100 Modern buildings

[Insight]

15. Adams College: This small, three-building university is located on an 18-acre park-like campus in the Mount Harvey section of the city. This location combines a suburban atmosphere with easy access to the benefits and resources of the metropolitan area.

Though a very small school, Adams College provides a wide variety of academic offerings such as: the School of Arts and Sciences, the Abrahms School of Education (once the heart and soul of the school's curriculum), the School of Management and Technology (the newest of the College's offerings), and the School of Social Work.

It is important to note that since Adams College has no dorms, all students and faculty live off-campus. Once upon a time, faculty and administrators did live on campus, but not since the administration dorms burned down in 1923.

When the College was established in 1864 as the Adams Normal School, its purpose was to provide teacher preparation to young people. With the dedication of the second building in 1889, the institution began a period of steady growth, evolving first into a teachers' college, the Adams College of Education. In the 1948-49 academic year the College received a substantial anonymous contribution, using these funds to add a third building, and in 1949 was renamed Adams College to reflect its new purpose as a more broad-based institution. With an enrollment predominantly from within the state (mostly students from within the city in fact), the institution while well-known locally, but is hardly known at all outside the city.

Adams College has undergone some expansion in recent years at both the undergraduate and the graduate levels. It now serves approximately 1,500 students in its courses and programs.

Adams College is one of the oldest private institutions of higher education in the state. Still in the hands of the family that founded the school, several Adams members sit on the board of trustees. For a private school, Adams College is very reasonably priced, and is a popular destination for students from the local area who either cannot get into larger state universities, or who are looking for a smaller, more intimate setting.

 

[Insight]

16. Priori Photo & Copy: This large, squat, square building sits in a strip mall at one of the busiest intersections in the city. Customers can be seen coming and going at most times of the day and night (it operates 24 hours a day). Priori caters both to corporate customers and the individual with its combination of photo development services, reproduction services, photo equipment sales, and copy/binding services. They are known for producing many banners seen at local sporting events - everything from little league baseball to the pro football team.

Matthew Priori, the proprietor, started his own business in 1975, working out of his own garage. He moved to the current location in 1981, and has refurbished the shop numerous times to keep up with changing architectural tastes.

There is a drive-thru for customers just dropping off or picking up orders, and a large main area inside where customers can make copies, buy photo equipment and film, and look through brochures describing the custom work Priori can perform. Behind the main desk is the production floor, which is visible to the public. There is a small photo development lab in the back (obviously not viewable from outside), but a lot of the bulk orders are sent off to be developed off-site due to space constraints.

17. Fountain Park Carousel: This antique carousel is located within Fountain Park, a quaint remnant of the old city, smack dab in the middle of the busy downtown district. Fountain Park's most frequent visitors during the week are dog walkers and the elderly, though on the weekends, people of all walks of life are seen there.

The Fountain Park Carousel is a restored 1880s era merry-go-round that was found abandoned in a nearby city. A special project funded by the City Development Corporation in the 1960s restored the carousel to its former glory, and it has been in use ever since.

The city recreation department keeps a close watch on the old carousel due to its age, and also the fact that it has more than once been the target of vandalism.

The carousel is housed within a reconfigured barn near the center of Fountain Park, with four entrances. A ticket taker booth (old style of course) is located directly in front of the carousel itself. Inside the barn are also video games and a small concessions booth, as well as a pair of restrooms. There are phones and vending machines in a side area near the restrooms.

 

[Insight]

18. Universal Gym: This large, impressive structure resembles a warehouse in its size, measuring half a city block on each of its four sides. A huge logo sits atop the building, facing the nearby freeway, advertising to all "Fitness for the Universe!"

Inside the building is equally impressive. A huge concierge desk and customer service area checks in customers (there is a separate entrance and mini-facility for VIPs), distributes towels and locker keys to members, and sells day passes to non-members. Beyond the entry is a coffee bar and juice stand, and athletic equipment shop, and of course, the workout facilities beyond.

Across from the restrooms and locker area is an Olympic sized pool with adjacent whirlpools (there are also whirlpools inside the men and ladies' locker rooms). A kiddie pool, complete with large, winding slide, is found just beyond the main swimming pool. Next to the pool area is a large basketball court, with a batting cage and golf swing area (it uses a virtual reality simulation of actual golf courses throughout the world) located within the same area.

