industrial heritagea photographic study in downtown kansas city surrounding the rail lines

caitlin husman

caitlin husmanarchitectural photographyprofessor vladimir krstic

kansas city design centerurban design studio 2011-2012

equipment Nikon D5100 DSLR 18-55 mm lens 55-300 mm lens tripod Adobe CS4 Photoshop Adobe CS 4 InDesign

photographs shot in kansas city, mo

“Photography, as a powerful medium of expression and communications, offers an infinite variety of perception, interpretation and execution.”Ansel Adams

introduction barriers transparency and facades hidden space rail

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table of contents

introductionPhotography allows one to freeze a moment in time. Throughout the course of its life, a place invariably changes. The changes can be large or small, but they impact how a building is perceived in its context. Owners come and go, and with them the flux of patrons that make a space full or vacant. The use of the building can transform many times; stylistic changes can be made on the interior and exterior; a building’s surroundings can impact how the façade appears. A photograph captures a place as it is at that moment. Showcasing the history of a space is important to individuals and society because each space can harbor a sense of beauty that should be shared.

I chose to photograph the industrial area around the railroad that intersects downtown Kansas City. The railroad divides two parts of the city from one another, the Crown Center district and the Crossroads district. Today, Union Station and Washington Square Park exist on one side, while revitalized restaurants, shops, lofts, and parking exist on the other. Through photography, I wanted to understand the role the rail played in shaping the occupied and unoccupied land in the area.

In the 2011-2012 school year, the Kansas City Design Center proposed a visionary Rail Park be implemented along the tracks to connect the city and enhance the quality of the area. Through a series of shots, I documented how the area currently exists and that allowed me to understand the benefit the proposed park could serve. Many of the spaces directly adjacent to the rail are in need of attention, showcasing their strengths rather than abandoning them or narrowing their service. I wanted to emphasize through photography that ordinary, industrial materials have a sense of power and beauty that should be enhanced.

The play of light and shadows, materiality, and a sense of the stark, industrial heritage were major focuses when taking these photographs. Photography is critical for all in the design profession because it allows one to sharpen his or her ability to experience a place. I was able to capture this place as it is not often seen because I singularized the focus for the audience to understand the power of an ordinary space within a city.

barriersAlong the rail, barriers are placed to prevent human access. However, the number, size, and type of barriers that exist within the industrial setting is astonishing when looked at individually. However, they all demonstrate the same thing: one is not to pass through without permission. I chose to photograph barriers as they relate to the spaces near the rail because they demonstrate the restrictions and opportunities the rail has on a space.

I found it worthwhile to photograph barriers because they are often stark, simple and unembellished upon. Their purpose is to serve as protective shields, but it is commonly accomplished in the plainest way possible. Making the barriers attractive was not the focus. If it happened, it was by accident. None of the barriers I shot are distinctly beautiful by themselves, but captured with the play of light and emphasis on materiality, they are able to be seen in a new light.

Overall, I felt as though these barriers characterized the area. Simple, functional architecture pervades around the rail, minimal landscaping, and an attempt to minimize the rail and its impact on the space.

facades and transparencybuildings would open up again. It was important in my series of photographs to accentuate the contrast, allowing viewers to understand how the design history minimized the impact of the railroad.

Through photography, I fo-cused on capturing a multitude of facades, highlighting the different scenes that occurred in an industrial, brick and glass setting. The play of material and upkeep highlights the heri-tage of the area. The facades captured make ordinary spaces become interesting and beauti-ful. I concentrated on smaller portions of different building facades, varying between one opening to multiple in a frame. By doing so, it allowed for a simplistic, singular focus that collectively allow the viewer to have an understanding of the area.

The lighting upon the facades varied, from soft to harsh, ambiguous to direct. The re-flections upon the transparent glass due to different lighting conditions allow viewers to have multiple interpretations of the same photograph. These scenes speak of history and the presence of people. Although all photographs are deliberately void of people, they empha-size a person’s presence or absence. A specific moment in history is captured that still leaves the viewer with ques-tions about the building and façade.

Every facade has a story to tell. The windows that you look into provide an insight into a building, and that can change depending on the reflection, the occupancy of the building, or the mood surrounding it, The industi-ral facades around the rail-road captured my attention.

Being located on or near the path of the railroad impacted how the building’s façade was designed. Most designers chose to close a building off when it faced the tracks, becoming false facades or creating only minimal openings. Once overlooking the street,

Photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place. Elliott Erwitt

hidden spaceWasted space pervades the area surrounding the rail, presuming the space is not able to accommodate many purposes because of the limita-tions the rail places. Because of that, surface parking lots, service spaces, and alleys now occupy the land. In this study, I wanted to focus on space near the rail that appeared hidden to most viewers and emphasize the positive attributes through photography.

Most of the spaces I photographed have a bad reputation for being too dark or too unfriendly for the average person. Functions that can handle the plain, industrial atmosphere have taken root, minimizing the character and access of the spaces. I tried to showcase how those qualities can be made interesting to the average person. The most challenging aspect of this was directing the focus so that the audience is not distracted by its functional qualities. The interaction between the space and light and dark helped feature the quiet allure of hidden space. Shadows often determined the mood of these spaces, and it was interesting to understand how different the space could feel at various times throughout the day.

railAt the heart of Kansas City is the rail, the divide between districts in the city. In 1914, Union Station was built as the second largest transit hub in the country. Today, trains frequently use the tracks that pass by, for both freight and passenger purposes. The railroad defines the area. The people of the area often view the rail as a nuisance, something that causes noise and chaos. As a result, the buildings and infrastructure attempt to minimize the rail, but are unsuccessful. The rail has defined the character of the area.

The rail was the reason I chose to photographically study this area because it has a distinct character and beauty and it has transformed the areas it goes through. I was able to capture how the space feels when trains move through it and when the space is void of life. It was important to me to be able to show a moment in time, highlighting the past and the promise for a future.

“Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still.”Dorothea Lange Quotes