Friday, October 17, 2008

"Modern architecture is defined by it's mediation, not by it's built form"



This is Zaha Hadid's Opera House in Dubai, found via SuperSpatial. I am far from knowledgable in the field of architecture, I am fascinated by it, and have architects in my family, I exist within it and take notice of/appreciate it. I say this becasue I also have an opinion, but want you to understand my lack of understanding... if that makes any sense.

This proposed Opera house has that intensely "futuristic" (whatever that really means) look. It is flowing liquid, or perhaps (much more likely) it is a shifting sand dune. To me however, it is forced progression, not entirely human. It looks like we are aspiring to build beyond our means or even ourselves, I feel like this is a mimic of what we think the future might look like, or even what something from another place in space might look like. Overarching point... the design of this is forced, not like the Sydney Opera house, which is beautifully unique, human, and perfectly placed for its surroundings. I think that the author of the SuperSpatial blog puts it painfully well when he says:

"Why not build it?

- Because the reality will never live up [to] where my imagination will take it.

- Because more people will see it online and in magazines than will ever visit it. Modern architecture is defined by it's mediation, not by it's built form."

Taken from the comments section of that post.

Two more thoughts that do not fit in to the above paragraph:

1) Does the building not look like an overly photoshoped graphic?
2) Is Zaha Hadid's website not only frustrating to navigate, but strangely "student" in overall design?

1 comment:

Millie Scarlett Davies said...

i love Zaha Hadid shes amazing i have a copy of wallpaper magazine where she cut into the paper looks so nice :)