The pleasures and pitfalls of modern architecture
February 22, 2010 |12:23 | Modern Architectures By : Team X
The Telegraph's Simon Heffer says, "architects should please the public, not spite them", in reference to recent projects by Daniel Libeskind and Zaha Hadid.
On Libeskind's extension to the Dresden Military History Museum Heffer notes...Most of the architects tend to lease themselves first.
In the name of art, they ignore the cost, functional and most of all the constructionability factors. I know, because I have been a structural engineer since early 1960's. Remember the crazy lady from Slackers? "I should know...I'm a medical doctor."
But seriously, this comment is what concerns me about a lot of contemporary work. Libeskind and Zaha and all the other super-slick renderings by stars are what the public perceives as status quo work form "architects". The well-designed, humble, contemporary work that the vast majority of architects actually do isn't even on the radar of the cast majority of the public. Our profession needs a serious public image overhaul, in every Western country. In the meantime, does anyone fantasize about seeing that shardy-thing in the image above smashed like a champagne glass in a fireplace? I do.
0 Comments
Leave a Comment