Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Weird or Genius?


Summery weather has finally arrived in our part of the world, which we thoroughly celebrated this past weekend. And while I am still working on my recent pictures, I've decided to share with you the photo shoot that we had a month ago, in April, at Gas Works Park - Seattle's most unusual park for sure, and perhaps one of the world's weirdest too. Are you intrigued? Are you interested in learning about it? Then dive in with me!



Frankly, I did not pick this outfit specifically for any one place - we just went about our routine business that brings us to Seattle once every week, and since it wasn't raining, in our spare time we decided to go to a nearby park. And now when I look back at the pictures, I think my outfit worked out well, given the nature of this unconventional, odd and beautiful place that combines the natural beauty of the surroundings, the city neighborhoods and the remnants of the old gas plant. The park was opened to public in 1975 and definitely has become one of the most popular and recognizable, significant Seattle landmarks since then. In 2013, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.


When the landscape architect Richard Haag (born in 1923) had an idea to conserve the remnants of the former Seattle Gas Light Company (1906-1956) gasification plant, his thinking wasn't the historical significance, but it became such. This park is the only place in the US that preserved the remnants of such a plant, so it is fair to say that it became of both local and national historical importance. The Wiki article about Gas Works Park states, "As UW (University of Washington - N.L.) Professor of Anthropology Kenneth Read so eloquently expressed it, “History sits on this little wasteland, not only the parochial history of a given city, but also a fragment of the chronicle of world and culture. It is certainly as valuable a document as anything preserved in the Museum of History and Industry.” (The museum, MOHAI, is located in a park on the opposite, southern end of the Lake Union, and I reported from that park HERE.)



But Haag's idea was instead of demolishing the existing structure (which was a common approach), using it as a visual anchor for the whole park. His visionary approach was accepted, but before he even was asked to develop a design plan for this site, he participated in a contest with his radical vision, where all 130 contestants based their design on removing all the signs of the coal gas plant, while Haag offered a new, ecologically friendly design, in which he recognized the beauty of the old industrial structures and possibility for them to stay without hazard to the environment. Some of the remnants remained ruins, while others were restored, repainted etc. Gas Works Park brought Haag his first American Society of Landscape Architects Award for Design Excellence. (His second such award was for Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island, by the way - one of our favorite gardens around Puget Sound, and my Mom loved it when she visited a few years ago.) The ecological, sustainable approach to landscape design is also evident in the University of Washington Landscape Architecture program that he was building (the UW Landscape Architecture Department was opened in 1964), with a focus on urban ecology.
  



Gas Works Park is located on the northern end of Lake Union and is very visible from any point on the lake shore. Just as Paul Goldberger wrote in the New York Times back in 1975, “Seattle is about to have one of the nation’s most advanced pieces of urban landscape design. The complex array of towers, tanks and pipes of the gas works forms a powerful industrial still life ... serving both as a visual focus for the park and as a monument to the city’s industrial past. The park represents a complete reversal from a period when industrial monuments were regarded, even by preservationists, as ugly intrusions on the landscape, to a time when such structures as the gas works are recognized for their potential ability to enhance the urban experience.” (NY Times, 8/30/75, quote from Wiki). The park created a precedent in the country and possibly in the world. I don't know about your corners of the world, but here in Tacoma (just 30 miles down south from Seattle) we witness examples of such landscape designs, i.e., along the shore of Puget Sound in Old Town (Ruston Way), Chambers Creek Regional Park in University Place (about which I wrote on many occasions, and one of the earliest posts HERE), and more.



I was thrilled to learn a little bit more about Seattle and discover that our local landscape architect Richard Haag sets the tone to the modern Northwest landscape design and contributes to the entire world of progressive thinkers who bring together the past, the now and the future of our planet in their thoughtful and caring, brilliant work. It is a great reminder that what is commonly perceived as weird, may very well be a stroke of genius, if we make an effort to look beyond the accepted norm.


You've seen all the pieces of my outfit before, everything is worn and well loved:

Faux leather moto jacket and glasses - Christian Siriano for Lane Bryant 
(seen HERE and HERE)
Dress - eShakti 
(seen HERE, but this time I wear it with a tank top under for extra warmth)
Suede booties - Aquatalia via Nordstrom Rack
Embroidered purse - via antique mall 
I am also wearing black socks that make my booties look a bit taller,
as well as black cropped leggings for warmth!
Earrings - Chico's


In other news, I've just updated my ABOUT page with a short essay 
"Dressing Up as an Art Form", read it HERE.

Linking up with Tina's Pink Friday

26 comments:

  1. That is indeed an unusual park, never have seen anything like this before. Very interesting!

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    1. I'm glad that I was able to surprise you, Olga! You've seen so much of the world, it seems it is hard to find anything new and exciting to your experienced eye. But I am glad that it was a discovery!

