Inspiration

The blog this week starts in the mountains... where we went for a few short days, with friends.  Always so beautiful.

Here we are, about to make our way down the mountain at the end of the holiday....  wondering at the sublime view that greeted us that morning.

1.  N E W   Y O R K

Two days later, Charlie was back up to Rousay and I was off to New York.  I was there for a short afternoon.... A usual walk through Chinatown and downtown, the city gleaming in the spring sunshine....

Such a beautiful afternoon.

St. Patrick's Day festivities were well underway!

I gently made my way down to Battery Park and the beautiful view over to The Statue of Liberty.

I loved seeing the city farm in the Park, ready to start growing.

Walking back up Broadway.

Such a chic art deco lobby....

I wasn't any the wiser as to who owned the construction site at 32-34 Broadway.

The city gleamed in the sunshine.

I met our friend Wilfred for supper at the Nom Wah Tea Parlour...

2. C H A R L E S T O N

And an early night, and then I was off bright and early the following morning to beautiful Charleston, South Carolina.  Sam, from the office, and I, were there to help on 'Project 3500' - Major William Cogswell's brilliant and ambitious project to deliver 3500 new affordable homes within the City in the next 7 years. Partly because of our experience in Poundbury and elsewhere, where we try to deliver affordable houses that don't look terrible, we had some skills to offer the brilliant team assembled.

Our first day started early with a tour of old Charleston, and many inspirational streets which we will be drawing lessons from for the new developments.  Then we visited (in the pouring rain) the many sites that have been identified by the urban designers leading the project which can take new development, ranging from enormous parking lots to areas of very low density and aging housing stock, which is in urgent need of replacement.

Familiarisation complete, we set to in the studio for the next two days.  On the Wednesday evening, in glorious sunshine, there was a public meeting to look at work in progress.

The market hall, possibly my favourite building in the whole city, gleaming in the sunshine the next morning.

We carried on that day, but in the afternoon had a visit to the new town of I'On, with the legendary developer Vince Graham. His work here is nothing short of extraordinary.  It's hard to believe that this is a brand new place, and that 25 years ago there was nothing here at all.  These streets are all new - new houses, and an entirely new landscape.  I was jealous how fast the live oaks grow!

There are two large lakes, joined by these brilliant canals.

It was a remarkable visit, to see Vince's town, and the plan by DPZ. I was last here when it was just starting.  I was blown away by how well it was all done - although, of course, I'On doesn't have the mixed income housing that Vince had planned for, because - can you believe it - local politicians voted to prevent him doing that.  A different era.

Back in Charleston that evening, I went for a walk just for ten minutes to catch the beautiful light.

What a magical city - so instructive today. Of course, I'm aware of the darker sides of Charleston's history as well, but from an architectural and masterplanning perspective, it is nothing short of superb.

Here was our little studio, in the heart of the city, lights on through the night!

The following morning, early, I did another quick walk around some favourite streets....

And then after four days I was off. This was some of what we'd been up to!

Sam and I, happy but tired!

3. C H I C A G O

I was up to Chicago, for the annual gathering of the Driehaus Prize at the University of Notre Dame.  We started that evening in the extraordinary Driehaus Mansion.  I'd never been in.  It's an amazing building - reminiscent in some ways of Leighton House in London - a bit like the American cousin.

Some of the rooms were too crazy for me.

But other moments are sublime.

And the details are just extraordinary.  Built as a family house in the late 19th century, the building was saved and restored by Richard Driehaus who was so generous in his support of historical architectural preservation - and also set up the architectural prize that bears his name.

The following day, after the ceremony, I had a lovely walk in the balmy afternoon sunshine, a warm breeze blowing, the sun hot on our faces.  Chicago glowed.

Today, I had a wonderful vist to the Art Institute, which has so many treasures to reveal.... Charlie and I went two years ago and there were just so many rooms we didn't even go near then.  So, lovely to be back.

A feast for the eyes and the mind.

Then I jumped in a taxi to head out to Hyde Park, to visit Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House. I'd been twenty years ago and wanted to go back.  The temperature had plummeted by the time I got there.  It was so strange seeing the cacophony of late 19th and early 20th century houses on the streets around - you realise how amazingly revolutionary Wright's work really was.

Here's the view looking the other way.

So many beautiful details.

The front door.

Inside, the house feels more arts and crafts, and more attuned to its date (1908-10) than the amazingly forceful exterior.

Beautiful light fittings, designed by Wright with his trademark circle and square.... used in many of his houses, but the pierced metal panels which make amazing shadows on the ceiling were then custom-designed for each individual house.

Clever!

Arriving upstairs...

Concealed lighting within the ceiling.

The living space leading to the dining space.

The Japanese influence is so clear.

I loved the pantry. Here, and in the kitchen and bathrooms, you feel more in the world of Old Edwardian design.  Hard to believe this house was built at the same time as Lutyens's essays in English Vernacular.  Change was brewing in Chicago.

Mrs Robie's dressing room.

And Mr Robie's.

The bathroom.

The stairs.

And the kitchen...

The maid's bathroom.  Quite amazing.

We had a brilliant tour. I was part of a tiny group of four of us who braved the freezing cold for the excellent but rather lengthy discussion of the outside of Wright's house. We were glad to move inside to the enveloping warmth of the interior.  It was fascinating to be back. I loved it.

I'm on my way home tonight. It's been a brilliant trip but I am very, very happy to be home in the morning, by which time, I think, you may be reading this blog.  Rousay at the weekend. I can't wait.

Let us pray for peace.