Nelson Atkins Museum, Interior of New Addition

I was greatly impressed how the Henry Bloch addition sensitively complements the older Nelson-Atkins building. It might be cliche, but it really is a symphony of curves and angles that harmonize together. I was left wanting to just explore the new wing, walking up and down the long ramps and staircases. The contemporary art shown…

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri

I like the Nelson Atkins building a lot; it’s from that period where Neoclassical architecture in America became much more serious, severe and more modern. Anchored by the standard four colonnades on each front, it recently saw a massive expansion project that we will look at later. Bas-relief panels illustrate what is presumably the history…

Kauffman Center for the Arts, Kansas City, Missouri

I was completely stunned at the incredible new performing arts center just south of downtown Kansas City. I was in particularly impressed at the ingenious and innovative design of the building, which dominates the skyline. Daring architecture has always been present in American cities, and it’s nice to see they chose not to look to…

Apex, World War I Memorial, Kansas City, Missouri

  I never realized before, but there are four sculptures at the top of the monument, each facing a different direction. They’re all identical, more or less, despite my thinking that they weren’t from the ground.

World War I Memorial, Kansas City, Missouri

Designed by Harold Van Buren Magonigle, the Liberty Memorial, or more commonly referred to as the World War I Memorial, towers over southern Kansas City. It is fascinating in its design, as I am not readily able to identify any architectural archetypes upon which it is based. A sleek, slender shaft of limestone juts up…

Signs, Signs, Everywhere Signs, Kansas City

I loved the gigantic signs that still sit atop the roofs of many office buildings and warehouses in the valley south of downtown Kansas City. There are painted signs as well, though this one certainly looks new or restored.