Racketball courts are located just beneath the second-floor equipment area, which covers nearly all of the top floor of the gym. There are, of course, workout machines of all types and varieties. In promo materials, Universal Gym boasts the largest selection of workout machines in the universe - a claim that could hardly be denied!

Next to the large parking lot is the outdoor walking track, which is open to the public. There are also restroom and water fountain facilities found inside the walking track.

 

[Bretbo]

19. ZAP! Arcade

A hold-over from the 1980's, ZAP! Arcade is the last hold out from when Video Game Arcades were found all over the city. A dark and dingy place tucked in a small side street; the large space looks like it hasn't been vacuumed since the 80's. But a loyal and devout group of customers continue to visit one of the last refugees of decent Video Game action.

ZAP! hosts over forty games, ranging from old favorites (Pac Man, Galaga, Space Invaders) to more recent games like Mortal Combat; and they even have a few Virtual Reality style games. Amazingly, they seem to have new games coming in all the time.

Owned and operated by "Big Jim" Kazinsky, the arcade has become the local hang out for the young and the young at heart. Unfortunately, local drug dealers have found the location to be idea for pedaling their merchandise; which has brought a bad element to the location. The police have made a few visits, much to the annoyance of Big Jim, who sees all the attention as bad for business. Or maybe there is another reason he doesn't want the police nosing around!

 

[Justin D. Jacobson]

20. Mocha-a-Go-Go

This small, hip coffee shop, ahem, cafe is the lovechild of Hyde Felson. A recent graduate of the local university, his parents wanted him to be a lawyer, but he just never caught the bug. Now, he runs the "Mocha" and is happy, even if the 'rents are helping him pay off the student loans. The front of the cafe runs 30 feet long and 20 feet wide. There's a little more space in the back, outiftted with an oven and some other food prep equipment. The front is marked by a long glass case with an assortment of croissants, cookies, and other baked goods. Behind the counter, Hyde's got twelve separate brews going at any given time. He's proud to serve up 57 different bean varieties during the course of the month from every corner of the globe. There are four other tables, each well worn, students scrawling their names and graduating classes as something of a tradition. In the back of the common area, a small bookcase contains a selection of pretentious classics, Hyde's back issues of Wired, and a few games. Right now, Hyde's got Fountains of Wayne playing on the stereo.

Hyde's most proud of his recent addition, a wi-fi hot spot. He's got a lap top available for the regulars. Of course, he's totally oblivious that a terrorist is co-opting some of the patrons' cyberspace for communicating with his other cell members...

 

[Insight]

21. Taipei Curio Shop: Run by an elderly couple from Taiwan, this antique shop is a popular stop on the famous Antique Row located just east of downtown. Chang-Shu ("Charlie") Mo and his wife Ing ("Agnes") have run the Taipei Curio Shop for 27 years in this small converted Victorian-era brothel. The Curio Shop was one of the first such shops in the city, and it is widely considered one of the founders of Antique Row itself.

Inside the shop are found many curiosities from the East - china dolls, teak statuettes, buddha trinkets, and all that you might expect. But there is more, if you look closely enough. In fact, almost anything might be found in the Curio Shop if enough time is spent in the search. A clever GM in a campaign with magic might allow PCs to find magic items in the Curio Shop, or perhaps ingredients for spells.

Charlie Mo is very knowledgeable on Eastern art, and Oriental mysticism, and is a big supporter of Taiwanese independence from mainland China. Mo and his wife fled Taiwan in the 1970s, but they still have a lot of ties to their homeland.

 

[Romnipotent]

I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts

22. South Richmond Market.
This out of place block of brick sits among terrace apartments and has a light rail running along its rear. Roof parking is available. Open 7 days a week from 9am till 5pm (some stores open late till 8pm) the market has a wide range of stores. Encompassing an entire block the place is a great supply of produce for locals. Pet supplies, computer equipment, collectable trading cards, clothes, chocolates, small hardware (screws, bits&pieces), gardening, manchester, habidashery, and kitchen tools. The market is often busiest on Sundays.
The market is split up by a central pathway with 6 other columns from end to end. The deli and meat areas run perpendicular to the main area. Many traders have under-the-counter merchandise like illegal CD's and DVD's. Of special note is that this place is also an Anarchists Cookbook pantry. Theres so many stores that one can spend 10 minutes getting everything they need to make a rudamentry pipebomb. Security has recently been increased with cameras but it is still lacking.
This is one of the few places one can still get a toy dog that flips, made in Taiwan 10 years ago.
Back alleyways are often filled with old vans, most traders wont notice you taking it, but watch out for the camera.

