untitled retrofit graffiti and smiley

Posted by danthro (Suburbia, United States) on 15 April 2008 in Architecture and Portfolio.

in response to some of the comments, i decided to post this one (very poor quality) photo that shows most of this side of the building along with some other stuff. these markings are all over the entire building. i'll try to get a better capture of it next time i'm around there.

Comments, feedback, criticism, suggestions, etc. are always appreciated. Thanks!
Image too large? Click the 'small' link in the bottom right corner for a smaller view.

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Comments (21)

saeed from Iran

Very Nice Graffiti :)

15 Apr 2008 1:39am

Rags from Plano, United States

is this intentional art or was it done by vandals? Either way i like the image.

15 Apr 2008 2:33am

@Rags: thanks! i'm not 100% sure, but there's construction being done on this building (probably retrofitting for earthquake safety) and i think these markings all over the building are somehow tied to that, but i noticed one of them is a smiley and thought that would be neat to photograph.

MaryB from Staffordshire, United Kingdom

Very interesting, it must have taken quite a while and a lot of climbing to to do this. I have to admit that I quite like it :)
A great shot, very well spotted and captured.

15 Apr 2008 4:54am

@MaryB: Thanks a lot, Mary! I am guessing it was done by the construction workers.

Ron from Saint Louis, United States

Looks kind of like a Keith Haring painting ...

15 Apr 2008 5:35am

@Ron: yeah, sort of does. i had forgotten his name, but when i just looked him up i immediately recognized his artwork and style.

Observing from Chester, United Kingdom

High level art...? cool image

15 Apr 2008 6:18am

vu@granby from Granby, Québec, Canada

I like it! (I'm back online and trying to catch up....)

15 Apr 2008 8:09am

Oswegan from Lake Oswego, United States

It looks like ancient writings. How did they get up there.

15 Apr 2008 9:22am

@Oswegan: i think it was probably put there by construction workers who started working on some kind of remodel (i'm guessing earthquake retrofitting of some sort) on the building a few years ago. i don't actually know. but perhaps construction markings might be categorized as an ancient system of secret writings ;)

Michael from Wuppertal, Germany

Well done and good spotted!

15 Apr 2008 9:48am

yiannis krikis from thessaloniki, Greece

really well done - I like it

15 Apr 2008 10:41am

sherri from Little Rock, Arkansas, United States

Oh, my goodness, how in the world did they get that high?

15 Apr 2008 11:00am

@sherri: i'm not positive, i didn't see them do it, but i think it was done by construction workers working on the building, so that would mean they probably got up there by whatever means construction workers use to get that high (not sure).

Oeilonirique from France

I wonder what these drawings and signs mean.

15 Apr 2008 11:25am

Sean from Champaign, United States

Even construction workers want to be artists.

15 Apr 2008 11:49am

Kevin from OrganicPIX.com from DFW, Texas, United States

Almost like a night vision/black light view.
These are cool looking hieroglyphics - cannot envision how it would have anything to do with retrofitting - if it is, you must photo document the process - 'cause that would be one heck of a project!

15 Apr 2008 1:56pm

standley from brou-sur-chantereine, France

Great capture. I suppose that these were done by workers!

15 Apr 2008 3:38pm

Craig from Vacaville, California, United States

Interesting design. Reminds me of the ancient petroglyph drawings made by prehistoric man in the Southwest US.

15 Apr 2008 5:03pm

Jen from Alpharetta, United States

Very Very interesting find and capture!
Wonderful!

15 Apr 2008 5:22pm

Ronnie 2¢ from London, United Kingdom

Well, if this is construction markings, that place has so many surface faults that they may as well demolish it now rather than wait for an earthquake! Bizarre.

[ Answering your query, I have to scroll a little on these 700px high images in the widescreens here but I don’t think that’s a problem. Personally, I keep my stuff to no more than 550 high but that can be so restrictive, at times.]

15 Apr 2008 7:34pm

@Ronnie 2¢: I looked it up, and it is construction markings--apparently after they did the earthquake retrofitting they realized there were imperfections just under the paint that could deteriorate, look ugly and more significantly lead to falling concrete...

Thanks for the info on the image size--550 is waaay too restrictive for me!

Alun Lambert from Cheshire, United Kingdom

Great image

15 Apr 2008 11:38pm

Melissa W. from Warsaw, Indiana, United States

Very interesting...what's even more interesting is your reply to Ronnie 2¢...Looks like there could potentially be some huge chunks of concrete falling if there's an earthquake.

16 Apr 2008 9:26am

Twelvebit from Victoria, United States

I would have assumed this to be a surface intended to be under a final facade, but from the comments and your responses that doesn't appear to be the case.

17 Apr 2008 11:16am