Orange County Museum of Art. From the mass model to the building

 

Approaching OCMA, Costa Mesa, CA.

NOTE: All pictures belong to my personal archives, please do not reproduce-share without my permission.

I have been a visitor of the Orange County Museum of Art since it was in Newport Beach, then it was moved to a provisory building in Costa Mesa, right in front of the Segerstrom Concert Hall.

Back in March 2019, I took some quick pictures of the mass model of the upcoming building, designed by Thom Mayne's studio Morphosis. I am happy to say I had the chance to talk to him in person long years ago, during an architectural exhibition in our FADU Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism of Buenos Aires. We briefly discussed a post graduate project designed by architect Luis Makianich and me. And he left us a very good impression, at least speaking about theory of architecture.

And once I emigrated to California, I had the opportunity to visit his building for Caltrans in Los Angeles and now the OCMA, which was inaugurated a few months ago. 

My impression of the Caltrans building is barely mentioned in my post about Trees that Conform Social Space. I remember very well the lack of human scale while walking around the building, the heat in the cement plaza and the emptiness of the bar in the shadows, an intermediate space of multiple height were people did not want to stay (I questioned the employees). That imprinted in my mind that maybe our beloved Thom Mayne designed his buildings as objects, the morphology prevailing over the human scale and sensorial, human perception necessities. 

My two pictures below are from 2009. The bar is in the dark left corner. People preferred stay in the plaza across the street, drinking a juice sold at the mobile stands, under the shadow of the welcoming trees.

An empty plaza with benches like sculptures, under 100F degree or more...

This picture shows how the side street offers a solid wall as a basement, see the scale compared to the men in the corner. Well, this is part of the main problem I see in Los Angeles, a city that has evolved for and with the cars. It is not pedestrian friendly.

The next pictures are cell phone snapshots of the OCMA building mass model, from 2009. Yesterday, I was wondering what was so "off" from the mass model to the final product. 

Approaching OCMA. On the right side, the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, designed by Cesar Pelli studio. 

Basically, the resolution of spaces is the same, but in a closer analysis, I have seen that the intersecting planes, have become undulating surfaces on which the straight lines in the massive model are materialized with thick rigid ceramics (!!), what is worse, the ceramics are installed in diagonals, in consequence, there are a lot of unsolved triangular cuts.

The upper undulating surface, I have taken this picture standing on the terrace. The red building behind is not part of OCMA.

A corner view, which looks OK. See how the ceramics change direction on the left and compare the photo with the mass model above.

Now, let us take a closer look at the joints. So obviously wrong and without care, to the expert eye. Besides, the joints have different thickness, due to them being forced to adapt to the shape.

A macro shot of the tile next to the Aluminum

The problem of the materials intersection is seen inside as well (precisely, the curve on the left), though I truly like how the light and volumes play at the entry hall. 

This one is my favorite interior view, the dark ceiling extends above the longitudinal bar.

I believe the use of brick would have been better for this morphology, a prefab brick with the same or similar color. Because the continuity with the neighboring Pelli's Segerstrom building is kept without a doubt.

OCMA on the left and the Segerstrom Concert Hall on the right. Alike colors, and an impeccable resolution for the Segerstrom curved surfaces.

I took this picture for a colleague and friend at the University, so he can show it to the students, to learn that even the minor details should be solved.

I have had long conversations about this building with some colleagues today. Should we worry about minor details or should we enjoy the overall display of technology? Can we still praise the functional resolution, regardless the morphology, which a friend of mine calls "totally whimsical" ?.

I am in favor of "whimsical" new shapes that are allowed due to the advance of technology, but most of all due to us being accustomed to new images and sensorial spaces, for exampl, all those immersive "out of this world" experiences inside buildings like warehouses. I still remember when our students played with Zaha Hadid designs, and we warned them "remember, we need to build it!", the first GA magazine with Zaha Hadid projects that had no chance to be materialized, at the time, of course. So now, I feel like the architects have a sort of victory, while, of course, these "liberties" are allowed by the City planners, who are not architects but expert on zoning codes where politics are also at play. But this is another story.

OCMA galleries are an example of a revised Museum concept. The galleries are open to a common corridor and we can take a quick look at what is going on from afar, or turn around and be tempted to enter the gift shop, which is open as well, like at the Broad Museum in Los Angeles.