23. Trade `n` Take. Thick metal bars cover the front window, behind sit older models of camcorders, phones, DVD players and the like. A sign above the door shows the proprietor as being the one David Newburg. All things bought, jewelry, collectables, entertainment technology. Inside are multiple glass display cabinets, all categorised. A couple large box like video camera sits in the front and back of the store. The place smells like musk, a slight dusty place. Those with heightened allergies generally get a aggitated feeling here. Fluerescent lighting keeps this place lit, and small cathodes light up the cabinets.
David and his wife Patricia operate the store, and have for 34 years. Odd collectables like an original Queen Elizabeth II innaugral dinner plate, or the skin of a baseball hit for a home run into the hudson river. A small selection of hunting knives and equipment is available behind the counter, but none are kept on display. Depending on local laws David also has a tiny collection of fuctional, collectable, and decorative firearms. All firearms are recorded and no illegal purchases can be made. He will however take your number for $200 and hand it to someone. His long time friend has a contact who can supply you with almost anything (see 23).

24. The Truck (Danger Mouses Moving Drivers). You've ordered something special from someone, chances are you'll meet with Gerald, fat hairy man, smells bad, talks with a slur. Problem is this locale is mobile, but warrants a description. This lorry/light truck has a multi compartment section, near the front is a small refridgerated area, for transporting things needing moisture. Gerald, while un-eloquant is very adept with a engine. The fridge compartment itself goes from -10C to 5C with a misting ability, good for transporting certain plants, heavy UV lights are installed behind a sliding panel. The back section of the truck has a ridged bed, riveted to the frame. In reality this floor has a fairly deep pocket 10ft long by 2 ft wide an 9 inches deep. Inside this compartment is mostly foam, and weaponry. Gerald has throughout the years kept this empty unless making a delivery. The truck is shielded with a lead/polymer sheeting to keep snoops from finding the compartments. The Cab is fairly standard, but has 3 radios, scanners, and such. Most people meet The Truck down a back alleyway in an abandoned area.

25. Oceans View, Bed and Breakfast. A small blue and white sign hangs by the road, next to it a steep well laid driveway. after a short incline the house appears. a large 3 car garage, doors often closed sits just the the right, and to the left a half submerged pool. Right in front, what looks like a house, with 3 seperate room extensions, with sliding doors, steps, and curtains. To the left is a similar 'Oceans View, Office sign' and a "Welcome" mat.
Inside the office is a slightly raised counter, quite thin, and behind a large window with an unobstructed view of the bay/river/appropriate water body. The office is small, quant.
An archway leads to a communal area, lounges and a small kitchen. Adjoining room doors and a few others with "Private Area." to the right a single step mezanene floor has a dining area. Breakfast is served from 8 am till 9:30.
Each room has a double bed and a single with 2 bedside tables. The carpet is a yellow and gold shagpile, the lamps, bedframes and decor all very late 70's. However the mattresses are, and as assured, are new. Ear plugs are available for purchase in the office.
Simon and Fionna Appleby live and run this place. The couple is extremely friendly and supplies all sorts of wonderful information on the area. Simon has a cold smoke hut, which he uses to smoke fish with tea tree bark and chips. If staying a prolonged time he will offer to take you fishing and smoke your fish for you, at a fee.
An extremely well kept garden, and the views has kept this place as a number one place to stay in the quant wqaterside village an hour from town.

26. The Continental. This run down red brick hotel sits in the less reputable side of town. This hold over from then 50's still holds many of the old light fitting, reception and bar area, and many of the rooms still feel new. Purchased in 1984 by widow Beatrice Dudly, and left to her son Marcus in 1987; the place had become run down. A lucky lotto ticket gave Marcus enough to refurbish the place a little, but given the suburbs degrading social 'appeal' he opted to just rent rooms out by the hour. Vibrating beds and 2 inter hotel channels of solid adult material means this place is great for getting away to. 47 John Smiths book in each week, and he still accepts cash. Marcus keeps officials away by stating its not a hotel anymore and a shared living area. The police in the area have found the place to be more honest than any other place like it in the area. Marcus doesn't allow prostitution through the front door but if a guest lets one in through the fire exit he knows nothing about it. In the last 2 years Marcus has had only one murder in the place.
Each room has an en suite, most of them work. There are rooms to a floor and 5 floors. The elevator has a good service record but has been boarded up and has a weight limit of 900 lbs.
The 2nd level hallway has a damp smell.

