Daily Photo Dose

Located in the heart of Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood, the Amazon Spheres have quickly become one of the city’s most recognizable pieces of contemporary architecture. Designed by NBBJ and completed in 2018, the three interconnected glass conservatories were conceived as a workspace unlike any other, bringing thousands of plants and natural light into the urban environment.

The Spheres are constructed from a complex network of steel and glass panels that create their distinctive geodesic form. Surrounded by Amazon’s downtown campus and Seattle’s growing skyline, the building offers a striking contrast between nature and the dense urban fabric that surrounds it. The transparent structure constantly changes with the light, reflecting neighboring towers while revealing glimpses of the lush interior landscape.

As an architectural photographer, I was drawn to the relationship between the Spheres and the surrounding high-rise buildings. From this vantage point, the organic geometry of the glass domes stands in contrast to the vertical lines of the downtown towers, creating one of Seattle’s most unique architectural compositions.

One of the most recognizable landmarks along historic Route 66, the Conoco Tower Station in Shamrock, Texas has been drawing the attention of travelers since it opened in 1936. Designed in the Art Deco style, the station’s distinctive tower and geometric façade were created to stand out among the endless miles of highway crossing the Texas Panhandle. Today, it remains one of the best-preserved examples of roadside architecture from Route 66’s golden age.

While driving west across the country, I made a point to stop and photograph this iconic structure. The symmetry of the building, the vertical emphasis of the tower, and the soft colors of the restored façade felt perfectly suited to medium format film. Photographed on a Pentax 67 with a 75mm f/4.5 lens using Kodak Ektachrome E100 film, the larger negative captured the architectural details and subtle color palette that make the Conoco Tower Station such a memorable landmark. E100 rendered the muted greens, cream-colored masonry, and dramatic Texas sky with remarkable clarity, helping preserve the character of this Route 66 icon.

Nearly ninety years after welcoming its first motorists, the Conoco Tower Station continues to stand as one of the most photographed examples of Art Deco roadside architecture in America and a favorite destination for architectural and film photographers exploring historic Route 66. See more of my commercial architecture work here.

The TSU Avon Williams Campus in Nashville, Tennessee was built in 1966, and designed by the architectural firm ESa (Earl Swensson Associates).

The now demolished old fire hall on Charlotte Ave, Nashville Tennessee.

During a brief visit to Savannah, Georgia, while collaborating with a colleague on an architectural photoshoot, I seized the opportunity to capture some images of the city’s downtown using my Widelux camera. Below are a few photographs featuring the iconic Lucas Theatre from that series.

The West Bow River Bridge twinning project currently being built by Flatiron and Aecon, tendered at a cost of $89 million and scheduled for completion in Fall 2022.

Engineer: Hatch, Wood Group Consulting
Contractor: Aecon, Flatiron
Additional: Deloitte, Burns & McDonnell, Parsons, Englobe, CIMA+

Built in 1969, Calgary’s CBE building was designed in the height of Brutalism’s popularity. In 2012 it was sold for $36.5 million, and has sat vacant after suffering damages from the 2013 floods.

Artist Douglas Coupland’s Northern Lights art installation unveiled on the facade of the Telus Sky building in downtown Calgary Alberta October 24th, 2020

Prince’s Island Park Bridge, Calgary with Canon Tilt Shift 45mm.