What do architects and medieval scholars have in common? The word palimpsest! It generally refers to a page of a manuscript that has been partially erased and written over. Wikipedia defines the architectural application:
"In architecture, architects, archaeologists and design historians sometimes use the word to describe the accumulated iterations of a design or a site, whether in literal layers of archaeological remains, or by the figurative accumulation and reinforcement of design ideas over time."
I came across an excellent example of palimpsest on the inside of the mostly demolished Louisa Hotel just off King Street on Maynard Alley in Seattle's International District. The facade of this building along the street is being preserved. A bigger challenge would be to somehow preserve this collage of materials and paints that tell the story of what happened within these walls.
 |
| Remarkable palimpsest inside of the partially demolished Louisa Hotel - augmented by graffiti. |
 |
| More palimpsest inside of the partially demolished Louisa Hotel |
I would love to visit this building when it's finished and find these colorfully patterned walls framed as a memory of the original Louisa Hotel.
Comments
Post a Comment