27. Chimera. Chimera is a cult collectables shop. A basement store with multiple sections, and large, 80ft by 250ft long. Entrance is by a sloped travelator down, at the end the beginning of the video section. The main selections here are cult B grade films, anime, nostalgic series never to be shown on TV again, and popular shows like Transformers. After these are books on the right, and toys on the left. Hellboy, Evangelion and Doctor Who are just some of the things adorning the toys. The books on the other hand cover almost any form of science fiction, fiction, or movie related. Artist based books like Giger are available as well. Up the back sits a comic book emporium like no other. Almost any title available is here, or can be ordered. A large back room houses rarer materials, some not permitted for general display by council laws, and others that have been put on layby or hold. Overall this place is filled with nerds, and the prices are a little higher than normal, but for a drop spot for information it can be a gem. Video security and alarm gates are thick here though.

All work is copyright of Romney Tate, 2005. Permission is granted for above material to be reproduced in print and electronic format under the "d100 Modern Buildings project" or whatever the intended project is to be published as. The author reserves the right to reproduce this work in any format.

more in the brain

 

[C. Baize]

28: The Brass Unicorn. This small occult shop has everything the aspiring mystic could need. Herbs, incense, resins, wands, crystals, Runes, burners, clothing, I-Ching, books, Tarot, software, bumper stickers, Goji juice, and much much more can be found by the seeker within these walls. Originally a relatively small shop, the shop keeper (whom everyone knows simply as Akonyte) expanded into the vacant store next to his and hasn't completely torn down the wall, yet. The expanded section is accessible via an open doorway midway between the front of the store, and the back.
Upon entering the shop, the first thing that you notice is the very pleasant aroma of 30 years worth of combined incense smoke infused into the very walls, books, and certainly the drapery, and assorted cloths, scarves, and ritual garb in various areas around the store.
The customer area of the store is 40' wide by 75' deep at the front, with 20' wide by 40' deep at the back of the store set aside for the occasional lecturers, motivational speakers, and other knowledgable guests who come in to give semi-private lessons for the store's customers. The area is kept set up for lectures, except when a Yoga or Bellydancing class is being conducted; during which time the rows of chairs, the product table, and the podium are removed to create space for the sessions.
The employee area is accessed through a door at the back of one of the side walls, and is relatively spacious, when it is not filled with boxes of merchandise.
Akonyte keeps 8 people employed at the Brass Unicorn. Most are seekers, themselves, and most are fairly knowledgable about the general consensus of opinions concerning which books are thought of as reputable and which are more questionable (though none of them will try to talk you out of purchasing anything).

29: Duly Noted. A deceptively successful musical instrument shop, this store has been in business for over 20 years, and sells everything from bagpipes, to Gibson guitars, to hand made Brazilian maracas, and sheet music of every description.
Not only selling, they also service any instrument you bring in, and will custom modify to your specifications an instrument you bring to them ... all for a price, of course.
The owner of the store, James Archer (the son of the store's original owner), is the Jack of all instruments but master of none. He can tune instruments, and play them well enough by rote to make certain they're in proper working condition, but admits that he's no musician, regardless of his ambitions.
The store is rather small, being only 35' wide and 60' deep, with a service (and employee) area where they work on instruments, and a cash register area taking up a portion of the store. Sample instruments are held along the walls, and in 2 aisles, with the more expensive and/or obscure or difficult to obtain instruments chained to the wall.

30: Schaddo's Cutlery. This brightly lit store smells faintly of oils, leather, and steel (to the trained nose), and houses blades of every description. Available for purchase at this location are kitchen knives, hurlbats, Bowie knives, swords, hatchets, and everything else with a blade that is technically legal for them to sell to you.
This store is relatively large; 65' to a side, with glass cases 5' away from the walls (the employees move about behind the cases), and throughout the store. The only place knives are not kept under glass is behind the cases on the walls, where they are essentially out of reach of customers. There are three employees in the store at any time, 2 of whom are armed with concealed firearms. Which 2 are armed changes daily, and your guess could mean your life if you wish to take a chance. The glass cases are opened with a key, and all are equipped with alarms to alert the staff of broken cases. In the instance of a case alarm being triggered, the 2 armed employees will use their best tactical skills to attempt to intimidate and subdue the would be thieves by flanking them if possible, while the unarmed employee will depress the panic button which locks the thick shatter resistant safety glass front doors down with electronic locks and an automatic grate that covers the entire front of the store, while alerting local law enforcement officials of an attempted robbery in progress.

