Architecture Copies

“No man ever became great by imitation.” -Samuel Johnson

I am not the only one who has turned my head twice to ask, “Wait, is that for real?”

I am talking about the moments when we run into badly copied objects and structures and ask ourselves if the design details are simply there to humor us.  I am not talking about ones built from inspiration or ones we have seen in Las Vegas.  I am pointing toward the ones missing; the idea of being original and inspired.  There are many humorously comfortable designs, but there are the ones that had every intention of being serious architecture.  Alas, neither close friends nor colleagues told them their buildings were negatively translated and received.

During my recent stay in Palm Springs, I became joyous when I passed by a building that reminded me of a piece of great architecture in modern history, which was obviously copied.  I beg readers to guess correctly which building I am thinking of here.  Please comment and let me know your answers.

For this blog, I thank my dear friends who allowed me to stop and take some touristy snap shots in the middle of crosswalks.  For that matter, I want to thank all my friends for letting me be myself, allowing me to have my opinions, and loving me for them, as well as honestly telling me their opinions about my work.

I still laugh out loud when I see these images I have included this week.  I hope you will enjoy them, too.

See additional shots of the building here.
All photos by D.B. Kim.