3 Projects
Here's some brief information on three projects that landed in my inbox today:
First, a press release indicates that Steven Holl's design for the Knut Hamsun Museum in Norway will finally be built. Holl's design came way back in 1994 for a site above the Arctic Circle near the village of Presteid of Hamarøy, close to the farm where the writer Knut Hamsun grew up. The building is expected to be complete for the anniversary of Hamsun's birth in August 2009.
Second, reader Matous points me to a page that, although in Česky, appears to indicate that Future Systems is the winner of a competition for the New National Library of the Czech Republic. The design exhibits the British firm's usual blobby flair while also recalling their media pavilion at Lord's Cricket Ground.
Third and last is reader Nicole's gentle prodding for an opinion on Frank Gehry's design for the Lou Ruvo Brain Institute which broke ground last month in Las Vegas. I remember this project when it was made public last year; my reaction to the model images was one of "Oh, gee, another Gehry." What rightly concerns Nicole is this type of show-boating architecture being used for a place and organization "dedicated to the fight against Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, ALS, and Memory Disorders."
With this goal in mind, the project recalls Gehry's Maggie Centre in Dundee, Scotland (intended to "help people with cancer, their carers, family and friends learn how to manage the physical and emotional impact of living with cancer") and his state-side Strata Center for Computer, Information and Intelligence Sciences at MIT (home to the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, the Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems, and the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy). But glancing at the Brain Institute's web page, it appears this project is more aligned with the Strata Center than Maggie Centre, as it focuses on research, as well as education, public policy, with some clinical services.
Does this excuse the "very Gehry" design as appropriate for the Institute? Looking at the interior model images, the character leans more towards a mall than a somber research facility, with ample attention given to the "Activities Center," a space suited to awards dinners and the like. This character might not be a bad thing, providing an uplifting environment to counter the activities within, as well as creating quasi-public spaces that foster interaction for a relatively large building. The same sort of thing happens at MIT -- successfully at that -- but many of the research spaces have provided unsuitable for the users (according to an old CBS news story I can't find a link to), who have had to modify the spaces to suit their work. On the other hand Maggie Centre has been praised for how it "works," perhaps due to its scale or its relatively subdued design. Let's hope Gehry can balance these two ends of his work in Las Vegas.
First, a press release indicates that Steven Holl's design for the Knut Hamsun Museum in Norway will finally be built. Holl's design came way back in 1994 for a site above the Arctic Circle near the village of Presteid of Hamarøy, close to the farm where the writer Knut Hamsun grew up. The building is expected to be complete for the anniversary of Hamsun's birth in August 2009.
Second, reader Matous points me to a page that, although in Česky, appears to indicate that Future Systems is the winner of a competition for the New National Library of the Czech Republic. The design exhibits the British firm's usual blobby flair while also recalling their media pavilion at Lord's Cricket Ground.
Third and last is reader Nicole's gentle prodding for an opinion on Frank Gehry's design for the Lou Ruvo Brain Institute which broke ground last month in Las Vegas. I remember this project when it was made public last year; my reaction to the model images was one of "Oh, gee, another Gehry." What rightly concerns Nicole is this type of show-boating architecture being used for a place and organization "dedicated to the fight against Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, ALS, and Memory Disorders."
With this goal in mind, the project recalls Gehry's Maggie Centre in Dundee, Scotland (intended to "help people with cancer, their carers, family and friends learn how to manage the physical and emotional impact of living with cancer") and his state-side Strata Center for Computer, Information and Intelligence Sciences at MIT (home to the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, the Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems, and the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy). But glancing at the Brain Institute's web page, it appears this project is more aligned with the Strata Center than Maggie Centre, as it focuses on research, as well as education, public policy, with some clinical services.
Does this excuse the "very Gehry" design as appropriate for the Institute? Looking at the interior model images, the character leans more towards a mall than a somber research facility, with ample attention given to the "Activities Center," a space suited to awards dinners and the like. This character might not be a bad thing, providing an uplifting environment to counter the activities within, as well as creating quasi-public spaces that foster interaction for a relatively large building. The same sort of thing happens at MIT -- successfully at that -- but many of the research spaces have provided unsuitable for the users (according to an old CBS news story I can't find a link to), who have had to modify the spaces to suit their work. On the other hand Maggie Centre has been praised for how it "works," perhaps due to its scale or its relatively subdued design. Let's hope Gehry can balance these two ends of his work in Las Vegas.
Well since no one has said anything, I am just going to come out and say it. Steven Holl's buildings all look the same, and they reall are not that good. It is wierd I think it is some generational thing people in there mid to late 30s can't seem to get enough of Holl--it must remind them of something from there childhool like parachute pants or something--I just don't know. That Future Systems building is delicious, it makes me want to buy the world a Coke.
ReplyDeleteHmmm... Well, I'm not yet in my 30s, yet perhaps con the cusp. To me, Steven Holl's buildings are a hit about 50% of the time. This one, is a miss.
ReplyDeleteThe Future Systems building is fun, but it reminds be of the JBL speakers that everyone has bought to go with their Mac. Still, I'll be really excited to watch this design progress into construction.
As far as the Brain Institute... I wonder when someone is going to stop Gehry and put us all out of our misery. I have a lot of trouble believing that this form will actually function as a research institute, as needed. And frankly, I'm sick of seeing the same forms over and over, whether its a museum, concert hall, or research institute.
Gehry is an artist. That being said, I am sick of seeing his art on such a large scale that people have to live and function in/with.
ReplyDeleteHe has a great team that make his building structurally sound in the pysical world, but he seems to forgo function for form. He also doesn't seem to personally hold a grasp of architecture and building design. I feel his team deserves all the credit.