#amazing building

[ginger-by-the-sea]

[wgm-beautiful-world]

Shenzhen Genzon Technology Innovation Center - CHINA

[decoarchitecture]

Lasher Printing Building, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Photos by Wendy Darling

While in Philly, I came across many stunning Deco buildings in great repair, but this old behemoth, looking worn out and apocalyptic, was one of my top favorites. When my eyes first laid on it, I thought it was a half-demolished parking deck, then maybe a power plant, and then... no.... it looked like something you’d see in Eastern Europe, old concrete building falling down on itself. But nope! It’s American, and not a parking deck or a power plant. 

Building basics and background, pulled from various places:

Street address: 1309 Noble Street (whole bock btw Noble and Hamilton)

Neighborhood: Callowhill (also: Callowhill Industrial Historic District)

Year built: 1927

Architect: Philip Tyre 

From a great 2010 article by WHYY:

The Lasher Printing Company, 1309-1325 Noble St., was built by Tyre in 1927 and is “probably the best building in the district,” according to Powers. “It’s kind of tucked away” on the tiny street off the 400 block of Broad, “and people don’t really see it. It’s one of the most exciting buildings in the city.”

The district nomination, prepared by Powers & Company researcher and writer Sheryl Jastrow, describes the Lasher’s “exuberant raised chevrons and circles in concrete, curved concrete exterior fire stair landings, and a glazed concrete faceted cylindrical lantern punctuating the center of the building. … The decorative molded concrete on the exterior” of the building “pushes the physical limits of reinforced concrete to its maximum.”

“It’s one of the most exciting buildings in the city,” Powers added.

From Curbed Philadelphia:

This example of Art Deco Philadelphia architecture was one of the building's that contributed to the inclusion of the Callowhill neighborhood on the National Register of Historic Places. It was designed by architect, engineer and painter Philip Tyre, who studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and fought in World War II. When it was designated, the Preservation Alliance wrote, "The form of the building is the work of an engineer ... However, it was Tyre, the architect, who then overlaid onto this rational structure monumental Art Deco motifs derived from Native American influences."

Finally, from a very funny post from a series called “Old-ass Building of the Week”:

Its location in a weirdly isolated place among major streets gives it an air of mystery. This thing KICKS ASS.

Lots more pictures to come! 

Wendy

[suzyhazelwood]

Château Miranda (English: Miranda Castle), also known as Château de Noisy (English: Noisy Castle) was a 19th-century neo-Gothic castle in Celles, province of Namur, Belgium, in the region of the Ardennes. 

The Château was built in 1866 by the English architect Edward Milner under commission from the Liedekerke-De Beaufort family, who had left their previous home, Vêves Castle, during the French Revolution. However, Milner died before the Château was finished. Construction was completed in 1907 after the clock tower was erected.

Their descendants remained in occupation until World War II. A portion of the Battle of the Bulge took place on the property, and it was during that time that the Château was occupied by German forces.

In 1950, Château Miranda was renamed "Château de Noisy" when it was taken over by the National Railway Company of Belgium (NMBS/SNCB) as an orphanage and also a holiday camp for sickly children. It lasted as a children's camp until the late 1970s.

The Château stood empty and abandoned since 1991 because the costs to maintain it were too great, and a search for investors in the property failed. Although the municipality of Celles had offered to take it over, the family refused, and the enormous building lingered in a derelict state, succumbing to decay and vandalism. Parts of the structure were heavily damaged in a fire and many areas of the ceiling were beginning to collapse. Despite this, it become a favorite venue of urban explorers.

Text: Wiki

As of October 2017, the chateau has been completely demolished.

Sadly, this is all that is left…

There are a lot of videos on You Tube of Château Miranda, here’s a selection of some of those videos:

Chateau Noisy - Miranda

Château de Noisy - Janvier 2017

QUIET URBEX SESSION

[nncastle]

On Saturday we spent the day in Longwood Gardens outside of Philly. The renovated fountains are stunning. They are the largest in the world right now. I was not prepared for the 4 acre enclosed conservatory. It was magical. 

[travel-me-interesting-blog]

Spanish Synagogue, Prague. 2016

[wgm-beautiful-world]

49 - STORY RESIDENCIAL TOWER - VANCOUVER - CANADA