HomeDiagramsDatabaseMapsForum About
     

Go Back   SkyscraperPage Forum > Discussion Forums > Buildings & Architecture


Reply

 
Thread Tools Display Modes
     
     
     
     
  #1  
Old Posted Aug 6, 2009, 4:22 PM
mainstreet's Avatar
mainstreet mainstreet is offline
Don't tear anything down.
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Ohio
Posts: 81
Best State Capitols

OK, so we've seen in a recent thread the worst U.S. state capitol buildings - how about the best? This is by no means an exhaustive list, feel free to mention another one I didn't list.

Alabama:

http://en.structurae.de/files/photos...te_capitol.jpg

Georgia:

http://galenfrysinger.org/atlanta/cap27.jpg

Illinois:


Indiana:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...tolIndiana.jpg

Iowa:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...te_Capitol.JPG

Kansas:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...te_Capitol.jpg

Louisiana:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...aton_Rouge.jpg

Maryland:

http://pics4.city-data.com/cpicv/vfiles9862.jpg

Michigan:


Montana:

http://image26.webshots.com/26/2/72/...3BIecht_ph.jpg

New Jersey:

http://www.state.nj.us/state/divisio...Statehouse.jpg

New York:


Pennsylvania:

http://www.thecapitol.com/capsteps.jpg

Ohio:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...e_columbus.jpg

Rhode Island:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._facade%29.jpg

South Carolina:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SC...at_evening.jpg

Tennessee:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...pitol_2009.jpg

Texas:

http://pics4.city-data.com/cpicv/vfiles249.jpg

Virginia:

http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/fna...e_capitol2.jpg

Wyoming:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...tolfront_e.jpg

Personally, I'd probably say New York just because it's so different, but I do like Illinois' alot, especially the really tall dome. Texas and Tennessee are also nice.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #2  
Old Posted Aug 6, 2009, 4:39 PM
Cirrus's Avatar
Cirrus Cirrus is offline
cities|transit|croissants
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 18,378
There's a lot of awkwardness in state capitols. Illinois' dome is really great, but the mansard roofs above each wing are weird. Alabama's clock is a nice idea, but poorly carried out. Michigan's dome and base are both good, but they don't match each other at all. Etc.

Massachusetts may be my favorite, even though generally I prefer more heavily-ornamented marble to brick Georgian buildings.

Indiana is probably my favorite of those that are clearly intended to invoke the US Capitol. Its dome and base building are both well carried out and are in good - if unusual - proportion to one another.
__________________
writing | twitter | flickr | instagram | ssp photo threads
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #3  
Old Posted Aug 6, 2009, 4:48 PM
novawolverine novawolverine is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,942
Kentucky, Vermont, and Connecticut have nice ones as well IMO. Pennsylvania's is decent as well.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #4  
Old Posted Aug 6, 2009, 4:55 PM
202_Cyclist's Avatar
202_Cyclist 202_Cyclist is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 5,933
Although tiny, I agree that Vermont's capitol with its gold dome and located right next to the mountains is one of the best. California also has a beautiful capitol, although it might be dysfunctional inside it. The Capitol Park, in front of the state house, is a very scenic building.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #5  
Old Posted Aug 6, 2009, 4:56 PM
202_Cyclist's Avatar
202_Cyclist 202_Cyclist is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 5,933
The Capitol Park, in front of the state house, is a very scenic building. --> Oops! It is a scenic garden.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #6  
Old Posted Aug 6, 2009, 5:01 PM
Steely Dan's Avatar
Steely Dan Steely Dan is online now
devout Pizzatarian
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Lincoln Square, Chicago
Posts: 29,732
any discussion of the best state capitols must include wisconsin's. not only is it one of the most classically elegant, but it's siting on top of hill in the middle of an isthums between madison's two beautiful lakes is wonderful. and the way the city grid works off of the building is great too. it's all just a very well thought out building and city plan.


source: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/senate/sen11/news/



source: http://photos.news.wisc.edu/photos/a...campus_H02.jpg



source: http://www.dwd.state.wi.us/dwd/downtown_madison_map.htm
__________________
"Missing middle" housing can be a great middle ground for many middle class families.

Last edited by Steely Dan; Aug 6, 2009 at 5:18 PM.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #7  
Old Posted Aug 6, 2009, 5:00 PM
Strange Meat's Avatar
Strange Meat Strange Meat is offline
I like this much better
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: 5280
Posts: 10,636
The one I can see from my house - Colorado:


photo: mine


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b0/Coloradocapitolhill2.JPG/800px-Coloradocapitolhill2.JPG


Some cool things about it range from the 24k gold on the dome, to the rare (in fact, I think the worlds supply was used in its construction) marble used, also from in-state, to the marking of 1 mile above sea level on it's steps.
__________________
towers of skulls!!!!!
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #8  
Old Posted Aug 6, 2009, 5:03 PM
Strange Meat's Avatar
Strange Meat Strange Meat is offline
I like this much better
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: 5280
Posts: 10,636
pretty cool.
__________________
towers of skulls!!!!!
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #9  
Old Posted Aug 6, 2009, 5:19 PM
vertex's Avatar
vertex vertex is offline
under the influence...
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Chandler, AZ
Posts: 2,600
This thread already fails without mentioning Massachusetts' capitol. All others are merely knock-offs and imitators.


