Category Archives: Architecture

Staring down at the pretty circles…

Flying periodically between Southern California and Washington, I constantly look down with awe and wonder. I love a good view, and window seat delivers well. Then, comes two usual questions as I stare down; where am I, and what is that?

I often notice these large man-made circles upon rural flat farmlands of the western U.S. These circles are large and many, very even, and filled with variances of light-dark earthy tones, often adjacent to each other. In clusters, the perfect geometric shapes are wonderous to behold, unreal as part of some gigantic artwork in the grand museum that is our modern world. Or if I imagine hard enough, a surreal game of Connect 4 played by giants.

I learned these man-made wonders are actually center-pivot irrigation circles, where farmland is watered in rotation from a rotating sprinkler anchored at the center. This supposedly cuts down on labor costs and remains an alternative to ground irrigation. I can’t say I understand much more. Irrigation is a complex subject with debates on what is best and the future for our world challenged with climate change and continuous droughts. But, seeing the patterns from above, I see the impact humans have upon the very landscape, where they are microscopic in comparison. Our impact for better or worse, is its own unintended art.

– Orion T

Reflecting over what happens for happiness…

Not much happened over the weekend, and that may be a good thing…

That space gave me time to ponder, walk around, talk to people, participate in a project study, meet new friends, learn a little Python coding, fix my laptop, give a good hard look a change in direction, write some short stories which I will someday publish.

Okay, that’s a lot to reflect on. Yet still, not much really happened over the weekend because that was a lot of great moments that’s don’t imply drama, follow-up, expressing of concern of spreading the emotion of some great joy or sadness felt. I just had time to live in some great moments, that just developed with myself, friends, strangers. This was a all mixture of entertainment, study, creativity, sharing, pondering with some light planning. All happened, but passing through in a relaxing, smiling flow.

Oh, never mind. A lot happened, now that I reflect on my writing here.

Orion T

The picture above, I took last Friday night after some heavy rain, at the University of Washington. Here is the Suzallo Library on campus, an amazing building with a Hogwartsesque main reading room. I passed by that buildng last night in the dark, cold lonely night, with an urge to take pictures of the this beautiful observed moment. I really liked this shot, but wish I had a better camera to capture the fine details.

The momentum of the abstract view

e7abb50f-ae73-485d-81a7-56b806975079

Sometimes, I look up. And, I take a picture with a camera.

Sometimes then, I forget to switch a setting meant for the night. The original shot was kind of boring, while the overexposed revealed a weird dimension of countless angles and forgotten math.

I love it.

The actual shot is below a fixture inside the Oregon Convention Center, in Portland. Further details of the moment are unimportant.

– Orion T

The new city perspective, from higher Seattle…

d3d91906-5cb0-4ddf-9d22-7fb4e3a3f340

The above shot is from the Madison and 4th Building in downtown Seattle, where I currently work these days. It’s from yesterday, being the last sunny day of summer, but with wind and cold outside ushering in the new Fall Season.

In the distance are two of Seattle’s tallest buildings. To the right, being the 76-floor Columbia Tower, a familiar tower to those who lived here over the last few decades. On the left to the middle is the more recent 44-floor F5 Tower, completed in 2017. Some cool facts: its glass walls are designed to handle temperature and energy use by letting in some sun rays and reflecting others. It uses the same glass as the One World Trade Center in New York City. It also holds rainwater for reuse, has a 35-foot-tall”living wall” where plants grow and have solar energy equipment upon its roof.

On the ground, the F5 is a visually puzzling, odd building among the other skyscrapers. Not exactly straight, and appearing too modern I think. From the ground, its pattern feels a bit off…

20180917_133420.jpg

But rising up high in another building and seeing a different angle of the F5, there is a barely seen symmetry to it, that is brilliant and awesome (see top picture).

Maybe someday, I will go inside and see more for myself. Hopefully, up high and getting the chance to look around, and gain new perspectives.

– Orion T

 

 

The Outside In

Library Shadow.jpg

The sun was an inviting element to this particular past weekend for 2018. I think this was the first time of this year, where the Emerald City got complete sunshine for both Saturday and Sunday.

Or, at least that what I have noticed while not being indoors for most this weekend. I walked around a lot through downtown and the waterfront on errands and eating. But particularly striking was the Central Library in the early afternoon. I was there to finish my taxes and check out some movies. The light of the sun directly shined through, causing the revealing pattern shadows on the floor. I had to take a picture (see above).

Then, the only movie I checked out was Alien: Covenant. I watched it later, and felt no excitement. That movie is super boring and put me to sleep.

