Most if not all my audio recordings for trek 01 were done in the pouring rain. This kind of atmosphere was extremely interesting to me and added a rich, consistent texture to my audio. Since our trek 02 assignment was supposed to be inspired from the content and location of our recorded audio, I needed to deliver the goods with the weather in order to make credible video recordings. I designed my strategies around my locations and watched the 5-day forecast closely for rain. As soon as nature’s opportunity arose, I headed out on my trek 02 shoot.
The beach was the first visited and most interesting location on trek 02. I strolled along Lincoln Memorial drive being battered by the rain until I came across that familiar building featured in my footage. I wasn’t sure what to make of it at first, as I had no immediate understanding for its purpose or function. Its architecture was rounded off on one side and had an elevated walkway attached to the other end to cross over Lincoln Memorial safely. The concrete and cement walls were damaged by excessive levels of moisture, most likely from being close to Lake Michigan. Every inch was either cracked or rusting and I was immediately attracted to this decaying attribute. I walked around the perimeter first to get an exterior perspective before entering closer. I remember when shooting lots of guardrails, for a moment the building reminded me of an abandoned war bunker.
I made my way onto the actual grounds of the building and observed that there were two levels with a set of outdoor stairs leading to the upper level. I decided to first focus on the current level I was on and then proceed to the upper afterward. I focused on the rare aspects of this level, featuring rusting water fountains and broken plexiglass windows.
Under closer inspection of the upper level, I found various forms of graffiti. Written on a support pole, one graffiti writing was a fact concerning the war in Iraq and it’s complete death toll in 2005. Another referenced an online film I’ve seen by chance entitled “Loose Change” which describes possible conspiracies behind the 9/11 attacks. Another spray contrasted the expenses of one year in a boarding school to the cost of one year of collage at Yale. This made me feel as though the kids that came to hang out in this desolate place came to get away from these horrible facts; to be outside and in solitude with the provided shelter of this mysterious building. The upper level’s roof was severally corroded by water yet provided beautiful reflections of the surrounding guardrails that shimmied with the falling raindrops, also featured in my footage.
I’d like to know what this building’s designed use was. Could it be for coastguards or beach patrol? If it isn’t in use, what kinds of people come to it now?
