Thursday, January 28, 2016

PSAD Paducah School of Art and Design


PSAD  Paducah School of  Art and Design

While this blog post may be brief, I just had to share the “crown jewel” in the PSAD Campus, the 2D and Graphic Design Building.  I am neither an architect nor a contractor, but I came away from my tour with an appreciation of good old-fashioned American craftsmanship.   It was industrial art in my eyes.  Specifically, it is the attention to detail in which the heating and air-conditioning system along with the electrical layout are just there to be appreciated.

Seriously, there is something about the art of all that HVAC/electrical “stuff” that is usually covered by so many ceiling tiles.  Yes, it is new and shiny, but it is the care, the way it was put into the ceiling of the building that just blew me away.  Really.  When you see long runs of silvery electrical conduit that are perfectly spaced, each run parallel to the next, it is impressive.  When those long runs curve in graceful arcs that they themselves are in perfect alignment, there is art going on.  At least to my eyes.  The “flat oval” shaped HVAC conduit is far away from the usual spiral wound duct that is often the norm.  Look closely at the way it is attached, and fine detail is there to appreciate.  No plumber’s strap here.  Stainless steel multi stranded wire carefully angled for strength and athletics is evident.

There are lots of really cool features in this renovated building, from earthquake strengthening to reuse of the wood from a hundred year old building, to white boxed walls.  It is all there in harmony.  But this Wednesday, it was all that “art and design” in the uncovered ceiling that did it for me.


Now go see what excites you in PSAD’s “crown jewel” at 9th and Harrison.

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