Lawn Lenses
An anonymous comment on a previous post pointed to a New Yorker article by Paul Goldberger on the Bloch Building in Kansas City by Steven Holl, an addition I've posted about a couple times previously. The article includes a slide show of dusk images by David Allee, images that undeniably present the building as a series of lanterns, or "lenses" as the architect imagines them.
These long-exposure images (unlike the more "truthful" point-and-shoot exterior shot at Inhabitat) not only convey the concept, they make it appear questionable while also raising a couple questions. Should a large museum addition (or any building) expend so much energy for effect? And while Holl excels at bringing natural light inside buildings in complex ways -- making one wonder where the opening to the outside even is -- here his inversion of that seems too simple, just flourescent lights next to a channel glass wall (or apparently so). Regardless, with the commotion that's been brewing about this building for while, and that's slowly coming to a head before it's June 9th opening, this building is sure to be a stunner and help bring some tourists to the Midwest.
These long-exposure images (unlike the more "truthful" point-and-shoot exterior shot at Inhabitat) not only convey the concept, they make it appear questionable while also raising a couple questions. Should a large museum addition (or any building) expend so much energy for effect? And while Holl excels at bringing natural light inside buildings in complex ways -- making one wonder where the opening to the outside even is -- here his inversion of that seems too simple, just flourescent lights next to a channel glass wall (or apparently so). Regardless, with the commotion that's been brewing about this building for while, and that's slowly coming to a head before it's June 9th opening, this building is sure to be a stunner and help bring some tourists to the Midwest.
I got a short tour of this building a few weeks ago. A few comments:
ReplyDelete1. The channel-glass walls are actually a double skin, with a full-height chase and the lighting within that space. So yes, it is just fluorescents but the added "stack" effect from the double skin is going to help make the building more energy-efficient (as is the green roof).
2. This bulding has _great_ handrails.
3. (the big one). The Nelson is forgoing admission fees, so you can enter and exit at any point in the museum– you can leave, walk on the green roof, and reenter at another point. This is FANTASTIC and entirely unprecedented.
John -
ReplyDeleteWhen are you going to tour the addition? Curious about your opinion. Did you see the "Metropolis" article? Greater detail on the addition.
It is interesting to note that, thus far, no images or discussion of the African and Photography galleries. Based on what I have read on the Nelson's blog, a great deal of effort (and money) has been spent on them. I wonder if those galleries will be considered as successful. I am excited.
The Metropolis article is quite good. The pictures really help capture what's going on in the building with layout, materials, light and other design elements.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.metropolismag.com/cda/story.php?artid=2536
One of the pictures includes a tiny but captivating glimpse of the handrails. Whoever called attention to them above seems to really be onto something. They look graceful and, frankly, just lovely.
Can't wait to get back to KC sometime this summer and check it out.
autotastic - 1. That sounds about right; 2. Holl never disappoints in these sorts of details; 3. That's great; that should help merge ones experience of the grounds and the building together, making the latter a bit stronger.
ReplyDeletewoodrow - Don't know when I'll make it to KC, though there's a lot of old classmates there it'd be great to see. I haven't read the Metropolis article yet, though from what I've heard it's better than Goldberger's fawning New Yorker piece.
Anonymous - Thanks for the Metropolis link. The glimpse of the handrails makes them look particularly elegant though also apparently unconstrained by ADA...unless there's glass infill there.