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- Collection: Chester Smolski Photographs
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Stevenage: Franta Belsky, “Joyride”, 1958 Public Sculpture
This bronze statue, entitled “Joyride” was made by Franta Belsky, who moved to England from Czechloslavakia in 1938. The modern statue, a mother playfully carrying her child, was unveiled in 1958 in the Stevenage Town Square. Stevenage is one of…
Stevenage: Town Center and Clock Tower
Town center in Stevenage photographed in 1969. Opened in 1959, this business area has at it’s focal point the clock tower, made well known by the 1967 British comedy “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush” and dedicated in memorial to Lewis Silkin,…
Brasilia: Sunrise Toward Esplanade, 6:00 AM
The silhouettes of Oscar Niemeyer’s public architecture create the horizon of this Brasilia sunset photographed by Chet Smolski in 1974. Niemeyer’s distinctly shaped buildings are a symbol of Brasilia. Note the top of the Catedral de Brasilia…
Brasilia: East View from TV Tower, Government Buildings
This east facing view of Brasilia was photographed from the TV Tower. This photograph illustrates the layout of the city, which was planned in the shape of a bird. At the center of the photograph is the National Congress Building, with it’s twin…
Brasilia: Map of Pilot Plan
This 1969 map of Brasilia show’s the bird-like shape of the city as designed by Lucia Costa. He was hired by President Juscelino Kubitschek to design the city in what had previously been a waste land with scarce water, animals, plants or people.
Brasilia: Saint Statue at Catedral de Brasilia, National Congress Building
From the Catedral de Brasilia, this photograph looks west toward the National Congress Building. In the foreground is one of the statues, distinctly modernist that line the entry to the Catedral. Both the Catedral de Brasilia and the National…
Brasilia: National Congress Building at Sunrise
Designed by Oscar Niemeyer, the National Congress Building is a masterpiece among the many of his works in the Brazilian modernist style. This unique layout separates the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies into two separate semi-speherical…
Brasilia: West on Monumental Axis
This photograph looks west on Brasilia’s Monumental Axis under the overpasses of the North and South Roads, where the bus and subway terminals are located. Smolski notes on the slide the choice to install roundabouts rather than traffic signals.
Brasilia: Commercial Street, Local Shopping
Brasilia is a planned city that has been both criticized as a failed utopia acclaimed as a masterpiece of modernist architecture. The city is mapped out into sections forming the shape of a bird or airplane. This photograph is taken in one of…
Brasilia: East from TV Tower
This photograph faces south east across Brasilia’s Monumental Access. The photograph was taken from the TV Tower. Prominent in the left middle ground is the Praça dos Aposentados, a housing complex for retired persons. Just behind that is the…
Brasilia: South Across Monumental Axis, Night
This south facing view of Brasilia looks across the ‘wings’ of the city into the planned residential neighborhoods. The modernist architecture, designed by Oscar Niemeyer, dominates the city. In the foreground of the photograph is a subway station…
Brasilia: West View on Monumental Axis
Looking west down Brasilia’s Monumental Axis Smolski capture’s an array of modernist architecture. Of note, to the left is Correios, the national headquarters for Brazil’s postal service. Prominent in the center right of the photograph is Brasilia’s…
Indianapolis: Indiana Avenue Apartments
Indiana Avenue Apartments photographed from University Place Hotel at IUPUI campus in Indianapolis. The Indiana Avenue Apartments are public housing managed by the Indianapolis Housing Agency (IHA).
Indianapolis: Skyline from New York Street
This east facing view down W New York St. shows the Indianapolis’ skyline rising up from the flat midwestern landscape. The state’s two tallest buildings, the Chase Tower and the One America Tower are pictured in the center.
