Composition and Character

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* * * Thank you for visiting Composition & Character! My name is Samuel Lima. I am an alumnus of Judson University's M.Arch program and the Master of Architectural Design and Urbanism program at the University of Notre Dame. I am passionate about excellence in the design of classical and traditional architecture and the creation of new places worthy of the care of future generations!

7.09.2009

Building of the Month - July



July's building is the David C. Cook Building in Elgin, IL. From 1901 to 1995, it served as a Christian publishing house. Two long wings on either side of the pictured facade hide the industrial printing buildings behind them. It is finished in thin Roman brick.

The building has a few unconventional quirks. First, the Ionic order is used for both the first floor portico and the second story. Generally, Ionic columns will be placed above Doric columns or below Corinthian columns, but rarely above or below other Ionic columns. Second, the upper floor has a column, instead of a window, at the center of the facade. Generally, an opening, not an object, will be in the center of a formal facade. Third, the soffit beneath the cornice is quite large, almost the size of a Prairie style soffit. While the building does have some strange features, it is well composed and worth a look if you ever find yourself in Elgin!

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