mentalblog.com comments:
You want to talk about truly revolutionary thinkers?
Syd Barett died today.
Tzemach
I was at the Seattle Public Library barely two weeks ago. I found the design stunningly beautiful. Unfortunately, I also felt that there were serious lacunae in the collection. I think this presentation perhaps answers my incessent pestering of my friend during our visit by exposing the new multifaceted function that the architects envisoned for their library. A few thoughts on this:
1) There seems to be a v clear influence of Certeau in the idea that libraries are a space for poaching, the "yelling eating and chess" of the presentation. We go ostensibly for books, but how delighted we are when our erudition leads us to excellent coffee and comfy chairs in a stunning building! I will, the architect tells us, use the lbrary for whatever I like, including a proposal to my wife.
2) The presentation acclaims the library as a free space. This is not true. There is a gift shop, a coffee shop and other ways to part with your money. Moreover, much commerece takes place there in terms of internet shopping etc. While some may see this as nitpicking, I see it as significant. Since there is no free space, only the creation of a habitus. With library cards, real and computer literacy etc, you still need to buy into the library. So dont pretend it is free unlike a mall. Especially if you hold of poaching. That is, if I will do what I want as a user in my practice, then I will do it wherever. Wherever includes both libraries and malls.
3) Hyperrationalism vs. High Modernism. Again back to the issue of usage. That is, Modernism presupposed a multiplicity of uses which was, in the presenter's mind, supplnted by an overriding use. How do we solve this? Answer: by creating fragmentary spaces that can each be taken in their own direction by the users.
this seems suspect to me.
a) is this rationalism? I am sure Chait and his maimonidean friends would disagree. To me it seems like a type of highly esoteric closed language.
b)Hypernomianism can be equated with antinomianism according to such theorists of the exception as Agamben etc. That is, it doesnt matter if the soveirgn is killed or cannot be killed. Just that he snt subject to the normal judicial procedures. Hyperationalism, in this neat equation, attempted by our author, should then equal some kind of esotericism. But it doesnt. This isnt 351 of the Rambam (post rational mysticism for the neoMaimonideans of bar ilan). Instead, this is just the mystical language of architecture preening to the common man. So again back to Certeau. Meaning, the architect is the ultimate user, using the building to show a confident breakdown of rationalsim which of course never occurs. Which means that he is using the mystical language merely as a perlocutionary element. Which means (according to Tambiah and others) that the whole library might really be a nonsensical incantation.....
Interesting Chakira. What about people who have not seen the library, what is your take on the style and content of the presentation?
Well, im no architect but I love creativity and design. I was impressed by the following:
1. The marriage of functionalty and creative design. Not only in the final product, but from the birth of the concept.
2. The use of modern technolgy to design modern buildings.
3. The "Chutzpa" of daring to be different, and succeeding at convincing the client.
4. The logic of it all.
5. The amount of ugly and unfunctional buildings that are crowding our cities.
The presentation style fits perfectly with their design methodology. You start with a set of ‘givens’, for instance:
1. The presentation must be ‘x’ minutes long.
2. ‘y’ number of projects must be shown.
3. It is absolutely essential to make ‘z’ number of points and show ‘a’ number of visuals for each project.
Throw these two together and create a chart that shows that a speedy presentation style - one that precludes any chance the audience might actually digest/evaluate what is said - is inevitable. And no, the result is not arbitrary or ego-driven, Heaven forefend. No. It is a ‘non-linear organic outflow’ from a set of objective criteria, gently nudged along by a brave design ‘team’ that is willing to throw away the old conventions and expose the core purpose of the presentation – bs sales pitch.
I am always suspicious of people who need to trash Modernism to support their point of view. Often (and this is true of this presentation) this is done with unbelievable ignorance. It is easy to make fun of the so-called ‘International Style’ (which btw was more a result of Post-War optimism than an expression of between-the-wars Modernist ideas). For example, it is most certainly a gross misrepresentation of Modernism to say that it stood for the ‘one space fits all purposes’ approach. In fact this kind of an idea is totally antithetical to the Modernist thinking. Even a cursory look at the innovative work of people like Tatlin, Lisitsly, Frank Lloyd Write and many others is sufficient to demonstrate the folly of that assertion.
but the guy is a master salesman. a star.
Seattle Public Library is interesting and functional rather than "stunning beautiful"... The architect says, "Although the library is sculptural, it is not in any way an attempt to make a form. The library's appearance comes from pushing boxes around to stay within the height and setback restrictions and zoning codes."
In terms of content, there are many, many severe lacunae in their collection in the areas that I am familiar with (Philosophy, J Studies). I did random catalog searches and was conisitently disappointed. My friend pointed out that for some reason the Seattle Library does have 8 books by the late AJ Heschel, but the Jewish area is quite small and almost entirely pop literature. The catalog itself is a beautiful interface, and it gives you a picture of the book if it comes up. unfortunately, i got to see v few of these pretty pictures in my own search results.
It is def not a research library, at least for my purposes. To mitigate this criticism, I will note that there does seem to be a very good section on Seattle and Washington State history.
Finally, despite the fact that its not a great library, it is a truly wonderful place to visit. With good coffee and a cute gift shop to boot!
I just spent the last hour or so watching all 3 TED videos you have posted. They are incredible.
Thank you very, very much for posting them.
Two words: Howard Roark.
This is pure Roark: The Beauty and Art that come from being truly Functional. And interesting commentary about those who would mistake it for being arrogant just because it's unique.
As a layperson, I found the concepts interesting and emphasizing function. I also found them horribly unaesthetic, at least from the exterior views. I was disappointed.
It almost felt as if he and his colleagues were taking this formal, intellectual approach wherein buildings represented ideas about functional use of space and nothing more. He is building boxes because they are a clean geometric shape and then piling them one on top of the other according to whatever use and amount of use relative to the other parts of the building they may have. You have 1,000,000 books? Make the box this size. You have 100,000 books? Make the box 1/10th the size. Then take the other boxes and make the building look like a deconstructed box.
Is it that hard to work is some aesthetic value and not pretend that boxes have it?
I know nothing about architecture except what I like and don't like.
This building looks cold and unfriendly to people. The best libraries are responsive to intellectual inquiry, loaded with lots of books on every subject. Theoretically, a library patron ought to be able to obtain within a reasonable amount of time a copy of any book in print or not.
Cleveland, Ohio's library is old and beautiful -- wide marble staircases with worn down steps -- book rooms jammed with stacks to explore.
St. Charles has a decent library. Like a lot of suburban libraries it is first meant to serve the students of the local school district, then everyone else. A very good cast bronze statue of a ten-year-old girl crouched on her knees and bent over a book stands in the center of the small lobby. The girl's parents commissioned it after she died because she spent so much of her life reading. Her little dog is there too, lying next to her.
The best part of life resides in the small.
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