– Orion T

Outside the Amazon Spheres

img_8036

Live in Seattle, and you will eventually notice the overwhelming presence of Amazon. I mean this, because of the influence the mega-dominating capitalist empire carries, with its growing tech culture and innovation, here at a high price for the locals here.

Now stands the Amazon Spheres, an enclosed botanical paradise for some of its highest privileged employees. A forest world of its own, with a large variety of plants, waterfalls, and trees; all contained within an architectural wonder of curved glass and complicated steelwork.

This bonkers modern construction is the newest developed centerpiece for the many surrounding Amazon buildings towering over the city (and much blocking the view of the Space Needle for us regular folk). Its light after sunset illuminates Amazon’s current prosperity to its many local highly paid tech-workers, as they gather their food at the nearby Amazon Go shop, or the Whole Foods Market a few blocks away (now owned by Amazon).

The building is cool to look at, but I think would be more impressive if it stood for more than its company name. I have more to say on this, especially after visiting the inside of one of those spheres.

More on that, soon.

– Orion T

 

Elevating in the Smith Tower…

img_7819

The other day, I had the pleasure of visiting the oldest skyscraper in Seattle, the Smith Tower. Completed in 1914, this was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River, for its time. It was also the highest building in Seattle until the Space Needle came along in 1962 (completed in 1961). So, the Smith Tower needed an elevator…

And that it got, a lovely manual operated system of seven elevators. Each operated by a human who would push the buttons, turn things, slide the doors, and give some amusing small talk in transition. this would go on for 103 years.

Now six of the seven doors are to be automated, in an effort to keep up with modern fire and safety standards. One elevator will remain with a human operator, probably the one that leads to the observation deck…a classy tourist destination for those looking to enjoy a bit of the old city with its remains of an interesting history.

Going up, this was my first time. The elevator had see-through windows, and a vintage wobbling and mechanical nature, reminding me of an old apartment elevator in my childhood home in San Francisco. Except this one had the operator, who told me a humorous anecdote of the Smith Tower history.

Here are a few pics I took of the doors, inside panel, and elevator serviceman:

img_7819

Overall, a pleasant experience leading to another, being the observation room and outside deck on the 35th floor. That will be shared in another post in the near future….promise.

-Orion T

Picture of Today 7/27/16, The Over Light 

Just one light fixture among many at the beautiful, historic Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles. One could look around and see the well-preserved arches, talk windows, shined floorways, wooden surfaces within the grand halls. Passing through such a picture, can feel blessed for that feeling of time.

Here’s a a quick unedited pic of that noticeable setting below…

– Orion T

Picture of Today 6/7/16, An Empty Fountain

Into the Cultural Landscape Fountain, within the the Jim Ellis Freeway Park in downtown Seattle (near the Washington State Convention Center). Design by Lawrence Halprin, whose work can be seen in many parks and landmarks across he United States. The crazy thing about this, is that one could walk by the fountain for many days, weeks, months; and yet miss the majesty within. Such is easy to miss, but hard to forget when found. Stop when near enough in Seattle, and check it out.

– Orion T

Picture of Today 3/30/16, The Reading Room at the Suzzallo Library

For a moment, one can imagine being late to the big Hogwarts graduation. Minus 10 points to Gryffendor!

Meanwhile, this is the wonderful Graduate Reading Room on the third floor of the Suzzallo Library at the University of Washington campus. The large room was a west addition completed in 1935, to the building whose initial ground floor was completed in 1926. The area is 250-feet (76 meters) long, 52-feet (16 meters) wide, 65-feet (20 meters). Henry Suzzallo, the university president previous to the time of its completion, believed that universities should be “cathedrals of learning.” With some fantastic gothic architecture styling, the Graduate Reading Room is a vision made true for the students at U-Dub. Also, a wonderful place for quiet study, thinking, and perhaps letting the mind wander.

-Orion T

Picture of Today 3/7/16, Looking Up

Looking up the tallest building in Seattle, the Columbia Tower.

However, this side is the shorter part of it (overall called the Columbia Center), not sharing the full 73 stories (943 ft.) of its full height. I do appreciate it’s unconventional curved shape of this particular view. It’s the simple perspective I especially enjoyed for a minute on this otherwise mundane Monday.

– Orion T

Picture of Today 12/30/15, Under a Magenta Needle…

  
Would you believe it was colder in Seattle this morning than than the North Pole?

Actually, the North Pole was much warmer because of some unusual storm (reached 32 degrees this morning, 2 more than what I woke up to). For the rest I cared little for the cold, tending to long work chores…sigh. But soon that will be all over for the year, as I looked up one last time at the Space Needle after work. It’s magenta lit for some reason. 

Cool.

