Sometimes I’m surprised at what interests me.  With my camera in my hand, I find myself drawn to shapes and angles, light and shadows, things that shine and things that crumble, the cute and the hideous…  Contradictions make for interesting photographs.

I mentioned earlier this week that I had gone exploring in the Los Angeles area on Monday with my son.  We headed into the hills in search of the Ennis House, a residence designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.  This house is made of “textile blocks”–intricate patterns pressed into the concrete.  The concrete has deteriorated over time (it was built in 1924), putting the building in danger.   Since being purchased a few years ago by billionaire Ron Burkle, it is now being restored to its original state.

This is a huge place and has a history of being used by the film industry as a setting for movies, Blade Runner is one example.  I can only imagine what the view must be from the interior of the house from its perch on the side of the hill above downtown Los Angeles.

In our climb up to the house, we noticed other interesting architecture in the neighborhood. After parking and walking around, we examined the interesting collection of eclectic design built into the hillside.

This one that juts out at an angle also sports an interesting screen along the bottom.

The one right next door seemed to built on stilts, lifting the living quarters up high enough to catch the view below.

If you asked me last week if I was interested in architecture, I might have said no.  But after my day exploring through photography, I found myself looking up information about the Ennis House and interested in finding out more about other architectural styles.

This happens in my classroom too.  Once students engage in learning about something…especially in an active, student-centered way, their interest is piqued and they can’t wait to learn more.  They seem to notice the new information everywhere and make connections well beyond the classroom walls.

What new interests have you found recently?  What inspires your learning?