as long as i don't think about any real projects, i'm with him. when he mentioned the vsba project at university of kentucky, though, he lost me. it's a dog - no rationalization of it's ordinariness can save it.
"Pruning of unnecessary architectural artistry"...
versus
"It unapologetically retasks the machinery of building into architecture."
I think the Lutyens and Borromini were more concerned with the former. Sure their buildings are good - but I wouldn't say they're great.
"There are sparks that leap across the synapses of generations and categories."
What does that mean? Does meaning in architecture come from some intellectualized statement? I think it comes more from simple experiences - a reality that is very tangible. I don't think VSB's work is fresh at all because I think one has to go futher than complexity and contradiction to make buildings relate to their immediate surroundings and exude feeling and I just don't feel anything when I'm in one of their buildings.
Agreed Steven - though I don't know the UK building, my experience of VSBA's buildings has been that they are so over-intellectualized that they become empty of joy AND meaning. In other words, they are boring.
That being said, I do believe they are a totally unique voice in the world of architecture - I just think you can't appreciate their buidlings unless you read about them first. And even then, you're appreciating the idea of the building more than the physical object. Which could be the case with many starchitects' work.
Certainly there is plenty of fun to be found in their work - the Nikko project in Japan, and I love the smashed-together columns at the Sainsbury wing - but generally nice moments in them are more on the order of happy accidents - like a pretty cladding color that reflects the winter sun - than intentional efforts. But the buildings are think-ey, for sure!
May 25, 06 11:39 pm ·
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as long as i don't think about any real projects, i'm with him. when he mentioned the vsba project at university of kentucky, though, he lost me. it's a dog - no rationalization of it's ordinariness can save it.
"Pruning of unnecessary architectural artistry"...
versus
"It unapologetically retasks the machinery of building into architecture."
I think the Lutyens and Borromini were more concerned with the former. Sure their buildings are good - but I wouldn't say they're great.
"There are sparks that leap across the synapses of generations and categories."
What does that mean? Does meaning in architecture come from some intellectualized statement? I think it comes more from simple experiences - a reality that is very tangible. I don't think VSB's work is fresh at all because I think one has to go futher than complexity and contradiction to make buildings relate to their immediate surroundings and exude feeling and I just don't feel anything when I'm in one of their buildings.
Agreed Steven - though I don't know the UK building, my experience of VSBA's buildings has been that they are so over-intellectualized that they become empty of joy AND meaning. In other words, they are boring.
That being said, I do believe they are a totally unique voice in the world of architecture - I just think you can't appreciate their buidlings unless you read about them first. And even then, you're appreciating the idea of the building more than the physical object. Which could be the case with many starchitects' work.
Certainly there is plenty of fun to be found in their work - the Nikko project in Japan, and I love the smashed-together columns at the Sainsbury wing - but generally nice moments in them are more on the order of happy accidents - like a pretty cladding color that reflects the winter sun - than intentional efforts. But the buildings are think-ey, for sure!
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