For most of my life I've assumed that when builders wanted old buildings destroyed they used a wrecking ball like I'd seen in cartoons. Recently I've realized that I've never actually seen a wrecking ball being used. I don't even know if they exist any more. I know that for big buildings they use explosives. And now I know that for small buildings such as this, they just knock it down with machines. This machine was picking up that big piece of cement and rebar, holding it above the building and then dropping it. In the photo it has just dropped the big chunk of cement. (This makes a lot of noise and dust and looks like it would be fun to do, for about an hour. Then it would be nice to go and have some milk and cookies and a nap....) The building being demolished here was a parking garage attached to what is now becoming "The Hudson" (inner city heritage restoration condo/loft living).
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Demolition
For most of my life I've assumed that when builders wanted old buildings destroyed they used a wrecking ball like I'd seen in cartoons. Recently I've realized that I've never actually seen a wrecking ball being used. I don't even know if they exist any more. I know that for big buildings they use explosives. And now I know that for small buildings such as this, they just knock it down with machines. This machine was picking up that big piece of cement and rebar, holding it above the building and then dropping it. In the photo it has just dropped the big chunk of cement. (This makes a lot of noise and dust and looks like it would be fun to do, for about an hour. Then it would be nice to go and have some milk and cookies and a nap....) The building being demolished here was a parking garage attached to what is now becoming "The Hudson" (inner city heritage restoration condo/loft living).
6 comments:
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It looks like a monster devouring the house. It seems an invasion of "War of the Worlds."
ReplyDeleteVery good photo capturing the right time.
I can only recall seeing a wrecking ball in action once or twice. I'm in favour of vapourising buildings like in the cartoons but that seems to have gone completely out of fashion.
ReplyDeleteGreat equipment shots Benjamin. As a kid, of course, I always thought that would be a cool job. Now that I'm grown up (as in taller) it looks dead boring. But you get to sit all day.
I saw a wrecking ball bang apart a building I had lived in, after fighting city hall to save it. But sadly enough, they wanted to be able to have boat shows downtown instead of working people who could walk to their offices.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind them taking down a parking lot though.
This is such a disturbing and interesting image! Great work, Benjamin. You captured more than just the straightforward here ... there's a lot of subtext in this subject.
ReplyDeleteDemolition is both exciting and disturbing. Fun to see changes but sometimes the changes aren't necessary.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason I can't see your photo today, but I will say that the milk, cookies and a nap combo always sounds good to me!
ReplyDelete