Waagner-Biro, the Austrian steel engineering company that built the dome of the Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi, has announced its insolvency and is fighting to save parts of its business by selling off subsidiaries. Austrian press reports say that delays in payment and spiralling costs of the Louvre project were chiefly to blame for the company’s struggles. — The Art Newspaper
Established in 1854 as a locksmith, Waagner-Biro has played a significant role in architectural steel engineering. Some of their high-profile projects include the spiraling roof of the Great Court in the British Museum, the dome of the Reichstag in Berlin, and a stage system for the Sydney Opera House, to name a few.
7 Comments
Another "hit" from Dr. Evil.
An architect once told me that it's a signifier of good architecture when the builder goes bankrupt building the project.
a lot of stories lately about Middle Eastern governments stiffing contractors and builders. Must be why T-reason loves them so much
As we used to say in the shop: "You never lose money on a job you don't take."
As the wife of a fabricator who has faced his fair share of architects who get cranky when estimates come back super high based on the poor design decisions made in an effort to be "innovative"*: Waagner-Biro, I feel you.
*Too many "innovators" ignore the fact that true innovation requires not just imaging some wacky thing - literally anyone can do that - but also having the perseverance and skill to bring the wacky idea to fruition so it can be tested and judged as to whether it's actually innovative or not.
Agreed, Donna. Seems like everything in architectural education and media is conspiring to lionize this idea of the "innovator" while ignoring the skilled labor and hard-won experience that makes things possible. Vapid posturing over humble competence.
That's what 3D printers are for, no?
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