We can also have a preview from the upper galleries, through narrow openings on the white walls. Of course, it depends on your height. As I'm short, then I could take the following pictures, if your height is 6' or so, the narrow opening is below your line of sight, unless the staircase down is taken. The minor details: you will also see the dust accumulated on the free standing partition walls and the horizontal part of the wall beyond the columns, as no human arm can reach there to clean. Needless to say, the white walls next to the gallery stairs are stained already. A colleague's opinion was they should have been painted another color where the dust can't be noticed. I proposed a change of material, but the Minimalist white would have been lost. 

Where you see the line of the glass, on the walking side it is clean, on the other side, there is dust.

If this picture is zoomed, there is a visible line of cleanliness vs dust. I extended my own arm to see how far I could reach to clean without an extended dust brush.

The sort of white Minimalism is extended to the bathroom stalls, and there it was where I had my surprise. I felt this weird sensation that I was inside a closet. The feeling of uneasiness made me choose the pull knob for handicap. I wanted to get out of this bathroom space as soon as possible. In the back of my brain, I recalled the horror movies with labs and dead frozen bodies. Too much of my imagination I suppose :)

The uneasiness is repeated outside, in the (empty again) terrace, when I reached the stairs or sort of theatre wide hemicycle where one can seat and view a narrow circulation to the side entry door, or just the street beyond. I expected a space to enjoy a performance, more like in the Getty Museum style, but not. And there is lack of middle handrails (of course, it is not a formal stair), so I stayed a while observing what people would do: 

just take pictures facing the flat sculpture which is nonsense to be "walked around", sit for a few minutes on the upper stairs or close to the handrails on the sides. I had to avoid a couple in order to reach the handrail. I think nobody would venture to go downstairs taking the middle part of the it.

If we compare this pictures with the mass models, we'll notice the side guardrail which was meant to be glass was replaced by a solid high guardrail. The sculpture is meant to be seen from below, and the back has the just the braces painted alike. It is more a scenography than a 3D sculpture.

The empty terrace and the back of the flat sculpture.

The planter on the terrace. The row of trees on the side looks very good but sculptural. The planter seems to be like "we need a planter somewhere, given it's a barren terrace". Some people were sitting there, but there is no hope of future good shadow, just to see the species. A reminder of the Caltrans plaza?

Looking up from the ground plaza. The building on the left does not belong to the museum. What makes me think maybe complex morphology buildings should be erected on open spaces without any other building around. One may guess at first sight which building is which or part of.

The gift shop has this interesting "sculpture" which reflects the building and on the back contains glass cabinets for art products. I was astonished to see, a few rubber bands for hair pony tails, hardened in free standing curly shapes, were 45$ each one (!!). 

A colleague that visited the museum with me found this tempered glass railing over the steps pretty funny and out of sense. We were doubting if this sculptural construction was finished or not. A climber would grow and cover all of it, I will have to come back to see if the climber would hide the guardrail, and then give an answer to my friend who asked, how much would you think it was the cost of the diagonal tempered glass? While I was looking at the climber trying to reach it. 

A final consideration about the landscape. If the climber was meant to add some green area to the barren open space, then it is not significative.  The plaza has a few trees, and the palm trees are part of the buildings across the street. 

The row of trees, as seen in the massive model, are not to enjoy them from a practical and useful point of view. They are just like sculptures, one cannot step on the planters. There is also a physical barrier to the side garden, as seen from the terrace. I am against this design decision, since any architect can use the landscape as a mean of relax and healing. This decorative landscape is reinforcing the idea of the architecture as an object, pretty far form the  users natural need of being in close contact with nature. Which is the consequence? People taking their beverages outside the building, looking for a plaza with canopy trees. 

Regardless my personal opinion, the OCMA is worth the visit.

A row of trees dividing two buildings. No matter the effort, this space will be always empty, it is just a service corridor. The trees are planted where some space was left.

Interview with Dr Krzysztof Nawratek, author of Holes in the Whole. Introduction to the urban revolutions.

Dr. Krzysztof Nawratek. Photo by Joanna Erbel

I am pleased to interview Dr Krzysztof Nawratek who is lecturer in architecture, Master of Architecture programme leader at the Plymouth University, UK, who would like to describe himself as an urban theorist or meta-urbanist rather than architect.

Today, we will focus on his book Holes in the Whole Introduction to the urban revolutions, a book on a new urban ontology, the alternative vision of future cities development that combines subjects as criticism, analysis, and helps us to reflect about the cities of today.

