Civic & Community Architectural Photography
Photographing civic buildings and community institutions for the firms that design them
Rung for Women — St. Louis MO — Architect: Christner
The architect of a civic building answers for every dollar. That funding comes from taxpayers at a city hall, or donors and a board at a nonprofit. The building has to do two things at once that pull in opposite directions. It has to look dignified, solid, and worth the investment, but it can't look extravagant. A public building that reads as lavish looks like wasted dollars. A shelter that photographs like a boutique hotel looks like money that should have gone to the mission instead went to finishes. If a design holds that balance, the photograph can maintain it or break it. The goal is to make the building read as good value and good stewardship. The same images that reassure the funders also help win the firm its next job.
