Alexandria

During the period of its greatest prosperity, Alexandria, Egypt, on the Mediterranean coast, was a cosmopolitan center of commerce and scholarship. The city was founded by Alexander the Great, who was a pupil of Aristotle, proponent of free expression of ideas. The great pyramids were already thousands of years old when the geometry of Euclid brought further intellectual recognition to Alexandria.

This commissioned work was inspired by and named for the progressive spirit of this ancient city. An original design by Mark Turpin, it incorporates geometry and free expression in an international style, three-story house with seven rooms. The exterior is cloaked in limestone like the pyramids. Mark hand-painted the faux stone finishes. Unlike the pyramids, this narrow entry leads through the center of the house to reveal a tall, narrow great room with soaring glass walls and ceilings. Three glass pyramids crown the house, a tribute to the master builders of ancient Egypt. Stability and permanence are juxtaposed with bright, airy spaces in an unexpected sculpture called Alexandria.

Constructed of birch plywood, poplar, basswood and acrylic. Dimensions: 25" square base, 39" high; 1:12 scale. Sold.

Alexandria was featured in Dollhouse Miniatures magazine in September 2001.

Click on the thumbnail views below to enlarge the photos and start the slideshow.