1000. Are you afraid that culture is not produced any more in cities? In other words, did we become very popular in our “cultural”  tastes?

K. N. Culture definitely is still produced in cities, my concern is that there is nothing else produced in European cities. Most European cities are post-industrial, but they are only 'post', because there is nothing industrial about them anymore. For last 30 years urbanists and policy makers tried to fill the gap after industry collapsed (empty factories and idle working class) with cultural industry and services. I am afraid they failed. The other problem is, that – obviously – culture increasingly could be (and is) produced out of the urban context. Therefore, in my opinion, contemporary city (let's say – European city) lost its reason to exist.

1000. Do you think that the last developments based on New Urbanism theories have also failed?

K.N. Yes, I think so. New Urbanism was an interesting attempt to fix some failures of Modern Movements, but to be honest, I have much more respect to Modernism than to New Urbanism. New Urbanism created towns, not cities. This movement is – in my opinion – just a naive and reactionary attempt to turn back time. Obviously, I agree that humanistic agenda of New Urbanism still has something to offer, something to be discussed, but New Urbanism is not able to give an answer to the crisis of contemporary cities.

1000. In your opinion, which is the best example of localities? Should we say “racial localities”?

K.N. I am very suspicious about localities, especially any kind of ethnic districts or – even more – lifestyle communities. I am a 'prophet' of a city as an universal narrative, city as a polyphonic but coherent story, therefore I am against fragmentation. However, I do respect the value of local identities, local narratives but they must be in a dialog with others. Ghetto – it doesn't matter if we have in mind ghetto of poor or rich people – it is always a tragedy for the city.

1000. I see localities, fragmentations, beginning at High School, as natural processes. Is there any way to avoid fragmentations in cities with immigrants from around the world?

K.N.I think we need to clearly define the difference between fragmentation and differentiation in cities. There is nothing wrong with fragments of the city having different identity, based on different values (ethnic, esthetic etc.). The problem starts when these fragments are clearly separated from other parts of the city. In my book I often talk about hybrid subject. I define it as an autonomous subject, but strongly conditioned by external factors. So we need to see localities as hybrid subjects – they have their own identity, but they are not separated from the rest of the city.

1000. What’s your own definition on Zygmunt Bauman’s liquid city?

K. N. My main concern is a diminishing of cities subjectivity – contemporary cities are mostly pools of labour, they are fields to be exploited by global corporations, they are not political subjects, they are not able to govern their own territory. There is an obvious conflict between fluidity of deterritorialised global capital and locally fixed cities. They can't go anywhere – people can migrate (however in many cases they don't want to) but buildings, roads, infrastructure - can't. It makes cities a potential frontier of anti-capitalist struggle.

Above: Dr Nawratek with students. Photos by Plymouth University.

1000. What’s the role of social networks in the liquid city?

K. N. It is a very interesting issue, because I see social networks (I mean social networks in much wider meaning than just facebook or any online community) in some kind of contrast to social capital. Social capital is based on traditional, strong social bonds, social networks are much more flexible. Being member of any church or trade union really strongly define who you are and with what kind of people you interact. Social capital is often very exclusive. Social networks are in general more inclusive and 'weaker'. But I think they provide a similar to social capital safety net in contemporary liquid city. I think it is too early to say, but maybe our future society will be much more flexible and fluid, based on weaker, more inclusive social connections. If so, we will need probably much stronger institutions to support this society – as we need facebook to support a particular set of social networks.

1000. Sometimes I feel that we, architects do not have enough freedom for our creativity, so restricted we are under the “design guidelines.”  How do you feel about it?

K. N. I do love restrictions! I do believe norms and guidelines could play extremely positive role. It is an illusion that guidelines are architects 'enemies'. Architects are first of all slaves of clients, very often of 'shark-developers'. Design guidelines could help architects to defend a fundamental quality of their design. Design guidelines or norms are also part of our modernism's legacy, they represent the belief in universalism. I am an universalist, so I like them.

1000. There are many cases where planners do not work with architects as a team. Should planners restrict architects’ criteria?

K. N. Yes and no. The tension between different actors during design process could be helpful, it  could make design stronger and better. But as I said, I would rather prefer universal guidelines over strong planners. Planners and architects should work together, as equal members of a team.

1000. Is it a real advantage for planners and architects to work with participative design?

K. N. Participative design is a very difficult and challenging way of work, but if we believe that democracy is better than authoritarian system, then we should work towards fully participative design model.

