Showerthought: the old blueprints at the city archive in Cleveland are a goldmine for detail work

I was there last month looking up a property line and they let me see the original 1920s architectural drawings for a whole block. The level of hand-drawn ornamentation on things like window frames and stair rails was INSANE, stuff you just don't see anymore. It made me realize how much we rely on standard details now instead of drawing every little thing. Has anyone else found a cool old drawing that changed how you approach a detail?

3 comments

3 Comments

grace894d ago

Wait, so @taylorellis found a guy who spent more on time than materials?

the_emery4d ago

Ever think that stuff was over the top? I used to, but seeing those old drawings makes you get it. That care is totally gone now.

taylorellis4d ago

Yeah that "care is totally gone" line from @theemery hits hard... I read about a guy who restored a brownstone using original drawings and said the real cost wasn't the materials, it was the time to do it right. Makes you wonder what we're trading for speed now.