Bounding over a continent and skipping across an ocean to study architecture for four months is one of those fantasies that, if asked, I would surely have ranked high on my list of things to do before I die. It’s only now that my departure is less than one week away, that I can grasp that this fantasy is about to become a reality.
Francis J. Plym studied architecture at the University of Illinois. He founded the Kawneer company in 1906 with a patented design that used copper, in lieu of wood or steel, to frame a window. The result was a frame that didn't decay or rust, so looked and performed both better and longer. This idea changed an industry and transformed the appearance of Main Street across the continent. Kawneer earned a reputation as a reliable curtain wall manufacturer and remains a household name within the industry. His family established this unique traveling fellowship so that graduates of the Illinois School of Architecture could independently explore architecture in Europe.
In four months and in 30 cities, I will be studying the history, trends and solutions to issues of urban density, carbon emissions and energy consumption. This site will record my photos, sketches and random thoughts found in and around these cities. When I return, I hope to translate and improve the ideas found there to solve similar problems here in the United States and elsewhere.
In just 4 days, I depart for London. Wasting no time, I tour the BedZed development at 2 PM on Wednesday.
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