"providence arcade"
"Providence Arcade" in Providence R.I.
On a cold winter day, last week, our class visited the Providence Arcade. Our objective was to gather and organize information regarding this building. We were to pay special attention to our individual interpretations. Initially, I knew the Providence Arcade was a Greek revival style building built in 1838. It was America's first mall. In addition, I had seen a few exterior pictures of this building that clearly showed a Greek revival building. I have always been fond of Greek architecture, and I was very interested in seeing this building in person.
As a group we met in Providence and took a short ten minute walk to our destination. Just before our arrival at the Arcade, we walked down an alley, and at its completion, there standing in front of us was the Providence Arcade. The building had a full entry portico with Corinthian columns supporting a pediment. It was quite imposing. My initial response was that the building no longer belonged in its environment. Greek architecture to me shows power, strength, and stability. Although this building had all the elements to bring about that response the newer buildings that were so close and all around the Providence Arcade seem to cramp this building. It needed more space around it to be appreciated. The other side of the building was also a full porch entry with Corinthian columns. The columns supported a stepped parapet instead of a pediment. I thought this looked horrendous. I do not like the looks of this because it looks out of place and forced. There was easy access to the second and third floors of this building with stairs in each side of the porticos leading upstairs. I liked this accessibility, but the view on the third floor was non-existent. On the third floor balcony, unless you looked down, you could see nothing but the back end of the buildings architrave, and entablature. The third floor's function is for offices and its hierarchy was...
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