A Great Way to Break Ground

Digging through my blog's "pending" folder on my computer, I came across this rendering of the <a href="http://ci.billings.mt.us/index.aspx?nid=1639">Parmly Billings Library</a> in Billings, Montana, designed by <a href="http://www.willbruderarchitects.com/">Will Bruder Architects</a>. The building broke ground last June and is expected to be done the end of this year.<br /><br /><img alt="grid-billings.jpg" src="http://www.archidose.org/Blog/grid-billings.jpg" title="Rendering of Parmly Billings Library" /><br />[Rendering of Parmly Billings Library | image <a href="http://www.willbruderarchitects.com/">source</a>] <br /><br />What drew me to the project was actually the groundbreaking itself, which consisted of about 300 people forming the footprint of the building on site:<br /><br /><img alt="groundbreaking.jpg" src="http://www.archidose.org/Blog/groundbreaking.jpg" title="Groundbreaking for Parmly Billings Library" /><br />[Parmly Billings Library's groundbreaking ceremony | top image <a href="http://billingsgazette.com/people-outline-the-new-library-building/image_2f68bdd2-d880-5611-aedd-20b6536d1009.html">source</a>]<br /><br />I really like the idea of the groundbreaking, because it links people to the physical aspects of the future building, especially its scale. It also prompts people to use their imagination to envision the building as something they'll occupy. I figured this couldn't be the first occasion of such a groundbreaking, and a quick Google image search for "groundbreaking people outline building" did yield a few more:<br /><br /><img alt="people-outline-building.jpg" src="http://www.archidose.org/Blog/people-outline-building.jpg" title="Austin Baptist Church groundbreaking" /><br />[Austin Baptist Church, Austin, Texas | image <a href="http://www.austinbaptistchurch.com/Arena/default.aspx?page=3526">source</a>] <br /><br /><img alt="Groundbreaking-Outline.jpg" src="http://www.archidose.org/Blog/Groundbreaking-Outline.jpg" title="Waterbrook Bible Fellowship groundbreaking" /><br />[Waterbrook Bible Fellowship, Denton, Texas | image <a href="http://www.dentonslive.com/waterbrook-groundbreaking-hallelujah-hot/">source</a>] <br /><br /><img alt="GroundbreakingSmall.jpg" src="http://www.archidose.org/Blog/GroundbreakingSmall.jpg" title="Heidelberg University Residence Life and Learning Hall groundbreaking" /><br />[Heidelberg University Residence Life and Learning Hall, Tiffin, Ohio | image <a href="http://www.heidelberg.edu/offices/president/plan/newreshall/groundbreaking">source</a>]

A Great Way to Break Ground

Digging through my blog's "pending" folder on my computer, I came across this rendering of the Parmly Billings Library in Bil...

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