism.

Hope for a better DC:

The courtyard at the National Portrait Gallery is one of the great spaces anywhere.

Source for Cafe Kanyon: Contemporist
Autoban's website