22 Comments

Ah, Boullée. He’s the definition of an uncompromising visionary. Thanks for this tour.

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Until your post I was unfamiliar with Boullee. Thank you. I find it interesting this work followed The Terror and so, we can imagine, influenced by that dark period. Fascinating design.

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HOW ARE THY POSTS ALWAYS SO GOOOOD

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They come to me in a dream

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The Harkonnen would love it

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Based

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This is astonishing design. Thank you for posting this.

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fascinating

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Would have loved to be able to read his treatise on his architectural philosophy.

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Heroic stuff. Thank you!

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Thank you for this post. Of course Boullée’s design was to honor a great scientist, but there's a dark side to such grandiosity, or as you called it 'architecture as awe.' I was reminded of Albert Speer's design for the Volkshalle, aka Monster Building, whose size dwarfs the Berliner Schloss, as seen in this size comparison. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkshalle#/media/File:Gr%C3%B6%C3%9Fenvergleich_Gro%C3%9Fe_Halle_-_Berliner_Schlo%C3%9F_(Nordseite).jpg

On the brighter side, I was also reminded of Karl Friedrich Schenkel's stage design for The Magic Flute, variations of which are still used in productions of that opera. Imagine Boullée’s dome studded with stars on the inside! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magic_Flute#/media/File:Mozart_magic_flute.jpg

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Best comment

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Some people just have vision that stretches to the beyond, and brings it back so that we can see or read or hear it.

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Super cool. How lucky for me to have chanced upon your post. Thank you!

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Amazing and it shows how Modernism could emerge from the Enlightenment

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100%

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There is something appalling about his obsessions. The Newton mausoleum is like George Lucas's Death Star fell to earth...

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In a good way? In a good way.

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No. In a nightmarish way! But, de gustibus...

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So amazing.

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I've never studied architecture. When looking qt designs like these, do architects imagine themselves entering such buildings? I can't help but trying to envision myself in there. But immediately I notice the intense heat. Before I could reach the entrance, I would be scortched by the sun.

Where are the trees? How are these structures ventilated? Are they located in the Arctic Circle?

I wonder if the architect asked himself any practical questions when drawing these designs.

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