Jackie and I were asked to contribute to Dwell magazine's blog in conjunction with their Made in USA issue. We were tickled that they asked, and told them we'd be more than happy to submit some articles. We asked them what they had in mind and they told us to offer up something from Oklahoma that was uniquely American. That sounded easy. The first thing that came to mind for me was the unique assortment of works by Bruce Goff located in the Sooner State. So here's our brief slideshow of Goff in Oklahoma... Bruce Goff in Oklahoma Enjoy.
On the Trail of Julius Shulman: Stop 2 "This is a bank," the sign outside the futuristic building read. According to legend a prankster added a strategic question mark and echoed the sentiment of many passers-by: "This is a bank?" That was back in 1964 when it opened. Today the Arvest on Lincoln Boulevard looks a bit less Jetsonian, mostly due to replacement of structural glass below the "saucers," but it's still an unusual bank. Designed by Robert Roloff of the architectural firm Bailey, Bozalis, Dickinson & Roloff, the State Capitol Bank caused quite a stir in Oklahoma City when it opened. Heck, it's still pretty shocking today! Originally the flying saucers appeared to hover above the building (as seen in this vintage postcard). All the glass that made that effect possible also made heating and cooling an expensive proposition. Security concerns also mandated replacement of those windows with solid materials and small square portholes