Every so often on my travels I stumble across a building whose design is so striking that I have to stop and spend time with it. Frank Lloyd Wright's Guggenheim Museum in NYC had that effect on me last July—I think I spent as much time photographing the exterior from every angle as I did inside looking at the art on display inside. Visually exploring such a subject becomes a way of appropriating it and coming to know it more intimately. For me, it's also an expression of appreciation and a joy.
I had a similar experience a few weeks ago in Vancouver when I happened upon The Marine Building near the city's waterfront. The beautiful structure opened in October 1930 and I'm sure its Art Deco details have been delighting tenants, visitors and passers-by ever since. And Vancouver being a film town, the office building has often served as a location for period film and TV productions.
I'll be going back someday. And when I do, I'll be looking for ways to move beyond the details and explore the interior.
