In the last few years, DC has become a maze of security barriers and one-way streets, a dramatic change from our childhood in the city. Most of the bollards we see around town are unattractive concrete barriers that do nothing to enhance curb appeal. Though some neighborhoods have more attractive metal bollards to better blend into the scenery, we have yet to see any that we like better than the ones we found in Prague...
Lined up like soldiers along the street, the "faces" on each are just slightly different. Though the blue color might not work around DC, we would love to see something similar in a darker metal finish standing sentinel on our city streets. We have reluctantly accepted that the bollards are here to stay, but we refuse to accept the innate ugliness so often found in these security additions.
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
I like these too - Perhaps DC could come up w/ something like this where the "sentrys" resemble Revolutionary Soldiers?
view bepsf's profile
Love them! I agree with bepsf that Rev soldiers would be a great homage to our history.
view madampince's profile
I'm thinking rotund self-satisfied smirking cats might be more apropos.
view Annieo's profile
My favorite bollards ever are the dragons on Florida State University's campus. There are about four different dragons, some in various states of decapitation, but they're so unexpected, especially for a campus whose mascot is a Seminole Indian, not an Eastern mythical creature.
view oscurotrophic's profile
That's Prague for you, beautiful decoration everywhere on the most ordinary objects & surfaces. Look at the famous black & white pavements directly behind these bollards. I recall some lovely manhole covers as well.
view Charlotte's profile
In Helsinki they use giant painted concrete turtles: http://akinoluna.blogspot.com/2008/05/turtles.html
view Akino luna's profile
...are you kidding? These are hideous. :(
view RQinGeorgia's profile