August 12, 2008

If you design a fabulous exterior, what happens to the inside?

This:

Frank Gehry's Walt Disney Concert Hall

I posted pictures of the exterior of Frank Gehry's Walt Disney Concert Hall earlier today, and in the comments, the question was raised about what it was like inside. Well, it's rather complicated and confusing. Here are a couple more pictures:

Frank Gehry's Walt Disney Concert Hall

Frank Gehry's Walt Disney Concert Hall

I think it's pretty easy to guess that the architect bent paper or cardboard to invent an exciting exterior, and the interior was given far less thought. It basically had to be whatever it needed to be to produce the exterior. Compare the dome. It is perfectly equally beautiful on the inside and the outside.

Am I just talking about architecture?

19 comments:

Kurt said...

I can't say I'm too surprised. But Gehry's most sadistic structure still has yet to be built, and that is this structure for the Ruvo Brain Institute in Las Vegas. What would the experience of having to travel into or through such a building do to someone with Alzheimer's? I can't imagine it would be very good.

vanderleun said...

Would anyone happening upon Anne in the wild please remove the fisheye lens from her possession and stomp it into teeny, tiny splinters of glass and metal on the nearest hard surface?

Thank you.

Host with the Most said...

Am I just talking about architecture?

Why, thank you!

(blush!)

Peter V. Bella said...

Gerard said...
Would anyone happening upon Anne in the wild please remove the fisheye lens from her possession and stomp it into teeny, tiny splinters of glass and metal on the nearest hard surface?

Thank you.



That would be considered a robbery, theft by force and damage to property. Advocating criminal behavior is not very nice.

Further, what could one do with a smashed fish eye lens? Can't even make a good fish taco out of it.

Anonymous said...

"If you design a fabulous exterior, what happens to the inside?"

See Pamela Anderson for additional insights on this question.

ricpic said...

The old architecture was all about hierarchy. That's why it is so satisfying. It conforms to the hierarchy that is integral to all of life, to everything.

The new architecture is all about no element must take precedence over any other element, in compliance with the new religion of egalitarianism. The result is chaos.

But have no fear, the new priesthood will insist on spreading chaos over the face of the earth to the end of time.

And Gehry's their guy.

vbspurs said...

OT:

Sorry to place this here, but at 7:30 I heard MSNBC's David Shuster make an incredible claim on-air.

He noted that whilst Obama's campaign ads in Florida numbered in the tens of thousands, his presumptive adversary had this many ads in Florida so far:

0

You know I've been following this, quite coincidentally, on my own.

Here's my blogpost on it, in case of interest.

MSNBC, That's Not True

Cheers,
Victoria

blake said...

Am I just talking about architecture?

If you're talkin' about onion rings, I'm outta here.

Palladian said...

"I can't say I'm too surprised. But Gehry's most sadistic structure still has yet to be built, and that is this structure for the Ruvo Brain Institute in Las Vegas. What would the experience of having to travel into or through such a building do to someone with Alzheimer's? I can't imagine it would be very good."

That project has to be one of the most offensive pieces of shit on the face of the earth. I sincerely hope it's never built. Um, Mr Scientist? How about, you know, instead of sinking millions upon millions of dollars into building an ugly, melted, deconstructed pile of crap you spend those dozens of millions on, oh I don't know, researching Alzheimer's disease? It's like the UN conference on hunger that served foie gras and goose fillets and lobster vinaigrette to the participants.

I'm not saying that they're something inherently wrong with a research institution looking for good architecture. Look at the wonderful thing Louis Kahn did for the Salk Institute in La Jolla.

But Gehry is no Louis Kahn.

bleeper said...

Great building, lousy photographs. You are starting to make Glenn "Dead Eye" Reynolds look like an actual photographer. And he is no where near being a real photograher. Indeed, he is a hack - an inflated ego of a local hack worthy of the title "the Obama of law blog photograhers".

Anonymous said...

Victoria = Smarter Than David Schuster.

bleeper said...

I have been a big fan of Gehry for years, like what he does and how he does it, but dang, the Ruvo should not be built. That is an abomination.

Palladian said...

The only good thing Gehry ever did was the cardboard furniture.

reader_iam said...

Oh. my. idontkknowhathef2say.

That Ruvo thang.

reader_iam said...

Well, it hit me in the gut, I'll say that for it. Yeah, it sorta symbolizes what's happening, and what will happen, to my mom as she progresses through her ALS. In context, uplifting and inspiring it ain't. Then again, neither is that disease, or the others.

Sorry for reacting personally, as opposed to aesthetic in a more measured, cerebral sense, but ugh. Just ugh. On all fronts and grounds.

reader_iam said...

You know, my mom was always interested in art and architecture. Not sure whether to show this one to her or now. But it would be, perhaps, interesting to get her reaction.

KCFleming said...

Obama is the Frank Gehry of politics; all fabulous exterior, but inside just complicated and confusing.

But the President needs an inside that works.

bearbee said...

Look at the wonderful thing Louis Kahn did for the Salk Institute in La Jolla.

Instantly thought of this Dune cover

A positive aspect of the Disney is that no one will know if an earthquake has hit.

I do like this image of the Chicago Jay Pritzker Pavilion and, yeah,it seems if you've seen one you've seem 'em all, but if it keeps US steelsmakers busy....

veni vidi vici said...

Is he using pieces of the WTC ruins in the construction of the Ruvo Brain? That's what it looks like.

Frankly, if I was Ruvo, I'd be embarrassed; he must be one helluva convoluted thinker if that thing's supposed to symbolize his "brain"!


w/r/t the Disney Hall, note that the lobby photos Ann took are just lobby photos. Grand concert halls in Chicago and elsewhere often have pretty pedestrian box lobbies; they might be dolled up in gold leaf and velvet draperies, but they're boxes. Everyone knows it's about the curb appeal second, and the interior hall acoustics first. The lobby doesn't matter when you're talking about a concert hall. I commented in the earlier thread about the actual interior of the Disney, i.e. the "Concert Hall" as opposed to the lobby.

Don't let these photos, with their shitty lighting and most egregious (although sometimes effective) misuse of the fisheye lens yet, fool you about the success of the Disney as a structure. It's all about the hall, and in that regard, Gehry hit a homer.

... and I'm not even a Gehry fan.