10 Comments

I read this piece interested less in the architectural angle than in the memories it evoked growing up a Navy brat in North Charleston. Any interest in more stories like these? Or has that been done? I also love your blog and miss your reporting.

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Hmm, I bet there's plenty to tell. I'd be curious about life on the base during the Cold War.

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And thanks! I miss reporting too. I have to do it in my spare time now, unfortunately.

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We lived off base. Dad retired in 1967. But that base was apart of my life, from fellow students at St. John’s Catholic School right outside the gates, to the “hospital”/drs visits (actually a series of individual clinics), to Sterrett Hall gym and ship visits in port. My husband was also stationed there when we met. We used to play golf at the par 3 by the Officer’s Club. The disrepair and subsequent attempts to reimagine that space has been interesting.

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Price is a consideration, but it's a book that's long overdue. Brutalism has been neglected in the history of the Southern built landscape.

P.S. your blog is wonderful.

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Agreed! It's out there if you know what you're looking for. Atlanta has some great examples.

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I think a book is a fantastic idea. There are some great brutalist gems out here!

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I'll be scouting for gems. The Chapel Hill building you pointed out the other day looks promising. I'd love to highlight brutalist buildings in unlikely places where the contrast is obvious.

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I’d consider buying such a book depending on price, but it would require buying a coffee table.

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Haha, no table necessary! I just meant that it would be bigger than a standard paperback and would have nice glossy photos in it.

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