The Iconic BuildingCharles Jencks, the leading architectural critic and writer, takes on trendiness in architecture: namely the rise of the iconic building, instantly famous and distinctively recognizable structures like Norman Foster's Gherkin in London or Daniel Libeskind's Ground Zero designs in New York. Although there have always been buildings built to be instant icons such as palaces and cathedrals, Jencks sees this latest trend as being fueled by the real estate industry's thirst for profit and architects' outsize egos. Since the debut of Gehry's Guggenheim Bilbao, a roster of international architects has created iconic buildings that court publicity and controversy in equal measure. Some iconic buildings are successful creations that fulfill their contradictory requirements, while others make the public and the critics wince. In addition to Foster, Gehry and Libeskind, Jencks also discusses recent works by Peter Eisenman, Zaha Hadid, Rem Koolhaas, and Renzo Piano.Anyone interested in contemporary architecture and the direction of urban design will be interested in Jencks' witty, irreverent and sympathetic insights into how buildings can become good architecture that enhances the cityscape-and are truly iconic. |
Contents
THE BILBAO EFFECT | 7 |
The Religious and Secular | 22 |
Tensions Ancient Icons The First | 40 |
Copyright | |
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abstract Alsop amplified architecture became become Bilbao Bilbao Effect building type called CCTV celebrity Charles Jencks client competition concert hall concrete Corbusier Corbusier's cosmic cost create critics cultural curves Daniel Libeskind democracy Dewar Deyan Sudjic Disney Hall dome Eiffel emergent enigmatic signifier Enric Miralles fish forms Frank Gehry Freedom Tower Gehry's genre gesture global Ground Zero Guggenheim Museum Hadid Herbert Muschamp iconic building iconography idea important interior kitsch landmark Le Corbusier LEFT LMDC London look meaning memorial million Miralles modern Modernist monument nature Norman Foster overtones paintings Parliament Peter Eisenman political Prada Quoted Rem Koolhaas RIGHT Ronchamp Santiago Calatrava scheme Scottish sculpture seen September 11th shape shows signs skyscraper space square structure successful iconic Sydney Opera House symbolism tradition urban Viñoly void Wedge of Light World Trade Center York Zaha Zaha Hadid