Don’t get me started on “societal” when we already have “social”, “comedic” when we already have “comic”, and “construct” when we already have “construction”.
Most superfluous words are coined by ignorant people wanting to sound smart.
Galeti Tavas
2 years ago
“What can it be like to live in? The question is almost beside the point: it is a monument designed to overawe the beholder,”
Is it beside the point? There is an anti-human quality about it. Like a avant-garde fashion designer making a simulated fur coat out of broken glass, barbed wire, and thorns. Still a coat….maybe striking and even with some kind of beauty…..
“the postmodernist vein of architecture he pioneered”
When ever I see ‘Post’ attached to some School of thought, Philosophy, attribute, I know it means to be against all which that thing actually represents. It does not have to be without attractive points, but is more ‘death of’ than ‘re-born’.
Linda Hutchinson
2 years ago
I’ve always loved and admired Sr. Bofill’s work; modern but with heart. There are a few I’m not so keen on, though, Taller d’Arquitectura for example, but the rest are wonderful; I especially like the Montpellier building (Communauté d’Agglomération), it is less modern looking with its distinct classical overtones, but is designed to fit into the surroundings.
stephen archer
2 years ago
He designed a bow formed apartment complex in central Stockholm (Södermalm) similar to the ones in Paris and Montpellier, totally out of keeping with the rest of the architecture in the district but creating what I think of as an oasis of space and style. I’m no authority on archictecure but it’s an inspiring place to walk through and a h*ll of a lot more elegant than all the other monotonous “high density” apartment complexes built since, including some really ugly monstrosities. What it’s like to live in I’ve no idea, but I’d guess the appartments are fairly sought after and at least you get to see the sky from the windows which is more than is possible from the lower floors of the above mentioned apartment complexes.
Last edited 2 years ago by stephen archer
Penny Mcwilliams
2 years ago
To my mind, judgements about the aesthetic merits or otherwise of large scale housing developments really cannot and should not override the crucial considerations of ‘what is it like to live there?’ Le Corbusier failed on that one, and while I am not a student of architectural history, I believe the Paris banlieux were a failure too
Not totally convinced, but it’s better than a spreadsheet block of flats at least.
Alternative not alternate. The former means, ‘a choice of one or other,’ the latter, ‘following each other by turns’.
Don’t get me started on “societal” when we already have “social”, “comedic” when we already have “comic”, and “construct” when we already have “construction”.
Most superfluous words are coined by ignorant people wanting to sound smart.
“What can it be like to live in? The question is almost beside the point: it is a monument designed to overawe the beholder,”
Is it beside the point? There is an anti-human quality about it. Like a avant-garde fashion designer making a simulated fur coat out of broken glass, barbed wire, and thorns. Still a coat….maybe striking and even with some kind of beauty…..
“the postmodernist vein of architecture he pioneered”
When ever I see ‘Post’ attached to some School of thought, Philosophy, attribute, I know it means to be against all which that thing actually represents. It does not have to be without attractive points, but is more ‘death of’ than ‘re-born’.
I’ve always loved and admired Sr. Bofill’s work; modern but with heart. There are a few I’m not so keen on, though, Taller d’Arquitectura for example, but the rest are wonderful; I especially like the Montpellier building (Communauté d’Agglomération), it is less modern looking with its distinct classical overtones, but is designed to fit into the surroundings.
He designed a bow formed apartment complex in central Stockholm (Södermalm) similar to the ones in Paris and Montpellier, totally out of keeping with the rest of the architecture in the district but creating what I think of as an oasis of space and style. I’m no authority on archictecure but it’s an inspiring place to walk through and a h*ll of a lot more elegant than all the other monotonous “high density” apartment complexes built since, including some really ugly monstrosities. What it’s like to live in I’ve no idea, but I’d guess the appartments are fairly sought after and at least you get to see the sky from the windows which is more than is possible from the lower floors of the above mentioned apartment complexes.
To my mind, judgements about the aesthetic merits or otherwise of large scale housing developments really cannot and should not override the crucial considerations of ‘what is it like to live there?’ Le Corbusier failed on that one, and while I am not a student of architectural history, I believe the Paris banlieux were a failure too
The fate of Pruitt-Igoe rather supports your point. The idealistic Japanese architect was utterly aghast at how people lived in it.