Indianapolis: IUPUI Campus, Indiana; University Place Hotel
This photograph shows the integration of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis campus with the University Place Hotel in downtown Indianapolis. Cavanaugh Hall, at frame left, is home of Indiana University’s School of Liberal Arts. Between…
Indianapolis: Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument
The Soldiers’ and Sailors’ monument was designed by Bruno Schmitz, a German architect, for the city of Indianapolis. The building houses a basement Civil War Museum. There is an observation deck at the top that can be reached by climbing 330 stairs,…
Indianapolis: White River State Park
Indianapolis’ White River State Park was built around the site of the Central Canal, a failed canal venture from the early nineteenth century. Since the restoration in the 1980s, the park has become the cultural center of the city and is considered…
Indianapolis: Crowne Plaza Hotel at Indianapolis Union Station, Interior
Interior photograph of the Crowne Plaza Hotel at Indianapolis Union Station. The hotel is located in the train shed which was completed in 1915. Following World War II the station saw rapidly declining numbers in passanger service fell increasing to…
Indianapolis: One America Tower from State Capitol
Photographed from the lawn of the Indian State Capitol is the One America Building, the state’s tallest building from 1982 to 1990 when it was surpassed by the Chase Tower. At the left of the photograph is an example of the Neoclassical facade of the…
Indianapolis: Union Station and Pan America Plaza
Thomas Rodd’s design of Indianapolis Union Station shows influence of noted architect Henry Hobson Richardson. Also shown here is the Pan American Plaza, built in 1987 to commemorate the Pan American Games held in town. The Union Station still serves…
Indianapolis: One America Tower, Skyline from Chase Tower
This photograph is believed to be taken from the Chase Tower. Completed in 1990, the Chase Tower (at the time known as the Bank One Tower), at 830 feet, surpassed the One America Tower (pictured, left) as the tallest building in the state. The One…
Indianapolis: Skyline from IUPUI
The Indianapolis skyline as seen from Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis. The campus serves both universities as an urban campus in Indianapolis. This photo was likely taken from University Place Hotel and shows the IUPUI conference…
Indianapolis: White River State Park, Central Canal
This photograph shows the site of the Central Canal, a proposed 296 mile canal that was to connect Peru to Evansville where it would then meet the Ohio River.The canal was aborted after the state fell into bankruptcy in 1939. This 1993 photograph…
Indianapolis: State House
Viewed from the south side, this photograph of Indiana’s State House shows the Italian Renaissance style dome and Neoclassical facade that makes this building one of the finest example of Neoclassical architecture in the state. The building was…
Indianapolis: State House
The Indiana State House is the fourth structure to house the Indiana government, and has been the current State House since 1887, a year before the buildings formal completion. Designed by Edwin May in 1878, the building utilizes an extended Greek…
Indianapolis: Market Square Arena
This is an aerial shot of Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana in the early 1990s. The arena was completed in 1974, closed in 1999, and demolished in 2001. It was Indiana's primary concert venue until its demolition, hosting acts such as…
Miami Beach: South Beach, Aerial
This aerial view shows most of Miami Beach’s South Beach neighborhood, including the famous Collins Avenue hotels. Also visible is the Miami Beach Golf Club, the Miami Beach Convention Center and many of the apartment style residents in South Beach.…
Miami Beach: Biscayne Point
Biscayne Point in Miami Beach is a residential neighborhood made up of three man made islands in Biscayne Bay. The Biscayne Point islands are a part of the North Beach, which is the are north of 63rd Ave and Collins. This aerial photograph looks down…
Miami: Industrial Park, Aerial
This industrial park in Miami is likely located on the western outskirts of town, where most of Miami’s warehouses and stone quarrying industries are located, extending into neighboring suburbs Doral and Hialeah.
Miami: South District Wastewater Treatment Plant
The South District Wastewater Treatment Plant is located just south of Miami. This aerial photograph was taken in 1978 shows the plant in its early stages of construction. Today, plans are underway to reclaim the water that comes out of the plant in…
Virginia Gardens
Virginia Gardens is a Village in Dade County that broke away from neighboring town Miami Springs in 1947 after a disagreement over a ban on horses. This 1978 photograph shows the town hall and community center of Virginia Gardens. The village takes…
Key Biscayne, Miami: Aerial Photo
This west facing aerial photograph shows Key Biscayne and, on the horizon, Downtown Miami. Seen here on Key Biscayne is Crandon Park and Crandon Park Golf Course. Crandon Beach was formally a zoo, but is now a park where creatures like turtles,…
Miami: Cuban Culture in Downtown Miami
During the 1960s and 1970s large numbers of Cuban immigrants moved into Miami, many of whom settled in a neighborhood of Miami that came to be known as Little Havana. This photograph from Downtown Miami is Smolski’s illustration of the Cuban…
Miami: Traffic Lights, Miami Avenue and Flagler Street
This street scene photograph was taken at the intersection of Miami Ave. and Flagler St. Smolski points out in his notes that he was interested here in the traffic light design, which is unique to the city, and are still in use today.