source: City-Data
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #10  
Old Posted Aug 8, 2009, 8:50 PM
Double L's Avatar
Double L Double L is offline
Houston:Considered Good
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Houston
Posts: 4,846
Quote:
Originally Posted by vertex View Post
This thread already fails without mentioning Massachusetts' capitol. All others are merely knock-offs and imitators.


source: City-Data
What a horrible comment to make!!!! With all your selfish Massachusetts pride!!!
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #11  
Old Posted Aug 6, 2009, 5:19 PM
Nowhereman1280 Nowhereman1280 is offline
BANNED
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Pungent Onion, Illinois
Posts: 8,492
Thanks for bringing up Wisconsin Steely, I was going to say that too. Maybe I am just biased having grown up there, but the Wisconsin state capitol is definitely my favorite, especially among the classical domes, I think its got the proportions just right, even better, in my opinion, than the US Capitol.

My favorite part about the Wisconsin Capitol is how it completely dominates the city plan and is visable from just about every part of the city. It lies in the middle of what is essentially a giant four square block round about that has eight streets that terminate there. Here is the original city plan (which was carried out almost exactly as shown) for the city of Madison:


University of Wisconsin Library

The capitol was constructed in the large empty square in that image with each of its wings facing a cardinal direction. The image above is somewhat misleading because the isthmus actually runs southwest to northeast and therefore the grid follows. So really, the diagonal streets in the plan run north, east, south, and west.

The longest diagonal that terminates at the capitol square is now known as State Street and is the primary shopping and entertainment district and also runs directly to the University of Wisconsin. It is now a pedestrian mall (with the exception of buses) that provides for stunning views of the terminus at the Capitol.

Last edited by Nowhereman1280; Aug 6, 2009 at 5:37 PM.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #12  
Old Posted Aug 6, 2009, 5:15 PM
plinko's Avatar
plinko plinko is online now
them bones
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Santa Barbara adjacent
Posts: 7,399
^Agreed on Wisconsin for the traditional, but the fact that this list doesn't include Nebraska is poor.
__________________
Even if you are 1 in a million, there are still 8,000 people just like you...
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #13  
Old Posted Aug 6, 2009, 5:21 PM
RockMont RockMont is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Denver Colorado
Posts: 681
All of the state capitols are good! Just some of them are better than others.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #14  
Old Posted Aug 6, 2009, 5:25 PM
novawolverine novawolverine is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,942
Yeah, Nebraska and Wisconsin have great capitols as well.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #15  
Old Posted Aug 6, 2009, 5:31 PM
mrnyc mrnyc is offline
cle/west village/shaolin
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 11,670
there are plenty of nice ones, but it seems to me that any true urban geek should be all over the louisiana state capital "tower" (or even the lesser looking tower capital buildings in florida and north dakota) - heh!

Last edited by mrnyc; Aug 6, 2009 at 6:04 PM.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #16  
Old Posted Aug 6, 2009, 6:36 PM
brickell's Avatar
brickell brickell is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: County of Dade
Posts: 9,379
Louisiana's is tallest. That's should count for something on a skyscraper page. Are there any other towers besides Louisiana and Florida?

West Virginia should get some points for being the tallest building in the state though.
__________________
That's what did it in the end. Not the money, not the music, not even the guns. That is my heroic flaw: my excess of civic pride.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #17  
Old Posted Aug 6, 2009, 6:41 PM
mhays mhays is offline
Never Dell
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 19,784
Capitols, cathedrals, and old universities...the three top architecture types for the US. Lots of great buildings shown.

Washington and Idaho belong on the list somewhere.

Iowa probably wins.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #18  
Old Posted Aug 6, 2009, 9:38 PM
Cottonwood Cottonwood is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Boise
Posts: 4,432
Quote:
Originally Posted by mhays View Post
Capitols, cathedrals, and old universities...the three top architecture types for the US. Lots of great buildings shown.

Washington and Idaho belong on the list somewhere.

Iowa probably wins.
I was going to mention of all of the state capitol buildings with the "classic" design, Idaho is among the most attractive. I like Washington's as well.

Idaho

http://pics4.city-data.com/cpicv/vfiles23847.jpg





This view shows the current renovation and construction work.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3303/...80cf106938.jpg

Reply With Quote
     
     
  #19  
Old Posted Aug 6, 2009, 6:47 PM
plinko's Avatar
plinko plinko is online now
them bones
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Santa Barbara adjacent
Posts: 7,399
Nebraska:


source
__________________
Even if you are 1 in a million, there are still 8,000 people just like you...
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #20  
Old Posted Aug 6, 2009, 7:14 PM
vertex's Avatar
vertex vertex is offline
under the influence...
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Chandler, AZ
Posts: 2,600
Interesting to see the setback used for all of the state capitols. The Mass. State House has almost none left. After additions in the 19th century, it's become fully integrated into the urban fabric. Not aware of any other capitols that don't have massive setbacks.

Reply With Quote
     
     
This discussion thread continues

Use the page links to the lower-right to go to the next page for additional posts
 
 
Reply

Go Back   SkyscraperPage Forum > Discussion Forums > Buildings & Architecture
Forum Jump


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 3:34 AM.

     
SkyscraperPage.com - Archive - Privacy Statement - Top

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.