From Esther McCoy's 1981 memorial to Konrad Wachsmann:
"Finally all internees who wanted to, were permitted to join the French army. Konrad did. They heard then about the Dunkirk disaster. When Konrad’s regiment crossed the Loire River, the Germans were already in Marseilles. They had destroyed the Pont Transbordeur, which bridged the inner harbor entrance to Marseilles.
Ten years later Konrad sat one day in a restaurant in New York with Le Corbusier. Konrad said, "He asked me what I thought was the most beautiful structure in this century."
"I hope, " Konrad said, "you are not expecting me to say the Villa Savoye.”
“No, no, " Corb replied.
Konrad then proposed that each write the name of the structure and compare them. They had both written Pont Transbordeur..."
Cover photo and quote via Susan Morgan
18 Comments
I heard this story when Wachsmann: spoke at SCI-Arc. The purpose of his visit was a slide lecture on the new architecture in Europe. But his slides got lost and all we , as students, were left with is his introduction and this Corbu story.
My friend, screenwriter Malvin Wald wrote a script on the life of Albert Einstein, Wachsmann:was Einstein's architect and I researched photographs of the Wachsmann designed house, a pre-fab log-cabin like residence. Wachsmann ws very interested in pre-fabrication of housing. Marcel Marceau (yes, the Mime!) was to play Einstein, his first and only speaking role. The film was never made.
When Wachsmann died I attended his eulogy at USC. I wrote an obit on him 'Konrad Wachsmann's Mandala' which i based on a drawing from his book The Turning Point of Building. It was one of those Escher-like images of infinetly receeding grids, which I thought was appropriate for the mans legacy.
eric chavkin
Eric, if you find it, I'd love to read it again. I vaguely remember it back then as a good piece. Was it 1979 or something?
LA Architect , c 1979 but I havent seen it in years. Someold box perhaps.
I TA'd for Crombie Taylor in the early '80s. He did his very best to beat keep Wachsmann's work and reputation alive, for years. He was a nut, but sincere and very knowledgeable. He also got me to go look at Village Green (Baldwin Hills Village) for the first time.
is this it?
That's a beautiful construction on so many levels.
Original Steampunk! Thanks for sharing.
I like the fact it is a section of the street, just the section, being moved across the river
great post Orhan
yeah Miles, legit Steampunk....I was on Water Street (NYC) a few weeks ago at the end by the bridge, it felt really isolated by the way, a weird downtown feel to it...
more images on this structure, never heard of it, thanks Orhan, learn something everyday!
Chris, did you go by Seven Hanover Square? My old man's first high rise and one hell of an education for us. I can't remember having so much fun, knee deep in trace. Too bad the building didn't come out better. Live and learn!
not this time... Miles I am not certain, but I know my former Life Insurance guy was on Hanover square and that building looks very familiar to me. I remember going under a huge building, passing a recessed storefront with kitchen cabinets on display, then into a lobby and up on the elevators...my guy was actually coming in from Cherry Hill, NJ near Philly, don't know why...
Would love to see the Trace!
given how my brain works (hamptons, 80's, Jaffe...) you just reminded me of a story Alfredo De Vido told me about one of his first or only high-rise he worked on in NYC - The Royale (188 E 64th)....I may be wrong, but as I remember it -
He had specified a blue brick for some accent or trim like integration. He showed up on site and noticed the entire entrance wall to the garage was all blue brick. The contractor said the owner didn't like it at all and he had already ordered all the brick and couldn't return it, so it became a wall to the garage. NYC is complicated all the time....
Never saw this structure before. Wonderful. One thinks of the Firth of Forth bridge, skeletonized. Isn't the spiral stair amazing ? Great pics; thanks, Chris.
SDR, actually thank you to Orhan! he dug this up and posted it, got me really into it.
Great pictures Chris thank you.
Spectacular.
No problem Orhan. I tried to do that within the narrative as best as possible. Based on this and the FLW video I think there is a lot kids like me could learn (you came to Sci arc I think when I was born). I look forward to an education on architecture via Orhan....well the super bowl has started. .....
The spiral stair is genius. FLW did that in a straight stair at falling water .
There is also a great suspended stair in DWP Building in Los Angeles by A.C. Martin and Associates, 1965.
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