27 September 2011

Desert outing

Malcolm, Hamish & I were lucky enough to spend a few days in the Utah canyon lands last week. H was there on business, and the kid and I tagged along. We stayed at a small hotel close to the Glen Canyon Dam, and a stone's throw from the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, and Grand Staircase National Monument.

The single story buildings were modern and spare, with tall, thick concrete walls enclosing guest rooms, defining paths and courtyards, and protecting from the desert sun. In a cooler climate the walls would have been oppressive, but here they were comforting and protective.

The architects did a wonderful job of framing views -- sometimes slivers between walls, and sometimes framed panoramas. For the record, I love a framed view. The aesthetic of a glass house is very appealing, but I don't really want to live inside it. Buildings need windows in solid walls just like magazines need editors. Too much view is simply overwhelming.

Here are some photos of our memorable outing.



















7 comments:

  1. The landscape is magnificent. What a wonderful adventure for you family. The architecture is in unison with the surroundings.

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  2. Love the slivers of views! Looks like lots of great quilt ideas.

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  3. would you mind sharing where you stayed? we've been playing with the idea of a trip out there and the hotel you stayed at looks amazing.

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  4. Those pictures send shivers of delight up and down my old arthritic spine. Inspirational

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  5. Gorgeous. Arches is on my list for a possible upcoming trip.

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  6. beautiful shots. i bet those views will continue to inspire you and you may see them reflected in a quilt design in the future.

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