1000. And what is your solution to help in each other’s understanding in participative design?

K. N. In my book I introduce an idea of 'border/institution'. It is a special type of institution, defined solely by its function which is to – in the same moment – to protect and support a local subjectivity and to negotiate between different subjects, different interests, different needs. This type of institution has power and is absolutely powerless in the same time. I do trust people but I strongly believe that an institutional context must exist to support (sustain) mutual understanding needed in participative design.

1000. Can we isolate ourselves and have our own private space in the public space? I mean, in a psychological context?

K. N. In my book I challenge the idea of public (and also private) space. This idea is too strongly connected with the idea of ownership. Our existence in space is based on different principles – we are using a space, we are attached (also emotionally) to certain spaces. Ownership is not fundamental here. I prefer to talk about space or interaction and intimate space. When you sit in a park on a bench (public park and public bench) the space you occupy at this particular moment is your own intimate space. So where are you? In public or private space? Or if you in your own bedroom browsing an internet and breathing fresh air from the park nearby – are you really in absolute private space? I think this typology of private-public spaces is just useless to really understand contemporary urban condition.

1000. In this context, what’s the function of the body in the city?

K. N. Well... First of all we, as humans, exist in our bodies, therefore any city, as a material entity, must be designed to fulfill our bodies' needs. But there is something more about bodies in a context of knowledge based economy and city – I think that bodies produce and transfer knowledge. Production is obvious, but I think it is interesting to see human body as media  – like newspapers or internet – to transfer information. In a context of 'smart city' idea, I think it would be an interesting direction to investigate.

1000. You remind me of a Bradbury’s story, “ No particular night or morning,”  where the main character wanted too much space, nothing above, nothing on top, that’s why he travels to the outer space; for him, cities were not real if he couldn’t live in them, and when he thinks his body is the only proof of his existence, he decides he won’t exist anymore… So, do we need proof of our existences in the material cities? Or our memories and information are enough?

K. N. As long as we have bodies we need the material cities. In this story the main character is rejecting his body as he is rejecting cities, stars, other people. It is kind of solipsistic fixation, it is interesting and sometimes could be intellectually inspiring, but for urbanists it is rather useless or even dangerous. It doesn't mean of course, that our memories are not important – on the contrary, they are, but they are also, very often, connected with material artifacts, with other bodies... We are not angels, we need roads, buildings, sewage systems...

1000. Would you briefly explain the metaphor of “Holes in the Whole” ?

K.N. Firstly, it refers to the intuitive understanding of space without clearly defined purpose, a left-over space, an in-between space like belt of grass by the roadside, remnants of an unfinished investment, abandoned amusement park, bankrupt mall, etc. It also refers to potentiality of these spaces.

Secondly, it refers to the Emil Cioran's understanding of 'void' as a no-being interrupting the continuity of existence. For Cioran 'void' has rather functional than ontological significance – it is important what void does (it interferes, interrupts and blocks) rather than what it is.

Thirdly, 'hole' refers to the idea of 'void' within the meaning of Alain Badiou, as the Real beyond Representation.

Therefore the 'hole' is an excess, not an absence. Excess/surplus without a language to be described – included into any narrative. 'Hole in the whole' is then (partially) virtual space awaiting for its actualization. This 'hole' is a very real space, no one could call it the hole until the new language is able to include it into the urban narrative. However, we are not dealing with a passive waiting for the event, which we will be able to 'entrust', but rather with the challenge of 'creative freedom' – the language for which must be created. Excess/surplus of the 'hole in the whole' is therefore the task of finding a new narrative and the new application. One can imagine the 'hole' as a limited territory - a special economic (or social or political) zone, or maybe a city - as an experiment.

1000. Which are your best expectations for a “good city” ?

K. N. Good and full life for everybody! It should have elements of security (also economic security – I do believe in right to accommodation/house as a basic human right) and excitement, it must help people to be together but in the same time it must protect their privacy. It should be a territory where different subjects are in constant dialog, territory open for experimentation. Good city is a polyphonic universal narrative and all its inhabitants are part of it.

M. Thank you so much Dr. Nawratek, it’s been a pleasure.

Carnaval y shopping

Bajo la cúpula del Westfield shopping mall, San Francisco.

