ruminations about architecture and design

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

9/11 retrospective part 3

This is a photograph of the interior of one of the buildings in the Pruit-Igoe housing complex, designed by Minoru Yamasaki. The buildings were demolished in 1972, at the same time as Yamasaki's most famous buildings, the World Trade Centers, were nearing the end of construction.

I take a harsh point of view towards the architectural decisions that went into many works of "modern" architecture. As I get older, I am holding the architects of record less responsible for some of those mistakes.
I'm also unimpressed with the character of the new, formerly named "Freedom Tower" at the WTC site. Not so much because of its architecture, but because it was planned and designed with the same mindset that informed the original development. It's a more robust building, and will most certainly be a nicer place to work than what Yamasaki designed.

This photo shows the potential fate of all architecture. Whereas some ruins look glamorous and sublime, this is merely sublime. Or pointless, depending on your point of view.

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