Cobble Stone Pavement Patterns

Highly skilled masonry was evident all over the Sao Miguel, from paddock walls to old industrial buildings.  The streets and sidewalks in Ponta Delgada had individual signature patterns made with highly contrasting black and white cobble stones.  The black stone is basalt - local volcanic rock, but I don't know what the white coloured stone is.

There was an interesting tapered plaza at the City Hall with a statue of St. Michael the archangel.  He appeared to be holding an umbrella rather than a sword, but maybe that's just because it was threatening rain that morning.

As a variation  on the black and white, I noticed that the shallow water of the fountain made the white stones appear a blue.

Mediating Angles - A Church Plaza

It's probably not a surprise , when looking at the what and the way I draw to learn that I am a  landscape architect and urban designer.

I continue to be interested in public places and always find lessons in the town and church squares of the old world.

Here, in Ponta Delgada,  I noticed how the three flights of stairs mediated the angle of the church to the street.  The other subtle detail, which I should have done and enlargement about, was how the diamond pattern pavers served as a warning at the top steps.

Such are the things I ponder.