Sunday, March 2, 2008

Two Things Challenge: Old / New

Architecture spanning more than 150 years--old and new together

This week's challenge was Old / New. There's plenty of old around here, that's for sure. And lots of new if you count the new Newseum that's opening in a month or so or the new Target that opens next week or all of the new condo high-rise construction that seems to never end despite the housing slump.

Here are my contributions to this week's challenge. The first was taken at the half block of Church and 16th Streets NW. Starting on the right are two old rowhouses that were built in the mid-1800s. In the center, an Art Deco apartment building likely built in the early-1900s. And on the left, a minimalist apartment building that probably went up in the late-1980s and received a facelift--the windows and girders on the front--in the last five years. Old, new, newer...

The Old iPod Shuffle and the New iPod Shuffle, courtesy of Apple

This second photo is of the first and second generation Apple iPod Shuffle. When the first one came out, it was marketed as "smaller than a pack of gum." Today's iteration clips onto whatever you're wearing or carrying. Old Shuffle, New Shuffle. Cha cha cha...


Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential, 3/08

4 comments:

The Artful Eye said...

Very interesting interpretation!

I'd have a hard time finding that kind of architectural combo here. They like destroying everything old and putting up ultra moderne. aarrgghh..

I love the way you staged the ipod shuffles they look like stars in that light.

Janet Kincaid said...

AE: The opposite is true here. I have a hard time sometimes finding more contemporary/modern architecture. But, I'm kind of glad. I sort of like the old, timeless architecture.

Rob said...

I like the older look in the construction photos. Old has more charm, and architectural apeal. But you can't discount progress and you point out in your ipod shot. New is smaller and more useable. Remember those old cell phones we had? We needed a large messenger shoulder bag just to carry the thing around. I swear that that old cell phone battery weighed 7 poiunds. ;-)

Janet Kincaid said...

DL: Old versus new, status quo versus progress--these have always been the challenge in our society, haven't they? OTOH, people wants things that are lasting and permanent, fixed and immutable. OTOH, they wanted the latest and greatest gadget or tool with all the bells and whistles....

That said, I'm glad my cell phone fits in my pocket and not in my backpack!