Modern Architecture and Design

Old Versus Nouvel

Published July 14th, 2008 in Architecture | 1 Comment »

Tower

I’ve never been a huge fan of the work of French architect Jean Nouvel - most of it seemed interested in being provocative and little else. That being said, his design for a 75-story residential building in New York is really pretty brilliant. The tower grows skyward like a glass and steel tree, contorting to fit the confines of the City Zoning setbacks to create a drop-dead gorgeous form that is completely logical. Predictably, the neighbors hate it – but as yet the project is moving ahead.

See link below.

http://www.observer.com/2008/landmarks-commission-gives-nod-nouvel-s-moma-tower

Gehry Answers his Critics

Published June 3rd, 2008 in Architecture | 2 Comments »

Gehry Tower Manhattan

Frank Gehry - arguably the most famous and prolific architects of the last fifty years, - is consistently criticized for solving every design problem with the same pile of crumpled metal sheets. For me, this hardly seems fair –  I would argue that most artists work within a relatively narrow band of exploration and interests.  In any case, Gehry’s new design for a 76-tower building in lower Manhattan is an eye – opener, a novel solution to a problem that has vexed him repeatedly in the past – the punched window. 

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