St. Clair Square, Fairview Heights, Illinois

I'd never been over to St. Clair Square Mall, and I wanted to view this important component of sprawl out of East St. Louis in the 1960's. The old Famous Barr dome brings back memories of the now lost West County Mall counterpart, though I found the latter more elegant.

Brutalism abounds, as can be seen in the JC Penny, which in its shear size and massive bulkiness almost pulls off a certain level of beauty.

I like the clean shadows and lines cast by the corner of the department store as well.

The Sears continues the trend, as well. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of this mall was how it had seemed to completely weather the economic storm that has closed so many other malls built at the same time on the Missouri side. Renovated recently, the mall, much like West County and South County Malls, seems to have been judged by the shopping center gods as healthy, and will not be a victim of triage as other malls have seem to fallen victim.

Dillard's, Jamestown Mall

The massive, Brutalist Dillard's building is not without its charms.The reflective glass has begun to fade on the front entrance.I like the details of the restaurant's windows, which puncture the side of the white brick facade.

Eden Seminary, Webster Groves

Eden Seminary, in Webster Groves features a beautiful, if standard English Gothic main building, but I'm more intrigued by the library built in the lawn in front of the older academic hall.The massing of this strange, Brutalist building seems to be the same as some traditional depictions of the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem.Take a look for yourself here, and see if there's a correlation. It would make sense, considering it's a seminary's library.

St. Louis County Government Center, Clayton

The county courthouse is massive, and its repeating pattern design makes it seem even more so. I liked the old one better, but obviously it was too small.The courthouse and nearby jail even have their own Bridge of Sighs, just like in Venice, Italy. I like the one in Venice better.The jail, whether you like it or not, is a great example of 1990's penal architecture. While in the past, jails and prisons were meant to stand out as fortification-like landmarks, nowadays governments attempt to make jails blend in with the landscape, as no one wants to live or work next to a jail.The county jail is a perfect example of the "kinder, gentler" prison.Then there's the county building, built in true Brutalist style, looking more like a fortress than a welcoming government building.The sparse, stripped down exterior is typical of many Clayton office buildings. Across the street is a parking lot.These first floor windows make me wonder if they were expecting an invasion or something. But actually, it was relatively common in the late 1960's and 70's to build government buildings that were "riot proof."

Waterfront Mall, Southwest, Washington, DC

This failed mall on the riverfront in Southwest appears to have been largely demolished for redevelopment.It was a total failure, but what was cool is that it was suspended in the 1960's, complete with its sole remaining tenant, a cheap restaurant with harvest orange dining benches.The Brutalist apartment blocks lining the area still survive.

Housing and Urban Development Building Southwest Washington, DC,

Pet Building