On the City Pattern Project: Fort Lauderdale Is Not Without Charms
In which The Gay Recluse becomes increasingly obsessed with manhole covers.
Recently we were suprised to learn that cities in Florida such as Ft. Lauderdale also have manhole covers, some of which are pretty freakin’ swank. Reader CBNY sends us the following:
[The first] is a little perfunctory, but I find it offers a rather pleasing, Richard Meier modernism, as well as an interesting study of negative space. I also like its matter-of-fact announcement of a basic element of Florida life.
[The second] is more traditional, a sister to your stellar, square entry… There’s a lovely yin/yang to them, side-by-side, as well as a surprise sampling of snowflake-crystal structures.
Hey, not bad. Not New York City, of course, but not bad!
Very nice indeed, although the sharp edges make us think it’s probably only a thousand years old or so.
Unsurpassed beauty in this slightly weathered piece (this is the one from New York City referenced above by CBNY), which is already 10,000 years old.
Filed under: Architecture, City Pattern Project, Infrastructure, Landscape, The Gay Recluse | 2 Comments
Tags: Fort Lauderdale, Manhole Covers
The Gay Recluse 
Eek! I hope I didn’t “chastise” you into posting. ;)
Thanks… it’s nice to view the square and round together. Interesting about the degree of wear: both new submissions are from a redeveloped river-front area which didn’t even exist until a few years ago. Surprising how the same, ancient pattern is still employed in newly-minted covers. In comparison, your older, square cover evokes the much-traversed stone of an ancient, cathedral floor.
Thanks for the comment, C. It would be interesting to know where this pattern came from, and how it was first applied to manhole covers…