Thus writes Nicolai Ouroussoff regarding the recent reconstructive surgery to Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, by Diller Scofidio & Renfro.
Thus writes Nicolai Ouroussoff regarding the recent reconstructive surgery to Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, by Diller Scofidio & Renfro. NYT
Yet, Ouroussoff also makes two (to my mind) more critical points. First, Ouroussoff believes that the inclusion of a number of cheap frills give the impression that the architects and their clients...wanted to make sure that the public could see where the money went. More importantly, for a project of this scale which tackles one of NYC best known landmarks, he finds that the redesigned plaza displays a surprising insensitivity to the way bodies flow through space, something that is as fundamental to architecture and urban planning as to ballet and theater.
6 Comments
never send an architect to do a landscape architects job...
"If the heads of Lincoln Center’s constituent institutions could have gotten on the same page, they could probably have produced a bolder, more coordinated plan. "
A good point, but perhaps placing too much blame on the Center and not enough on the architects. As their scale of projects has grown, the clarity and cohesiveness of DSR's work has waned. A quick glance around the entrance lobby to Alice Tully reveals half-finished ideas, poorly executed details and lazy formal concepts. Same with Boston's ICA. Some photogenic angles, but a distracting amount of odd and ill-conceived moves.
If symbolizing our atomized culture was a design intent (which Im guessing it was not) then DSR was an ideal candidate.
The architects' best work has been and continues to be their early installation-scale pieces as they were able to focus on singular concepts. Anything larger than the Blur building and things get messy. Now with some success behind them, they seem to be desperately trying to wrap their arms around projects that are too large and too complex for their reach.
The Lincoln Center renovations have only added to the Center's already cluttered collection of ideas - a spattering of moments at the expense of a coherent vision.
landscraper, what makes you think they don't have landscape architects on staff?
and what is wrong with the landscape? it is a corporatized, controlled limited public space with all the appropriate classicist details. i have not personally seen the space but it seems with very much in tune with financial-center of the world-manhattan image.
also, 65% of the projects in architecture schools have that roof grass now.
i always thought that "atomized culture" meant that our 'mass' culture has morphed to endless individuality; with 'atomic' orbits of pure personal interests in fluid connect, maybe via molecularity, to other culture 'atoms'. Is this kinda like an ipod or facebook, maybe?
I dont see (dont get) Ouroussoff's 'unwitting symbol of an atomized culture' here. If fragmentation and visual discord signify atomized culture .... well that would certainly include a lot of, well everything. Too me its unclear. Does anyone know what Ouroussoff is saying?
im sure they do have landscape on the team - but a space with "a surprising insensitivity to the way bodies flow through space" would indicate to me an architect driven design process. Not saying architects always do this - but when they are prime on the project the blame falls on them.
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.