It was too windy to shoot flowers. So I settled on taking pictures of a nearby school building's roof. That is a thick designer stainless steel rainwater spout. Unique but I think it is an overkill. It should still be there long after the roof is gone.

[GeoJerry]

A witty photo nice graphic look to it as well.

[rod_grant]

overkill

and probably overpriced.
Some architect was given to big a budget.

[RobA_Oz]

That's a very nice photo of an architectural detail.

Having worked as a building services engineer for many years, I can say with some degree of assurity that the cost of adding such details most likely came at the expense of other aspects of the building, usually the services.

[WPRESTO]

Classic architecture commonly covered the facades of major buildings with exuberant decoration - pillars, porticoes, recesses, statuary, window decoration, gables, corner towers, etc. etc. that must have enormously increased the cost of construction. Modern architecture is by choice relatively stark, sometimes a "form-follows-function" approach that has given us many glass cereal boxes. Some visual experimentation is at times welcome, provided that the structural integrity and interior utility is not compromised. A ubiquitous design feature that is frequently criticized by people who actually use modern buildings: windows that cannot be opened.

[lesmore49]

A wonderful photograph. Very nice abstract. Artistic.

It also took your eye to separate this bit...from the rest of the school.

Excellent work ...this photo.

Les

[chmance]

A witty photo nice graphic look to it as well.

Thanks for your positive comments.

---------- Post added 09-05-15 at 11:26 PM ----------

and probably overpriced.
Some architect was given to big a budget.

That it was overpriced is a given that a simpler spout would have worked. But I trust that the bidding process worked to the taxpayers' advantage since this is a government secondary school.

---------- Post added 09-05-15 at 11:30 PM ----------

That's a very nice photo of an architectural detail.

Having worked as a building services engineer for many years, I can say with some degree of assurity that the cost of adding such details most likely came at the expense of other aspects of the building, usually the services.

I've passed that school so many times on my way to the park where I usually take my daily walk and that rainwater spout has always caught my attention. That it is an engineering and financial overkill very likely resulted in cutbacks somewhere else. It hope they didn't skimp on the foundation. LOL! You know this reality more than I do.

---------- Post added 09-05-15 at 11:49 PM ----------

Classic architecture commonly covered the facades of major buildings with exuberant decoration - pillars, porticoes, recesses, statuary, window decoration, gables, corner towers, etc. etc. that must have enormously increased the cost of construction. Modern architecture is by choice relatively stark, sometimes a "form-follows-function" approach that has given us many glass cereal boxes. Some visual experimentation is at times welcome, provided that the structural integrity and interior utility is not compromised. A ubiquitous design feature that is frequently criticized by people who actually use modern buildings: windows that cannot be opened.

Your insight about the architecture of this building is right. This nearly mint government secondary school has a starkly functional design using lots of low-e glass to let in sunshine. That makes sense especially here in the cold northern part of the continent. Surprisingly not many of those glass walls and windows, which ironically give the building an airy feel, open to let in fresh air.

There are two such giant rainwater spouts that surprisingly are in the building's rear, which faces a huge football field and an oval. This pair of spouts plus six massive pillars frame the glass and steel portico leading to the back entrance.

---------- Post added 09-05-15 at 11:51 PM ----------

A wonderful photograph. Very nice abstract. Artistic.

It also took your eye to separate this bit...from the rest of the school.

Excellent work ...this photo.

Les

I appreciate your comments. You are not the only one who had to pause and ponder what that structure is. The roof of the school gives it away.

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Last edited by chmance; 09-06-2015 at 12:02 AM. Reason: typos --- tons of them