POSTCARD FROM PORTO-NOVO Dear ArchitectureWeek, Porto-Novo, the capital of Benin in West Africa, is searching for its lost identity as development presents conflicts between historic preservation and a quest for modernism. The city's urban heritage includes vernacular and colonial, but the most interesting buildings, according to Gérard Tognimassou, a teacher from the Ecole du Patrimoine Africain, a school for the preservation of the African cultural heritage, are those that reveal "a great craftsmanship in the fusion between the Brazilian and the African styles." — Published 2005.0907
	POSTCARD FROM SHIZUKUISHI Dear ArchitectureWeek, While traveling in Japan, I attended a Mochi Maki event in Shizukuishi, a small town of 20,000 in Iwate prefecture, northern Honshu. Mochi Maki is a rice-ball throwing event held during the construction of new buildings in Japan. An altar is set up within the building, and friends of the owners are invited to participate in a prayer ceremony conducted by a Shinto priest. During the service, the gods are invited to be present during the construction and occupancy of the building. — Published 2005.0810
	POSTCARD FROM STUTTGART Dear ArchitectureWeek, When I first arrived at the Akademie Schloss Solitude near Stuttgart, Germany, I was struck by a flamboyant baroque and rococo construction. From a tree-lined avenue, one sees the cream-cake-like layering of arches and ornament of the Solitude Palace, commissioned by Herzog Karl Eugen between 1763 and 1767. Today, 30 artists and architects are in residence at the academy. — Published 2005.0525
	POSTCARD FROM GLASGOW Dear ArchitectureWeek, St. Peters Seminary, built from 1958 to 1966, at Cardross College, Glasgow, Scotland, seems to resonate more deeply as a modern ruin than it ever would have as an operational building. Designed by Isi Metzstein of Gillespie Kidd & Coia, it now stands as heart-achingly modernist, stripped down and pure. From a distance its brown pebble-clad exterior looks like that of a baronial castle, stately and elusive. Palisade fencing, "Do not Enter" signs, and overgrown paths protect its lofty flanks. — Published 2005.0511
	POSTCARD FROM JAISALMER Dear ArchitectureWeek, In medieval times, camel caravans heading towards Arabia, Persia, and Central Asia, laden with silks and spices, would have seen Jaisalmer, India shimmering in the desert haze much as it appears today. The ancient fort, the oldest in Rajasthan, rises above a maze of streets, squares, palaces, and clusters of dwellings, all in the local golden yellow sandstone. — Published 2005.0420
	POSTCARD FROM SANTA ANA Dear ArchitectureWeek, An hour's drive northwest from San Salvador takes you to the mountainous, volcanic area of El Salvador, to an altitude far above the heat of the coast and the congestion of the capital. Near the Volcán de Izalco is Santa Ana, El Salvador's second largest city. It is surrounded by beautiful green peaks and sky-blue lakes and, unlike most other cities here, has retained much of its colonial heritage. — Published 2005.0316
	POSTCARD FROM KHIRKI VILLAGE Dear ArchitectureWeek, Khirki Village, a small "urbanized village" to the south of New Delhi, conceals Khirki Mosque, one of the city's most famous archaeological monuments. Notable for its unusual architectural style, the mosque's roof has four large openings, creating courtyards for light to penetrate into the monumental, red, sandstone building. The most dramatic views are from the roof — where a vast landscape of domes creates a forbidden playground for local children and breathtaking views of the surrounding village. The village takes its name from the mosque — khirki means "lattice windows." There are over 40 of these intricate stone screens on the exterior of the building. — Published 2005.0119
	POSTCARD FROM LELYSTAD Dear ArchitectureWeek, Sporting a striking new glass "climate zone" at its front entrance, the Tjalk shopping center is a new asset to the commons in Lelystad, the Netherlands. The open space of the entryway provides a smooth transition from the street while expressing some history of the building as well. — Published 2005.0105
	POSTCARD FROM PIESTANY Dear ArchitectureWeek, Balneotherapy — therapeutic bathing in hot springs — has been attracting visitors to Piestany, Slovakia since the 17th century. Today, a treatment area and five hotels are situated on Spa Island in the River Váh, the source of the healing thermal waters and sulfuric mud. — Published 2004.1208
	POSTCARD FROM THE CYCLADES Dear ArchitectureWeek, Traveling in the Greek Isles often entails long trips on a ferry. Any tedium, however, in a journey through the Cyclades is amply offset by gorgeous views of passing islands, each dotted with tableaus of striking white, boxlike buildings. In port towns, these buildings generally stand out as individual cuboids with streets and alleys between them. — Published 2004.0915

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