Paul Broste museum / Flintstone architecture

Parshall, North Dakota, États-Unis (USA).

The Paul Broste Rock Museum is a beetling hulk of roughhewn black boulders, pleasing in its bulkiness, and a vivid example of not knowing when to stop. Its roof is spiky with ornamental crenellations not found in any design textbook, made of uncut granite fieldstone held together with cement. Architecturally akin to a 19th century prison, the structure must weigh hundreds of tons. Its windows are narrow and tall, topped by pointed arches, with iron bars crisscrossing the openings to ensure that no one can enter (or escape?) without permission. A wide, overdramatic staircase sweeps out from its front door like a spreading oil slick, incorporating entirely too many steps to ascend a very negligible height. With walls over a foot thick, Mr. Broste made sure that his collection would be well protected