Details of the facade of the Dinks Parrish Laundry. I realized as I edited these pictures that I don't know a thing about how terrra cotta is made. I looked up the Wikipedia article, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architectural_terracotta, and don't understand all of it. Complicated! I can't imagine how much time and money it took to produce and install this, or how the economics worked on a humble commercial building.
A friend told me about another unusual laundry. It is not as complex and harder to photograph due to its location but still interesting. We will see it tomorrow.
Wow, I love it!
ReplyDeleteEvery element was made in a moult. I worked on a restauration a long time ago and it was necessary to replicate some of those pieces and a printout was made of liquid rubber and then replicated in gypsum to make the definitieve one. This is where cement-bound stucco goes in and allows it to harden and ready are your pieces.
ReplyDeleteIt really made a difference seeing all of the details of this beautiful building in color. I thought the workmanship looked amazing in black and white, but the color really made it pop.
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy seeing the photographs you take of interesting places in St. Louis.