InterActiveCorp HQ - 555 West 18th Street @ West Street - by Frank Gehry

**ablarc** · March 19th, 2006, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by infoshare

I am reminded of the schools of 19th century european painting; some were "romanticsm" and others were "classicism".

I would say that Gehrys' style would be more in the style of "romaticsim" - even if it is only "clothes" it will be an attractive building.

But! - If I were a stakeholder in the matter - I would choose the "classicism" of an Architect like Calatrava.

You'd be in good company; history will too.

From the professional standpoint of an architect, the greatest of all Gehry's achievements might be that he actually convinces people to pay for his expensive and loopy extravagances. This is an outcome of his reputation, carefully nurtured over nearly half a century. Most anybody can dream up irrational forms; and though few can conjure evocative and communicative ones like Gehry's, there are more who could but can't find the clients to finance them.

History will perceive him as a willful artist who invented forms that belong in the realm of gigantic sculpture and then hired structural engineers to figure out how to build them. Calatrava's forms are devised as structure; he himself is the structural engineer, and his forms are conceived integrally with the knowledge of how to build them.

Gehry's forms are pungent and sculpturally interesting, but his spiritual father is the sculptor Claes Oldenburg. Being truthful and fairly humble, Gehry will confirm this.

.

**BPC** · March 19th, 2006, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by ablarc

Calatrava's forms are devised as structure; he himself is the structural engineer, and his forms are conceived integrally with the knowledge of how to build them.

While I mostly agree with your point, these are just generalities. Calatrava's "wings" on the Path Station have zero strucutural significance. They are the definition of showy sculptural architecture that you attribute to Gehry.

**ablarc** · March 19th, 2006, 02:40 PM

Originally Posted by BPC

While I mostly agree with your point, these are just generalities. Calatrava's "wings" on the Path Station have zero strucutural significance. They are the definition of showy sculptural architecture that you attribute to Gehry.

I know what you're saying. You're talking about functional integrity, which Calatrava's wings don't have. I'm talking about structural integrity which they do have.

Anything that is pure structure has structural integrity by definition. When you look at a Gehry building you're not looking at structure. The structure's well hidden (and with good reason).

**ablarc** · March 20th, 2006, 12:13 PM

Another Mannerist who understood the uses of structural irrationality:

Giulio Romano.

Cf. photos above.

**LeCom** · March 22nd, 2006, 07:34 PM

Used up my last metro card risdes today to get some photos of this baby. I have to say, it was totally worth it. Photos later.

**BrooklynRider** · March 23rd, 2006, 01:29 PM

The glass along 18th street is kind of funky. It looking like it is frosted with a dissolved transparency line through the middle.

**MidtownGuy** · March 23rd, 2006, 07:45 PM

I'm lovin' it.

**ZippyTheChimp** · March 23rd, 2006, 08:50 PM

.

**ablarc** · March 23rd, 2006, 09:19 PM

Amazing and beautiful.

Clothes make the man.

**antinimby** · March 23rd, 2006, 10:10 PM

Between the illusional effect of the glass on this and the new Memorial Sloan-Kettering Research Building on the East Side, I'm getting eye strain.

**NoyokA** · March 23rd, 2006, 10:43 PM

It looks like this etching treatment will have the same supposed benefits as those at the NYTIMES Tower, sans a one hundred million dollar second curtain wall fascade and structure.

**aural iNK** · March 24th, 2006, 10:56 AM

And the same negative effect on the building's occupants, no?

**NoyokA** · March 24th, 2006, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by aural iNK

And the same negative effect on the building's occupants, no?

Your right. All thats been said about this technique's benefits and detriments, its to be seen once the building is complete and tenants move in. One thing that is known for sure is that this approach could've been applied as it is here and that building another fascade as with NYTIMES is expensive and unnecessary.

**LeCom** · March 24th, 2006, 07:58 PM

Brave By Design indeed

Insanity

Here comes the neighborhood

Somebody give this guy a ruler

Westside, get ready

**TLOZ Link5** · March 24th, 2006, 08:18 PM

In light of the public protest regarding the Atlantic Yards arena and the complete lack of information regarding the Beekman Street tower, what surprises me about this Gehry project is the fact that it has gone up so quietly by comparison. And damned if that glass does not look fantastic.