Anyway, that’s the last I gaze upon at it for this year. Tomorrow after another round of work, I shall leave the Emerald City to another place far for some days to spend the final Eve of 2015. It’s a kind of a secret for now..

– Orion T

The Full Bloom Selfie 

Just a shot with my favorite little lens, the EF 50 mm for my Canon Rebel. I love it for the focus on the small details, and a challenge to use. The Seattle Space Needle was kind of unintentional in an earlier try, but looked again and thought…okay. I will get the structure in, but this beautiful flower is still the star of the show.  

Pictures of Saturday 4/25/15, Seattle Center Daze..

050 copy

I did some local exploring around the Space Needle.That was my spontaneous little adventure in the later daylight end for yesterday. Here are some pics…

004 copyThe rooftop view, a nice day for fluffy clouds and a good walk..

018 copyThe monorail through the local Experience Music Project museum..

019Up and above..

017 copyA new playground here. The paint is fresh. The playground will be open to the public next month sometime…

007 copySame playground but from a different fence. I may have filtered it a bit too much in the Photoshop touch up edit, but I really liked the lines. I wanted to make sure you noticed..

013 copyThe same playground from another closed off entrance.. It’s a little crazy, and seems dangerous.

011A little more about that..

025 copyAnother look at the Space Needle, from a mid-Spring point of view…

024 copyA little birdie hopping around..

032 copyThe John T Williams Honor Pole, carved by his brother (Rick L. Williams) to honor John and his long family generations of carving. John T. Williams was the seventh generation Nitinaht carver of the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations. He died in 2010, from multiple gunshot wounds fired from a Seattle police officer. For more on that story, click here. Thanks to donations and public support, this totem pole remains close to the Space Needle, for all to appreciate.

051 copyThat is all for now. I depart the Seattle Center, and walk through the Bill and Melinda Gates Visitor Center. There is much else of visual interest around here. However, I will save that adventure for another day..

– Orion T

Pictures of Today 4/24/2015, Next Stop, Pioneer Square Station, Doors to your Right..

039 copy

Under the streets of old Seattle, transitions happen. There is much beauty in this process, though many of us are too busy to appreciate its design.

Many are local citizens, going about their daily commutes to and from work. They would likely be relieved to not take part in the rising traffic jams above and around the growing Downtown area. Some probably have a good book, or an old timey newspaper. Others have their mobile device; perfect for casual video games and the occasional texting conversation (once out of the tunnel). While their lives are usual and mundane, they still take part in their daily exercise of change. This tunnel is a major part of that process…a maker of their daily progress gone smooth.

Some are a bit excited to make this transition to or from their homes abroad, as they are often tourists, or weekend visitors to those special loved ones or good friends. Either ways, the stop inside a tunnel station is a major turning point in that journey. An official step, to leave all behind or welcome all forward. Some changes may be from the stop before. Even so, the above world is still different than the one left behind 10 minutes ago. All change becomes accepted, and planned well with the beginning, or the end of this transition point.  We forget the in-between, very quickly.

Take this stop in Pioneer Square, also known as the Pioneer Square Link Light Station. You may catch a number of buses, or the Link Light railbus throughout the King County area.

This 25-year old station lies beneath the older, more historical part of Seattle. Everything here below, feels like the opposite of the town above. It feels open, almost quiet except for constant whining of buses and railcars. Everything seems simple, as to a purpose and options on what could do here. Yet above, the world is busy and complex. The streets seem to have less space. There are unpleasant smells sometimes. The destinations are nearly infinite, with many directions one could choose from. This is different from airports, and open business districts and suburbs of the destinations where the transits follow beyond the Downtown areas. When you leave the space between spaces, a transition complete and new normal comes accepted.

Still, that station below is quite incredible; a retro-futuristic fantasy come to life. Here are pictures of this grand stop; the amazing tunnel between. Sorry, I did not take any pics of the grand exterior of the stairway. My camera battery was “exhausted” by then. My change, was to leaving this alone, forgetting it all; and next choosing that good place to enjoy a good slice of pizza.

041 copy020 copy 018 copy 042 copy-Orion T

Earth Day in the Big City..

20150420_155750 copy

Happy Earth Day!

And so goes all the good messages about planting trees, recycling, putting some extra through on how we converse resources. This is not much to ask for the many of us busy with work, or preoccupied with some studies and big crazy projects.

Yet, here we are again. And sometimes, it’s the little things we don’t appreciate. Like these trees that I felt fortunate to walk among in this big downtown city. Now, the Spring is full-grown, and the leaves are plenty enough to block out much of the continued development that sprouts from the grounds of this Emerald City. I smile a little more on this Earth Day, to see the efforts of this co-existence of nature and industrialization in the high-paced working world. There are ecological benefits to our longer-term survival with this continued push for nature through our cities. I would like to think having more trees helps reduce the effects of city pollution and smog. The shade also helps to bring down mental stress, I think.