¨El carnaval era la misma ciudad transformada; más exactamente, un intervalo de tiempo durante el cual la ciudad se transformaba, y volvía después a su rutina cotidiana. Durante un lapso estrictamente definido, que se repetía cíclicamente, el carnaval revelaba ¨la otra cara¨de la realidad cotidiana, una cara que estaba siempre presente pero que normalmente era invisible e intocable. El recuerdo del acontecimiento y la anticipación de otros acontecimientos futuros no permitían que desapareciera la conciencia de esa ¨otra cara¨.

Una excursión al templo del consumo es algo muy diferente. Su realización implica la sensación de ser transportado a otro mundo, y no, como en el caso del carnaval, la sensación de estar presenciando una transustanciación maravillosa del mundo conocido. El templo del consumo (a diferencia del ¨almacén de la esquina¨ de antaño) puede estar en la ciudad (si es que no se lo construye, simbólicamente, fuera de los límites de la ciudad, al costado de una autopista), pero no forma parte de ella; no es el mundo habitual temporariamente transmutado, sino un mundo ¨completamente otro¨. Lo que convierte en ¨otro¨ no es la inversión, el rechazo ni la suspensión de las reglas que gobiernan la cotidianidad, como en el caso del carnaval, sino el despliegue de un modo de ser que la cotidianidad excluye o que trata vanamente de lograr –y que casi nadie puede experimentar en los lugares de residencia habitual-.¨

REFERENCIAS. Zygmunt Bauman. Modernidad Líquida. Cap. Espacio/Tiempo, pág. 106 y 107.

Fotos de Myriam B. Mahiques, archivos personales.

Una de las vidrieras de Macy´s, San Francisco

Disertación del arq. Clorindo Testa con complicaciones

Arq. Clorindo Testa en la UNLP. Foto UNLP

No es la primera vez que suceden rencillas serias en el Centro de Estudiantes, del que nunca participé, bajo ningún partido político. Mis soportes a la FADU fueron trabajar como docente gratis (Ad honorem) por un tiempo, hasta ser rentada con un sueldo que no se puede ni mencionar (al que hay que descontar estacionamiento, gastos varios, viáticos, etc) y aún sigo siendo investigadora Ad Honorem, pero lo hago con mucho cariño.

Mi esposo, el arq. Luis Makianich, también dió clases Ad Honorem y cursos de ArchiCad para los alumnos, gratuitos, con las computadoras del Centro de Estudiantes, hasta que ellos mismos, en estas rencillas políticas nos las quitaron, es decir, no se las llevaron, sencillamente no permitieron que los alumnos de nuestra cátedra las usaran, por supuesto todos los profesores teníamos computadoras en casa.

Sigo avergonzándome de su comportamiento, tanto en La Plata como en la UBA, y puedo entender que no son todos culpables, algunos se acercan al Centro con buenas intenciones. Del diario La Nación, transcribo un párrafo sobre el escándalo por la disertación del arquitecto Clorindo Testa, quien no se merece semejante actitud, menos aún considerando su prestigio y edad avanzada.

Dejo el link para que sigan leyendo y saquen sus propias conclusiones:

¨Y finalmente Clorindo Testa, uno de los más prestigiosos arquitectos del país, pudo brindar su conferencia académica en la Facultad de Aquitectura y Urbanismo de la Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), tras la controversia desatada entre las autoridades de esa unidad académica y la municipalidad de La Plata.

Sucedió que la conferencia de Clorindo Testa, con el título de Clorindo x Clorindo, estaba prevista a comienzo de este mes. A último momento, fue suspendida por el decano Gustavo Azpiazu porque en plenas elecciones estudiantiles Franja Morada y una agrupación kirchnerista se disputaban la exclusividad de la charla del arquitecto.

La iniciativa había surgido desde la Municipalidad de La Plata, por medio de la Dirección de Articulación Ciudadana, y fue propuesta a las autoridades de la facultad. Antes de que estallara la disputa estudiantil, la intención de la comuna era reconocer la trayectoria de Testa. Por eso, el intendente Pablo Bruera (FPV) iba a entregarle un diploma como ciudadano ilustre.

Si bien las elecciones estudiantiles pasaron, ayer se percibía un clima tenso en la facultad. La charla había sido anunciada a las 10.30 pero comenzó a las 10. Esto indignó a Bruera, que había ido a la facultad a entregarle el diploma.¨

http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1425937-tras-un-escandalo-testa-pudo-disertar?utm_source=n_tip_nota1&utm_medium=titularP&utm_campaign=NLCult

Fallecimiento del arq. Mario Roberto Álvarez

El arq. Mario R. Álvarez junto a Clorindo Testa, Daniel Silberfaden y Enrique Pichon Riviere, 2008

Edificio IBM, Retiro, Buenos Aires

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=398935

Hotel Hilton, Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=398935

Con gran tristeza la SCA informa que el 5 de noviembre falleció el arquitecto Mario Roberto Álvarez, decano de nuestra matrícula y en actividad hasta el presente.

