Lewis writes in…

With 4th of July celebrations, this was my first chance to send this in. I was walking in Decatur last Thursday night and spotted what looked like a movie shoot going on in Sammiches N’ Stuff. Looks like they replaced the hanging sign too. I snapped some pics, sending them to you. Got any info on what this is about?

Hopefully Cheryl Burnette, the city of Decatur’s Assistant Director of Everything, has the answer!

A close up of the sign out front can be viewed after the jump.

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West Commerce Drive @ Ponce de Leon Ave (photo submitted by Kris)

Architect Clay Chapman is currently constructing the “Daulton House” at 317 South McDonough Road in the MAK District. The house design was approved at the Historic Preservation Commission’s January meeting in a 3-2 vote.

You can monitor the Tudor brick home’s progress at the Chapman Architecture blog.

But perhaps even more interesting than watching this house rise brick-by-brick, is reading Chapman’s theory of the trade that he relates along the way.  Such as…

There may be an underlying suspicion in the collective psyche that we are presently unable to expound; unable to do anything of creative significance because the era of modern manufacturing, in all it’s efficiency, has made the artisan tradesman obsolete; and in so doing extinguished that brazen creativity we Americans pride ourselves as being descended. Of course this is in no way limited to creative building — what car being built today will be held with the same affection as a 66 Ford Mustang in the year 2060.

All this to say, a penchant for period architecture should in no way be based on an unbalanced appreciation for another time. Many modern architects view period design with a bricker-brack sort of kitchy, collectibles mentality and there is good fodder for this. But it’s not so much a particular period I’m in love with, as a few rudimentary materials that happen to be historically ubiquitous; materials I find difficult to improve upon without a price.

h/t: the DNO

Photo courtesy of Chapman Architecture blog