So, today I spread the light on our public parks, and emphasize  the importance of increasing planted trees in our modernized civilizations. We continue to push forward, plant more trees and bushes; all great action in the right directions. This continual rebirth of local nature is helpful to our environment and futures, in more ways than we can see. But, sometimes to take in the sights of a well-developed park..is enough to appreciate.

The pictures below are of the Pioneer Square area of Downtown Seattle; taken days ago with a cheaper point and shoot camera. However, today has small outbursts of sun and shine throughout the Pioneer Square. The leaves are just as nice to look at and through, on this lovely Earth Day. If you are nearby some earthly sights, take time out and appreciate..

047 copy 012 copy 011 copy 007 copy 049 copy

– Orion T

Picture of Today 2/24/15, Multiverse Vista



Down there is the fiction section, around 7:30 p.m. 

This large (or small, depending on your perspective) corner is inside the Seattle Central Library, of the downtown area. The view is from the 5th floor, looking down to the 3rd floor there. I am rarely in that part, where I have little time for checking out the fiction these days. 

Much of my library book time is either thumbing through the non-fiction (often between 810-815), the 741 area, or the Reference only section exploring old archived texts. Other times, I am working on a very special project somewhere on the 7th or 8th floor; for which shall remain a secret, for now. Some other times, you can find me sitting on a chair on the 10th floor, doing something less important. 

If you can find me there, say hello!



Pictures of Today 1/31/15, 12 Man Fan Colours

IMG_3178

This was early last night, after midnight. Here in the Seattle Center, the 12 man spirit of the SeaHawks is going Beast Mode through the thick fog (see previous Space Needle pics!). The Super Bowl will be the next day, and the Pacific Science Center knows what’s up.

Also, I love the fog.

And, below is a bonus of where I stopped by this night..the Benaroya Music Hall, also showing some Seahawk cheer!

IMG_3186

(Go Hawks!!)

Picture of Today 1/23/15, Lady in Red

2015/01/img_3081.jpg

Once can loose a sense of reality on the 4th floor of the Seattle Central Library in the Downtown area. Lots of red and curves here. It is best to enter this area from an upper floor via the elevator, for a trippy feel. The senses take some moments to adjust, and then let the surroundings sink in.

This pic was accidental, with the cam settings off and the mystery shadow lady suddenly appearing. I like this result.

Picture of Today 11/11/14

IMG_2276.JPG

The Pacific Science Center in Seattle shows off the USA colors for this Veterans Day. This day, many Americans take time out to the men and women who choose to serve in out armed forces. Such ways include volunteer or donate to help those vets in need, spending time to learn more about their past and present, promote their brave deeds on Facebook or whatever. Many put up a flag, like atop the Space Needle within walking distance to the left.

All good, and different ways to say thanks.

Picture of Today 11/9/14

IMG_7265.JPG

The Cinerama movie theater, here in downtown Seattle.

The mural above you see is fresh, unveiled recently. I love the art style though I wish I knew the artist. The red and blues look great on a rainy day.

The theater itself has been around since 1963, and now closed since late summer for renovations. I often come for special showings of original I look forward to the new changes on the inside (kept covered for now), expecting such to be as amazing as the outside. I’m hoping some of the traditions of old are continued; the chocolate covered popcorn, and the original movie costume props on display.

After it opens, I’ll be sure to take some pictures on the inside. I can’t wait. In the meantime, here are some different angles of the outside..

IMG_7267.JPG

IMG_7260.JPG

Picture of Yesterday (1/12/14)

Seattle Space Needle Seahawks pride

Go ‘Hawks!

The great Space Needle show its colorful spirit for the recent Seattle Seahawks win and advancement in the playoffs. Above the saucer, a large blue flag displays the number 12, a traditional honor to the 12th Man; a term used by sports fans with a long history, but now more exclusive to Seattle, thanks to a large lawsuit and settlement with Texas A&M University (who originally coined it as a fan term since 1921).

Photo Jan 12, 9 51 34 AM

Another fun term among Seattle football fans is the “Beast Quake.” This came from a Seahawks game back on January 8, 2011; where fans literally shook the Earth in excitement during the playoffs in the 4th quarter as its star running back, Marshawn Lynch made a 67-yard touchdown run, ensuring the crucial win against the New Orleans Saints.

…

Picture by Orion Tippens. NOTE: Do not copy or use any of the images here or herein without written consent (contact Orion at travelingorion.wordpress.com). © Copyright 2014 Orion Tippens. All rights reserved