Yesterday, during a press conference at the Waldorf Astoria, Chinese architect Ma Yansong of MAD Architects unveiled his design concept for the future Lucas Museum of Narrative Arts and told reporters that his concept — a seven-story, dome-like structure that gently slopes towards a halo-like observation deck — represents a "new type of architecture." That may be an understatement. — chicago.curbed.com
Learn more about the design in the Museum's announcement.
19 Comments
Space Mountain:
Place Space Mountain into microwave, and cook for 45 seconds on "hack" setting. Spiky points will soften to more blobular shapes. Remove from oven, photograph, and enter into design competition. Wait for "journalists" to gape, gawk, and uncritically praise. Repeat... over and over.
Chicago can thank Ed Lee, Mayor of San Francisco for this one
this site has always been a leftover space, close to the city but cut off by train tracks, Lake Shore Drive and the convention center. It's along the lake shore bike path but not close to any access point, so for most people the only route here is driving from LSD. This whole strip of shore south of Grant Park is kind of a park outside the city - the no-man's-land between Chicago's south side and the lake. It really isn't somewhere where an urbanistic planning approach can work; and it's not a program that relates to the city at all anyway.
I'm somewhat intrigued by the design - it makes sense as an autonomous object in this mixed-up space between a convention center and a stadium. As long as Jeannie finds a way to keep (or improve) the beloved sledding hill this could work well.
Its beautiful
From a Chicago resident: "Careful what you wish for. I'm missing that parking lot already."
The design looks very promising. I don't understand all the negativity.
I'm very pleased the slope will be "precisely cut stone" not metal panels. This looks pretty good to me, as long as that remains true. Has MAD been known for high quality construction previously?
Once again the debate is over aesthetics, without even the slightest discussion of the really important issues.
Among those issues is do we really need a Star Wars museum?
Oh, look, it's Yoda!
It goes without saying no further museums are necessary. But that was a discussion for Messrs. Lucas and Emanuel, and they decided we do need one. He who has the force makes the decisions.
It's better than getting the Olympics, anyway.
I'm sure MAD will get this through DD and then dump it on a local Chicago architect to make it tolerate gravity.
And no, MAD is not known for great detailing. Also, their pretty pictures are done by this firm..http://www.crystalcg.com/EN/index.aspx
LITS, you are wrong, Crystal CG has gone down the shitter. Pretty sure MAD does their rendering in-house
I hope you are right...they're the Foxconn of architecture. If you've toured their space then you know what I'm taking about.
Midlander and Miles,
Since when has building a museum become a bad thing? I'm hearing a lot of reactionary griping without much context. Is this griping just an extension for the usual anti-starchitect anti-strange-looking anti-big anti-ego rhetoric we keep seeing on this and other architecture sites?
According the museums website (http://www.lucasmuseum.org):
"The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art will be a gathering place to experience narrative art and the evolution of moving images – from illustration to cinema to the digital mediums of the future."
That doesn't sound like a Star Wars museum to me. Is film not a worthy medium for a museum?
".they're the Foxconn of architecture" - Crystal CG or MAD?
Davvid, I was being a bit facetious with that remark, as it's been a trend in the last 15 years to propose new museums in fancy buildings with little real content or relevance to their locations. In this case Lucas actually does seem to have an interesting program and clear vision for this. I'd kind of look at his vision as the anti-Moma, which isn't a bad thing for cultural insights.
What I don't like is the sense that he was shopping around for a city willing to give him freebies and a bit of spectacle instead of setting up an institution first and letting it grow. This seems like something that should be associated with a school of film or the arts, as it has something of a pedagogical focus and would associate well with academic research.
Obviously Chicago has these resources, but it doesn't sound like the discussion was focused on connecting to them so much as finding a showpiece site. Which this is.
My concern is that this process comes off as Lucas looking to set up a tourist attraction rather than a cultural institution. If he manages to do the latter it would be a worthwhile counterpoint to the prevalent paradigm of contemporary arts museums, which tend to ignore narrative in favor of social critique and symbolism. Narrative is an under-appreciated aspect of popular culture and high art today.
I don't dislike MAD's design or work in general - but Ma doesn't seem like the best choice for this kind of museum either. The museums he's done in China are the epitome of empty tourist attractions. They're a cliche for this type but Williams + Tsien would be perfect for a museum focused on narrative, as it really is the basic concept they use in structuring architectural space. I think it's a missed opportunity for a museum being built to such a specific program not to find an architect who appreciates that.
I though George Lucas was a cultural institution.
Crystal CG is the foxconn of architecture. MAD works some crazy hours but nothing out of the ordinary for China. Crystal is/was rows and rows of over-worked recent grads rendering 24/7 in a room with no overhead lighting or windows.
Yes, Crystal (and bunch of others) are the Foxconn of China. But case in point, even Apple uses Foxconn.
Midlander, TWBTA would be a good choice, but their museum (with their philosophy of archtiecture) would be outdated even before opening.
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