Harry Seidler: father of modernist architecture in Australia

My daughter is an expert at photobombing. Photo ©Darren Bradley

When the Austrian-born architect Harry Seidler arrived in Australia after World War II (via North America - that's a long story), he didn't make many friends in the local architecture community. He called the local architecture "sad brick shacks" and poor copies of outdated European architecture. Town councils and distinguished local architects returned the favor, decrying his modernist designs as flimsy and "un-Australian". 

A [Soap] Opera in the Land of Oz

Trying to make the best of a cloudy afternoon. Photo ©Darren Bradley

The Sydney Opera House is one of the most well known, magnificent structures in the world. It's up there with other man-made structures like the Eiffel Tower and the Taj Mahal as a singular achievement for civilization. And like most other great achievements, it was almost never built. In fact, it was quite a soap opera...

How to take original photos of the Salk Institute

Yes, even me... Photo ©Darren Bradley

OK, that title is meant as a bit of a joke (photographer humor?), because there's probably no such thing as an original photo of this building - and certainly not the one above. In fact, it's the most obvious shot and the one everyone takes. C'mon... if you've been there, you've taken this shot, too. You can't help yourself. And since no series on the Salk Institute is complete without this shot, I thought I'd get it out of the way first thing.

New York City

Photo ©Darren Bradley

Last summer, I took the family back to New York City for a quick trip (just a few days) to attend a family wedding. We didn't have much time to sightsee (or do much photography), but I did bring my camera, of course, and take some shots while running around town. There are many, many modernist landmarks to see and photograph in that fair city. This is only a random sampling of them. 

The Coolest Restroom in San Diego

Photo ©Darren Bradley

Last fall, while volunteering as a photographer for the annual San Diego Architectural Foundation Orchids & Onions Awards, I was asked to photograph a public toilet. I wasn't terribly excited about the assignment, but we were under a time crunch so I agreed to stop by on my way home that day and take some shots. It turned out to be the coolest public beach restroom I've ever seen.

Galbraith Hall: A new life for a classic modernist building

Galbraith Hall auditorium by Kevin deFreitas. Photo ©Darren Bradley

Local San Diego architect, Kevin deFreitas, was recently asked by the University of California at San Diego (UCSD) to put a new auditorium into one of the first buildings on the campus, Galbraith Hall. What he created with a meagre budget has literally transformed the space - while still managing to respect its mid-century modernist roots -and almost makes me wish I was still a student. 

An Apology for Brutalism

UCSD Central Library (aka Geisel Library) by William Pereira & Associates (1970). Photo ©Darren Bradley

I have been on the campus of UCSD quite a bit lately, shooting several other projects (including several of the original campus buildings by Risley & Gould). Like many universities that were built in the late 60s and early 70s, there are many examples of concrete brutalist structures. Like most people, I once hated concrete brutalism for its seeming drab, dreary exposed concrete and simple, oppressive, heavy forms. It's probably the reason most people will tell you that they dislike modernist architecture today. But I've now come to love this largely misunderstood style, and so should you. 

Risley & Gould

The breezeway connecting Mayer and Bonner Halls in Revelle College, University of California at San Diego, was designed by Risley & Gould (1968). Photo ©Darren Bradley

The LA-based architecture firm of Risley & Gould designed a number of projects on the campus of the University of California at San Diego (primarily at Revelle College). Their breezeway (above and below), is my favorite structure on campus (along with the library). 

An Architectural Disaster?

The Copenhagen Opera House opened in 2004 to much controversy, and has been widely panned by critics and the design community. Photo ©Darren Bradley

I just learned that the architect Henning Larsen died on the 22nd of June of this year, just a few weeks ago. He was 87. This gave the the opportunity to think about his work and legacy. Larsen will likely be most remembered for his opera house in Copenhagen. I'm sure he would have preferred it otherwise. 

Observing Le Corbusier

A stolen moment. I caught a glimpse of this girl peering out a window of Corbusier's Villa La Roche, making a sketch of something across the alley. Photo ©Darren Bradley

It's probably impossible to talk about modernism in France without bringing up Le Corbusier... in the same way that it's pretty much impossible to avoid mentioning Frank Lloyd Wright in any discourse about modern architecture in the US.