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  2. oh yes - your look is perfect for that location - both a mix of nature and technic, romantic and roughness......
    gorgeous photos!
    if you like such kind of "monuments" you indeed have to come to europe, especially in eastern germany more&more of the bankrott heavy industry plants got and get transformed into leisure parks. some of them in the middle of gigantic coal mines, that are flooded now for new lakes for all kind of water pleasure. they formed complete new landscapes out of the remains of an age of dirt, noise and steel.......
    huge hugs! xxxxxx

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    1. Oh yes, Europe...one day! What intrigues me is always where and how the ideas start. I would love to know it. :)

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  3. My husband would love it. We run an industrial boiler repair company which means we are working on big sites like these and in hospitals, power stations and factories. So you grabbed my interest straight away.

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  4. You look great Natalia and perfect for this location. It looks romantic and.... ah steampunklike :)
    This location looks like a great film set. I like it. Thank for this stunning pictures of you and this parc.
    Big hug, Tina

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    1. Yes, you are right! Steampunk is in the air at this set up. And there were some movies made in this location!!

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  5. This is definitely an unusual park- but I am loving your antique bag!
    - www.inmyjoi.blogspot.com

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    1. Thank you, Joi! I'm not sure it can be qualified as antique, but it is lovely! :)

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  6. That park is such a great idea. Genius AND weird, I'd say, and as Tina mentioned: it looks quite steampunk-like. I love your outfit, which sets off well against the backdrop of that park, and the embroidered purse is just divine! xxx

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    1. Yes, very inspiring for stories, I need to come back and write some there!!

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  7. What a fantastic backdrop, so dramatic and almost futuristic! You've got a great eye.
    Love that embroidered bag, what a treasure.
    We've got sunshine and heat, too. That's why I'm tardy with my commenting, Summer days need to be spent outside with the PC switched off! xxx

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    1. I am glad that you got a chance to enjoy sunshine, dear! And thank you for your compliments!!

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  8. Interesting area , truly unique and provides such a perfect backdrop for your outfit. I love the edgey jacket with dress and boots. Enjoy the sunshine.

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    1. It was one of my first attempts to combine romantic and edgy - so thank you for supporting me! I will experiment more with this look. <3

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  9. What a lovely location! Keeping those industrial structures only adds to the beauty of this park. They did a great job here and the architects have deserved their design prize for sure...The whole area is stunning. I absolutely love it!

    Your outfit matches the location perfectly...perhaps it is because of the location, but I feel a steam punk vibe to it.:) Absolutely perfect dress and location. You look beautiful.


    P.S. To answer your question, I always buy sea salt too. Sea salt is always more healthy because it contains minerals that the ordinary salt (from salt mines) doesn't and can't have. Sea salt also usually involves a lot less processing than table salt. Some say that their nutrition value is the same, but given the choice I'd always buy sea salt. Usually I buy sea salt from the same brand, salt from island Pag, called Paška sol.

    What makes salt in Ston special is that it is made in the most traditional way. Nothing is added to it. Normally, there are things added to all salt, but here they don't add anything. The salt is made in the same way it was made for thousand of years. But that is also the reason why it is not available in stores. My husband always repeats it is the best salt and that it is a shame it is not being exported or sold in stores. The truth seems to be a bit different. They can only produce a small quantities of salt in this traditional way and that is why it is only sold to tourists in small quantities. At least that's the information I found online. I'm not really an expert on this subject.:)

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    1. Thank you, dear Ivana, for such a detailed answer to my question! In a little town in Oregon where we go on vacation almost every year, they also have an old-fashioned Salt Works demonstration, dating from the time of Lewis and Clark expedition. Not sure whether they sell salt there...

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  10. Dearest Natalia,
    I was amazed when I read that you did NOT put your outfit together extra for this excursion. When I saw the first photo, I thought: Perfectly styled for this place! The jacket in the somewhat rough biker style harmonizes with the rusty technical oldtimers - and the nostalgic floral dress fits beautifully to the natural landscape. A place I would like to visit, too!
    Hugs from here, Traude

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    1. I call it serendipity! It's almost like your inner self always KNOWS where to guide you... even in small things like choosing a place for a photo shoot! All we need is to relax, listen and trust this voice.

      Much love!

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  11. Pięknie wyglądasz:)))śliczna kurteczka i fantastyczna torebka:)))bardzo ładne zdjęcia:))Pozdrawiam serdecznie:)))

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  12. so amazing place, I've enjoyed this 'virtual visit' and every interesting detail!, I love that kind of industry remains, factories, chimmeys, and I love when they're part of a public park, and everybody can enjoy this amazing architecture.
    I think that your outfit is stunning, love how it echoes the landscape, mixing the nature represented in your dress print, with an industrial-techno touch in your jacket. I like so much that dress, anyway, and you look gorgeous!
    besos

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    1. I agree totally! There is beauty in everything, and when amazing artists are able to translate it into the language we understand, even though it feels foreign at first, we all experience magic! <3

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  13. Oh I love Gas Works Park! When I lived in Seattle there was a time that I worked walking distance of this park, and one time I was there with friends at nigh and was a wee bit intoxicated and I rolled down the hill and almost landed in the water. Hahaha.

    And this is a perfect outfit for an outing like this. Love the print, the colors and cropped jacket with the full skirt.

    Allie of ALLIENYC
    www.allienyc.com

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    1. Thank you, Allie!! It was probably lots of fun to roll down that hill, glad you didn't end up in the lake though! :)

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