 

[wedgeski]

26. Public Records Office. This labyrinthine Victorian structure shows every one of the 150 years of entropy it has suffered. It has a bland and uninviting facade, leaning drunkenly over the corner of the high street. Small flakes of paint and dilapidated render occasionally rain down onto the pavement below. All of the front-facing windows are perpetually shuttered, but a pair of massive, featureless wooden doors stand open a crack - just a crack - during office hours, leaking shadows onto the pavement.

Upon entering this dusty place you are immediately confused by the multiple changes of direction needed to even find the reception. Square patches on the wall which are a paler shade of grey than the rest of the plaster may have once born signs to help newcomers find their way, but no more. 72 year-old Margaret Lempetter may or may not be waiting for you behind the frosted glass, and if you're very lucky she'll give you exactly half of the directions you need to find the office or store-room you're looking for before you get lost in the maze of corridors.

The employees seem to wander in a perpetual trance, always carrying the same beige document folders, always going between the same two points. They are as grey as the flaking paint on the walls, and there is no banter or greeting when they cross paths. Bookshelves line the walls, their contents caked in dust. Perhaps one book or box per shelf exhibits trails in the dust which show signs of recent use. Small waiting rooms, strewn about the building, offer ripped leather couches to sit on. They look about as old as the receptionist.

The offices are all huge and vastly oversized for the one or two people that work in them, with windows that never look on anything more picturesque than a brick wall two feet outside or the filthy roof of a neighbouring building. Old computers sit on massive desks, calendars that always seem to show the wrong month are nailed to the wall. The person helping you doesn't introduce herself. Your questions are greeted with an unconvincing attempt to find the information you're looking for on the computer, followed by a half-hour wait as she ventures alone into the wilderness of corridors with only a pen to defend herself.

You leave convinced that you got what you needed and glad to be out of the place, but the information you get is never complete, and you know you'll have to go back in there. Perhaps somewhere under those six floors of thin, scratchy carpet, beyond the oversized offices and the glassy-eyed employees, there is a vast basement with walls built of paper and cardboard. Perhaps there, if you can defend yourself against whatever sightless beasts make it their home, and if you don't lose your way, you'll find what you need...

 

[thedangerranger]

32. River's Edge Paper Mill (Abandoned)
Off on the edge of town, next to the river, is a huge warehouse.

Sandwitched between the railroad tracks and the river this enormous structure now sits abandoned and abused. A large scaffold built on top of the structure holds a sign that matches the fading words on the side; "River's Edge Paper Co. EST 1899".

The long side of the rectangular mill building facing the railroad tracks has 3 large double doors, each overhung with an archaic and heavy duty metal track. The rusted steel rails jut out 2 feet from the top of the double-doors 8 foot height. These tracks were obviously used to offload supplies from trains that would pull alongside the mill. The doors themselves are a mess of grafitti and rust-stains. Thick chains bound by rust encrusted locks serve to seal these doors shut.

The river side of the mill sits opposite the railroad side. A large waterwheel extends into the river, no longer turning because of a rusty axle and years of neglect. Towards one corner of the wood and sheet-metal building the construction turns to brick and actually dips out into the river. This brick part of the building extends up above the rest of the roof, growing into a 120ft tall thick, brick chimney, and across the back of the mill.

Directly across the river from the brick portion of Rivers Edge sits another brick smokestack attached to a small brick shack. This smokestack rises 80ft and has the paper mill's logo fading on it heights. A portion of one of the walls has collapsed, and the stale smell of urine and alcohol waft from its interior.

The front side of the mill building has 2 doors. One of them is a huge hangar-door style portal, the other a simple wooden door. The hangar-doors are chained in a similiar way to the railroad doors, though with a newer lock. The "small" wooden door, had a single glass window, now boarded over. It is locked and deadbolted.

The interior of the mill reeks of long used chemicals, and the floor is covered with animal droppings and other detritus. The metal tracks above the railroad facing doors blossoms into a full system of rails that occupies much of the roof. Huge metal machines sit abandoned, spaced at intervals only the factories foreman could understand. A single stairway sits in the middle of the river-side of the interior, climbing a half-flight to an office that looks out over the floor. A single locked, iron door sits in the back corner where the brick part of the structure lies.

The inside of the mill holds an atmosphere of corruption and decay, but that's just the chemicals...right?