BP: artifact selection

                                                        Harley Davidson Motorcycle

BP: Place

Nestled high in the Wasatch Mountains is the cozy and quaint historic mining town-Park City, Utah. This place stands out amongst the many ski resort areas Americans venture to throughout the winter, primarily because the layout of the town and the design choices are so unique. One of the best aspects of Park City is that it is 32 miles from Salt Lake City, which allows for that serene separation that is highly desired on any vacation. Being outside of town doesn’t stop this place from having all accommodations and entertainment you could ever need.  Gourmet restaurants, high end boutiques, and art galleries line the small streets that run through the heart of this place. Allowing for new experiences each time you come to visit.

Although Park City has made itself tourist friendly, the history of this town continues to be maintained and cherished. Previously a mining town, Park City holds on to its roots and by keeping many of the original buildings and mines, when walking down the streets you get a sense of what it might have been like in the 19^th century. Park city is immune to urban sprawl due to the mountains that surround it. Because of this land is limited, which makes real estate here precious and very expensive. Tiny, pastel colored Victorian houses fill the neighborhoods just a couple blocks from Main Street, creating a picturesque sight with the mountains as a backdrop.

Another distinctive feature of this place is that Park City Mountain Resort is the only resort with lift access directly to the town's historic Main Street. You can literally ski down to the heart of the city, grab some lunch at one of the 5 star restaurants, and then ride the Quit N’ Time or the Creole lift back up to the largest ski resort that has access directly from Main Street Park City in North America!

BP: Final Postcard

Image courtesy of Vogue Magazine

For my postcard I chose a quote by Donna Karen that explains the difficultly many designers face, especially fashion designers. The ability to make the luxurious available to the masses, and create a wardrobe that is both functional and fashionable. This concept is also particularly applicable to interior design. Furniture is meant to be aesthetically pleasing but at the same time comfortable and usable. The image I selected illustrates this desire women have to find a way to balance chicness with practicality.

The everyday woman wants to be able to do it all. Have a career, have a family, take care of the home, and look good no matter what the task. The woman in the image I selected is the ideal, a model in expensive designer clothing. The contrast is exemplified by the location in which the model is placed- a laundry mat, which is stereotypically the opposite of glamorous. Designers understand this today and that is why they often create more casual lines featured in department stores to provide stylish options for the everyday woman. Donna Karen is one designer that definitely considers this dichotomy in her designs, and aims to create clothing that is flattering and easy to throw together.

As fashion designs continue to become more intricate while minimalistic, luxurious due to high quality fabric, and flattering to all different body shapes, the option for stay at home moms to express themselves through fashion becomes more readily available. Thus allowing Donna Karen’s quote to become a reality. Empowering women everywhere that they can have their cake and eat it too all while wearing a pair of stilettos.

BP: Buildings

Big buildings, big airports, and even bigger buildings, these are the ideals Americans develop throughout the 20^th century. This idea that bigger is better began in the 1950s with the housing boom and economic prosperity post world war II. Americans had been deprivation of luxury in the previous decades made the temptation to buy unnecessary items even more enticing. With an influx in economic growth comes the need to expand in all facets of American life. This concept is what facilitated the ever growing American skyscraper, and the expansion and development of world travel through construction of elaborate, easily accessed airports. Everything was on the up during this time in American history, and the choice in design during this period definitely reflected that.

The embellished opulence of these structural designs lead to the development of both the art deco and post modern period in American design. These movements represent a time of superiority for American culture, and also established the competitive nature that exists amongst corporations and family units. This desire to be better than your neighbor through material possessions formed during this period, and although lessened it still remains embedded into the population today. Although aesthetically this was a magnificent time in design history, looking back on it now the necessity is questioned. With all we know about pollution and the impact our behavior has on our world, it’s hard to justify the need for giant skyscrapers and gas guzzling trucks. However, these enormous structures continue to be the heart and defining elements of our cities to this day. One great example of this is the Great American Insurance Building, located in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. Built in 2011 it is 665 feet tall, and by far the largest building in the city. Clearly America still has an fascination with all things large, but gradually we are beginning to adopt the principle of quality over quantity.

                                  

BP:House

Currently I live in what is classified as a triple-decker apartment complex. My apartment is on the top floor and has both a front and a back porch. A large sliding glass window provides entry to the back porch and overlooks a beautiful lake. Although my apartment is not completely a bungalow aesthetically it does feature some of the same ideals. For example, the exterior walls are wooden with vinyl siding, evoking a simplicity that is featured in the bungalow style house. There are no carports or garages connected to the building, and the roof is low-pitched. As soon as you pull in to the complex a sense of natural living separate from the hustle and bustle of the nearby city. Primarily because the complex is built right on the lake’s edge.

The interior is a blend of bungalow openness and ranch separation. The entry way leads directly into the kitchen, which transitions through a marble bar area into the dining room, which flows into the living room without any formal wall separation. However, the 2 bedrooms and 2 baths are confined behind closed doors with a rigidly defined space that allows for a private personalized area slightly detached from the rest of the house. One feature of the master bedroom is an oversized walk in closet, which supports the assertion that Americans are obsessed with owning an abundance of clothes and a plethora of shoes. The apartment also features a closet with a washer and dryer. This aspect illustrates two American ideals that were first seen in the 1950s with the ranch style- the need for functionality and the desire for style. By concealing the washer and dryer from plain sight it allows the space to not be compromised stylistically, while at the same time providing a practical convenience for the owner of the apartment.