In his winding informative review, architecture critic of L.A. Times semi diplomatically trashes Central Los Angeles Area High School #9, designed by Coop Himmelblau, imagines another school designed by his local friends, etc... Nice slides of a very photogenic campus. latimes + a previous and brief drive by.
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I think the criticism is right on - Himmelblau is a great firm but totally the wrong choice for this commission. The last thing the LAUSD needs right now is more attention.
Seems mostly, supportive.
Once the debates over cost and curriculum have fallen away -- and that may take years -- posterity is likely to look kindly on the campus, which has given Grand Avenue a powerfully unorthodox new landmark and added a mysterious and unconventional silhouette to the downtown skyline.
this makes the building project very unfortunate in terms of timing. it was supposed to have a huge funfair, celebrations, the people dancing. but now, it is the inefficient bureaucracy's finger point, partner in crime; economy; unemployment; operating costs; every penny counted; and so on.
and i do like the building. it is hard to not like it architecturally. it is the whole campus by a single architect and i strongly oppose to popular calling to its tower useless.
some day, i sure like to see inside and observe the variable height exterior horizontal spaces on the ground. this is very typical in that area with most buildings. after all it is a hillside and these are big buildings on a hillside. they all address the below and above open public spaces.
like the california plaza, courtyard at MoCA, roofgarden at disney hall, plaza at chandler, hall of justice park, stepped up cathedral plaza...
so, i do note the artificial court and its topography in addition to buildings.
no doubt this building along with the freeway and the cathedral make nice architectural trio. it is really dynamic there with 101 fwy. and further south to MoCA, Bunker Hill Corp. Towers and the architect captures it well.
the school has a lot of autonomous parts with their own and shared exterior spaces. if it is really going to be an art school, i am sure they will use it in creative and informal ways. it will be very interesting to see populated and operated. and of course, survived.
at the end, they have got their money's worth. a beautiful looking school all dressed up and in hard times when teachers are seriously struggling to keep their employment. a financially desperate state on top of it all.
right now the whole school district and its bureaucracy is under the magnifying glass.
i am not a big fan of training kids in fine arts at an early age. it is like training gymnasts for olympics.
i do like the review as well. if i had to produce my own list of "would have been better," it would be really hard look against prix' built project and the program. i like his 'stranger's appetite' for the city.
Orhan,
based on this NYT article about Sebastião Salgado. I would say he feels rather the opposite, from Wolf about LA.
NYT
no doubt nam! i don't think salgado would be happy here. it is very menmade.
here is a piece of photojournalism from last night. pico blvd. storefront of a bed store, next to the dive of 'the talpa mexican food' in west la. i named it 'teddybear's master bedroom.' ;.)
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