An interesting topic came up at work today that I personally haven’t given much thought… masterpieces. Not arguably Sagrada Familia or the Pantheon, but our own. Some questions that came to mind…
What was your masterpiece, if you have one? Does it change to whatever your current favorite project is at the moment?
If you want to have one someday, what kind of project would you want it to be?
Or as someone argued today, is talking about masterpieces overrated or cliche now? Maybe we just need to consider whatever we’re working on as our most important work.
I think it's useful to consider the historical meaning of the term "masterpiece" - it is the piece done by a journeyman to earn the title "master." It should, therefore, represent the best work of a journeyman, but a master should continually strive to do better, to "push the envelope" of what can be done.
Masterpieces
An interesting topic came up at work today that I personally haven’t given much thought… masterpieces. Not arguably Sagrada Familia or the Pantheon, but our own. Some questions that came to mind…
What was your masterpiece, if you have one? Does it change to whatever your current favorite project is at the moment?
If you want to have one someday, what kind of project would you want it to be?
Or as someone argued today, is talking about masterpieces overrated or cliche now? Maybe we just need to consider whatever we’re working on as our most important work.
That last one… maybe not overrated or cliche, but more distracting, irrelevant.
We peaked at Sagrada. It's been a steady nose dive since.
Booo! I expect more from our maple syrup guzzling, brethren to the north.
Sorry, been bisy.
May I submit the only relevant thing to happen to architecture since sagrada... is Safdie' Habitat? Yes, yes I shall.
Le Corbusier has entered the chat.
...and promptly left.
YO YO YO! PJ in da [glass]hizzy!
As far as "complete thoughts" expressed architecturally, it's hard to beat this:
Or this:
I don't work for myself, so no masterpieces in that sense. I've done a few really good projects though.
I think even if I did work for myself I wouldn't considered anything I've done/will do as a masterpiece. I always see room for improvement.
I figured someone would say that. We tend to only see the mistakes in our work.
That's an interesting way to look at it. I don't have a single project where I wouldn't do things a bit differently if I could do them again.
I simply view all of my own work as ::meh:: and figure a more talented architect could do better.
My next project will be my masterpiece, I’ll get it right this time, right?
Steven Holl put Guy Fieri's hair on the Hamsun Museum, but it is still one of my favorite buildings
better his hair than his shirt.
The Natural History Museum (London) is a masterpiece of architecture.
Architecture a language and an art form.
1. Wall house 2 (poetics)
2. The first set of renderings (only) for the Obama library. (semantics)
3. House ll (syntax)
Only my opinion of course.
I think it's useful to consider the historical meaning of the term "masterpiece" - it is the piece done by a journeyman to earn the title "master." It should, therefore, represent the best work of a journeyman, but a master should continually strive to do better, to "push the envelope" of what can be done.
Huh, thanks for dropping that knowledge - never thought of the historical meaning, only how it is considered now.
Also clarifies for me what my "masterpiece" was - the project where I went from an apprentice to an architect.
Let me just point out how UN-WOKE the term "Master-pieces" is. Cancel it !!!
I assume this is supposed to be sarcastic/ funny but it isn't.
Naumkeag is a minor masterpiece, depending on one's taste.
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