Wednesday, March 12, 2008

A Different Kind of “Building Collector”

Architectural artifact accumulator Larry Giles salvages items from condemned buildings before they're demolished. The St. Louis native and owner of St. Louis Architectural Art Co., Giles has collected unique building materials for over 35 years. His efforts have totaled over 250,000 artifacts, which are now owned by the St. Louis Building Arts Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation Giles established in 2002. Plans for a National Architectural Arts Center, to be built near the St. Louis Gateway Arch, are under way. It's sad to loose historic buildings, but refreshing to see someone so dedicated to saving a portion of our architectural history. Originally broadcast on TV in 2004, the video below shows some of the unique collection.

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