Textured Tuesday: Warm Brick, Cold Glass

This old building has been restored and re-purposed and is a part 

of the NCAA complex along the Central Canal.

I remember it as having a coat of gray paint 

covering its warm bricks.

When Washington Street was re-routed, the building and 

the old bridge stood neglected for some time before

being made a part of the White River State Park.

I do like the contrast between the red brick and the

smooth blue glass that makes up the J.W. Marriott Hotel

in the background.

For me, this building is the structure that anchors the NCAA 

complex designed by Michael Graves. That is probably because

preserving the building was a requirement of the project, 

but it also meant that red brick was used in the new designs 

that followed, with arcs and curves to echo the windows,

as well as a structure that is broken up into related sections. 

While this seems to be a theme in Graves' work,
the varied colors and shapes of this/these buildings
give it more of a community feel, one made up of several
smaller structures rather than a huge monolith.

A Quiet Walk

I was downtown early on Saturday to volunteer for a triathlon. 

I went to the zoo to find the volunteer tent. 

Nuthin'. No one. People were jogging along the Canal and the 

White River Promenade, but not a one wearing

a number. It was gray and humid, which matched my

mood when a zoo security guy told me I'd come on the 

WRONG DAY! Argh! @*&$# and (sh)ucks!

Well, at least I wasn't late.

I'd planned to take pictures, so took them of the buildings and Canal, 

rather than guys in Spandex pants with numbers drawn 

on their upper arms.

All of the photos are of the NCAA Headquarters, located along the canal 

in White River State Park. The size of the building alone 

is proof positive that college athletics is very big business. The top

photo is of an entrance to one of the sections, while the public entrance,

to the Hall of Champions, is shown in the second photo.

That first section was designed by renowned architect, Michael Graves.

The second section, just recently opened, was designed by 

a local firm, Ratio Architects. They also designed a neighboring

building, the Indiana State Museum, which is just on the 

other side of the Canal.

The image below is of the Indiana State Museum, taken at about 

7:30 in the morning, long before people show up en masse

to report for work, visit or, as in my case, 

to volunteer for an event.

About 24 hours early.