LOST BUILDINGS

LOST BUILDINGS
Written by Ira Glass and animated by Chris Ware

I'm going to say something that will make me sound like a hipster even though I'm about as far away from even being associated with the term "hip." I love NPR's THIS AMERICAN LIFE, and I've loved it since it ever came on the air here in Chicago. Nyah. Tblpptpt. Hipsters who revel in its quirky stories will claim the same, that they knew about it before anyone else, but dammit I was there a long time ago. My claim is for real- I've been an avid NPR listener since freshman year of high school (I'm 31- you do the math). Just had to get that off my chest.

Every year I call in and pledge support for my public radio and television stations, and every year they send me some cool little gift in return. Last year I got a set of tumblers, and this year I was supposed to get tickets to the Ravinia festival. Unfortunately they had run out of tickets, so they sent me a book instead. Good things happen for a reason, and what I received was one of the most startling and beautiful books / films I'd ever seen.

It was a lovely little book called LOST BUILDINGS, and it was accompanied with a DVD that featured a 22-minute story written by Ira Glass, writer and host of THIS AMERICAN LIFE, and features animation by Chicago's resident reluctant genius Chris Ware, he of JIMMY CORRIGAN fame. The story was of the real-life exploits of Tim Samuelson, who as a young boy became obsessed with the buildings of Louis Sullivan, one of Chicago's premiere architects and creator of some of the most stunning structures the world had ever seen. As Tim grows up he becomes exposed to the realities of urban development, and spirals into horror and despair as he sees developers tear down Sullivan buildings and replace them with behemoth steel skyscrapers. Tim joins an impassioned group of people who dedicate their lives to saving Chicago's buildings, and finds camaraderie with one gentleman in particular. Their enthusiasm and shared joy of Sullivan buildings comes literally crashing down on them, and the story is punctuated with a tragic sense of what we hold dear as a society, and our ideological divide in our valuation of art.

Ira Glass' intelligent writing and narration brings an immediacy and humanity to the subject, deferring to Samuelson in the correct balance between interview and story. The audio is accentuated by the soundtrack, featuring a guitar rendition of Philip Glass' amazing masterpiece 'Mishima.'

But the real star here is Ware's artwork. Every frame of the 300 illustrations on this DVD are meticulously drawn, and the architecture of Louis Sullivan is lovingly reproduced through the eyes of Samuelson, as both a boy and adult. Ware has given mythic significance to these buildings, while also providing a human context to the brick, mortar, plaster and steel. The intimacy, elaborate framing, and pacing of the three elements- narration, music, and image- is simply immaculate. This is hands down one of the best and most unusual documentaries you're likely to ever see.

The book that accompanies the DVD is an achingly sad document of the fate of the Sullivan buildings in Chicago. If it weren't for the insightful text, we would think we were looking at photos of Armageddon, of the barren landscapes of World War II. And the results are equally tragic. It may seem ridiculous to place so much emotional equity within a building, but I felt I understood why Samuelson was so fervent about the preservation of Chicago's old, historic buildings.

See, I live within my home, and almost all of my daily functions happen here. My memories are encased and formed here. My home enables me to do this within comfort, within a safe place. My view of my home is shared in my view of the Earth- as a living thing, a complex network of systems designed to sustain life, to inspire, to nurture. The building I live in was built in 1901, and it is as solid today as when it was built. Old buildings were built with humanity in mind, with the concept of sustaining generations, of providing shelter and inspiration for centuries. Today's new construction is built with a different agenda- profit. Poor construction, sub par prefabricated materials, and putting just enough effort to pass a legal standard of living space is the hallmark of today's buildings. They are built to fall apart in ten years, in order to spur the population to either keep reinvesting in their homes, or to pick up and move to an entirely new building. These cookie-cutter buildings show little in terms of design- they invoke zero creativity, no human spirit, no warmth or desire to be different.

I happen live down the street from one of the few remaining Sullivan buildings in Chicago. Located in Lincoln Square, the building is a small wonder of art- no detail was spared, no aesthetic denied. It is a revelation to look at, to run one's hands over its solid facade and explore the intricate designs. They don't build dwellings like this anymore. It's a dying art, sacrificed at the altars of profitability and greed. The artisans who specialize in this kind of masonry are a dying species, and are deemed far too expensive to be practical. To build a Sullivan building today requires time, patience, and funds, of which today's society has plenty of, but is unwilling to yield.

We must preserve the architecture of the past, because unlike today, it was made with people in mind. I see the expansive suburbs of Chicago and see uniformity, lack of individuality, and an uninspired submission to be mediocre. Apparently we are ok being just another number. We sell our souls for temporary comfort, and in turn destroy the foundations of our inspiration and life.

I think I can say that for things even beyond architecture. Sad.


LOST BUILDINGS can be purchased at the NPR shop at NPR.org, or at the THIS AMERICAN LIFE website. It's a bit on the pricey side, but consider it your donation to good television and radio.

Below is not a trailer for LOST BUILDINGS, but another wonderful collaboration between Ira Glass and Chris Ware. Enjoy!