El Arq. Álvarez, socio vitalicio de la entidad, recibió en 2008 el Premio Trayectoria SCA-Batimat Expovivienda (en forma conjunta con el Arq. Clorindo Testa) en su primera edición, como reconocimiento a su trayectoria de excelencia en la arquitectura y como profesional.

Nacido en Buenos Aires el 14 de noviembre de 1913, egresado con Medalla de Oro del Colegio Nacional de Buenos Aires y de la Facutlad de Arquitectura de la UBA en 1936, obtuvo en 1938 la beca Ader -por concurso entre los mejores promedios de los años 1935-1938, que le permitió recorrer ciento quince ciudades de Europa en un viaje de estudios que se ve reflejado en su reciente publicación del “Cuaderno de viaje”. Durante ese viaje conoció a los más importantes representantes del Movimiento Moderno del momento: Gropius, Mies van der Rohe, Breuer, Neutra.

En 1939 obtuvo su primera obra por concurso: la Corporación Médica de San Martín, (---) A partir de entonces conformó su estudio, con el que siguió trabajando incansablemente.

Era Académico de Número de la Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes desde 1983, Doctor Honoris Causa de al UBA y otra universidades del país y del exterior; recibió perstigiosas distinciones como el Premio del Fondo Nacional de las Artes.

En la SCA integró en dieciocho períodos (hasta hoy) los Colegios de Jurados y Asesores en Arquitectura y Urbanismo, y ocupó la vicepresidencia de la entidad en 1961.

REFERENCIA: Sociedad Central de Arquitectos, Buenos Aires

http://www.socearq.org/index.php/noticias/arq-mario-roberto-alvarez-su-fallecimiento.html

Torre Galicia y Banco Ríos. Buenos Aires.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=398935

Torre Le Parc, Palermo, Buenos Aires. 

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=398935

Kevin Roche Retrospective Opens in New York

New York, New York (1963-68). Ford Foundation Headquarters. Photo Ezra Stoller

New York, New York (1969-75). One United Nations Plaza Photo courtesy Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates

J.P. Morgan and Company Headquarters. Photo courtesy Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates

J.P. Morgan and Company Headquarters. Photo courtesy Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates

New York, New York (1980). Metropolitan Museum of Art, American Wing Court. Photo courtesy Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates

Oakland, California (1969). Oakland Museum of California. Photo courtesy Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates

¨The exhibition and catalogue—researched by Eeva-Liisa Pelkonen and her students at Yale, where the exhibition was first staged—argue that Roche is influential for considering architecture as a nexus of complex systems: urbanism, the environment, infrastructure, workplace organization, and architectural history. For his corporate clients, for instance, he researched organizational needs by systematically interviewing employees. This resulted in suburban office buildings of fractal intricacy, like the Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, headquarters of Merck (1993), its floor plan a colossal, crenellated hexagon, or the snowflake-like wings of the Union Carbide headquarters (1982) in Danbury, Connecticut.

Stylistically agnostic, Roche built in concrete, steel, and glass in vocabularies ranging from Brutalism to minimalism to postmodern classical references—or with some combination of the three. Much of his work is justifiably acclaimed, although the squat, yellow-and-green Kimmel Center (2003) at Manhattan’s New York University shows the limits of the systems-analysis design methodology when it neglects aesthetic components like form, proportion, and material.

The New York installation of the show emphasizes Roche’s influence on the city, particularly the landmark Ford Foundation Headquarters (1968) and his complete transformation of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (ongoing since 1967). Even better, the city itself is a perfect showcase of his work, with 13 completed buildings still standing throughout Manhattan.

Roche will join former New York Times architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff for a sold-out conversation at the Ford Foundation Headquarters on October 17, 2011. The exhibition closes on January 22, when it will travel next to the National Building Museum, Washington, DC, in July 2012, followed by the Eric Arthur Gallery, University of Toronto, next October.¨

Excerpt from Carl Yost´s article for Architectural Record, read it in full:

http://archrecord.construction.com/news/2011/10/Kevin-Roche-Retrospective.asp