Miami: Vest Pocket Park
Chet Smolski photographed this as an example of a vest pocket park in Miami. Also known as mini parks, or parketts, these small urban parks are placed on vacant lots between buildings are accessible to the general public.
Miami: Jewelry District, Downtown
This photograph is taken at the intersection of Flagler St. and NE 1st Ave. Downtown Miami is both an urban residential neighborhood and the central business district. This specific neighborhood is known as the Jewelry District, so named for it’s…
Miami: Miami River Walk, One Biscayne Tower
An image taken from the Miami River Walk looking northeat shows One Biscayne Tower as the tallest building in the city, which it was until 1984. It has since been eclipsed by modern building standards but remains a symbol of the city. The building…
Miami: Downtown, East Flagler Street
An east facing view down East Flagler St. in Downtown Miami. The street is named for nineteenth century railroad magnate Henry Flagler, and it runs west across town to the Florida Turnpike. This photograph show’s two buildings that have become…
Miami: Little Havana, SW 8th Street
This photograph shows Cuban influence in Miami, specifically here on SW 8th St., part of Little Havana. The nickname comes from the large Cuban population concentrated in the area from the 1970s through the 1990s. The influx of Cubans in the area,…
Miami: Little Havana, SW 8th St.
This photograph shows Cuban influence in Miami, specifically here on SW 8th St., part of Little Havana. The nickname comes from the large Cuban population from the 1970s through the 1990s following an influx of Cuban refugee’s and the creation of a…
University of Miami Coral Gables Campus
The University of Miami Coral Gables campus, just south of Miami. This landscape view shows the University Communications building on the left and freshman housing on the right.
University of Miami Coral Gables Campus: Food Court, Resident Halls
The University of Miami main campus is Coral Gables, just south of the city of Miami. This photograph was taken in 1978 and looks south across the food court, with resident halls on the horizon. The school was chartered in 1925 and currently enrolls…
University of Miami Coral Gables Campus: Swimming Pool
The pool at the university of Miami, Croal Gables campus. The campus is located just south of the city of Miami and was chartered in 1925. This photograph dates from the late 1970s.
The Everglades: Camp Ground
The Everglades is a popular destination for campers and those with mobile homes. This unidentified Everglades campground was photographed in 1978 and shows a different side of Miami’s tourism industry.
Miami Beach: South Beach Aerial View
This aerial photograph shows a South Beach that is virtually unrecognizable. Much of the area since this 1978 photograph has been redeveloped with high rise resorts.
The Everglades: Sawgrass Prairie
This photograph from the Everglades shows a key element of this unique environment, the sawgrass prairie. Sawgrass thrives in the shallow slow moving water that occupies much of the southern portion of the Florida peninsula. Although not much else…
Miami: Beach Scene at Key Biscayne
Beach scene at Key Biscayne with the Miami skyline on the horizon. Key Biscayne is an island off the coast of Miami that’s principle economy is as a travel destination for tourists. As of 2004, the islands population was recorded at 10,324.
Miami: Beach Scene at Key Biscayne
Beach scene at Key Biscayne with the Miami skyline on the horizon. Key Biscayne is an island off the coast of Miami that’s principle economy is as a travel destination for tourists. As of 2004, the islands population was recorded at 10,324.
Miami: Skyline from Key Biscayne
The Miami skyline as seen from Key Biscayne in 1978. At the right are some of Miami’s most famous skyscrappers, including th SunTrust International Center, completed in 1973, and One Biscayne Tower, a symbol of the city, completed in 1972. At the…
Miami: Interstate 95
This aerial photograph looks south down Interstate 95 in Miami. In the foreground is the Golden Glades Interchange Extended. Interstate 95 is the longest running north-south route in the highway system, running from the Canadian border in Maine to…