Comments on: Music School Louviers extension by Opus 5 http://www.dezeen.com/2012/07/16/music-school-louviers-extension-by-opus-5/ architecture and design magazine Sat, 25 May 2013 03:08:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: cuneese http://www.dezeen.com/2012/07/16/music-school-louviers-extension-by-opus-5/comment-page-1/#comment-964778 cuneese Wed, 18 Jul 2012 02:24:00 +0000 http://admin.dezeen.com/?p=227142#comment-964778 The proposal is interesting, there's no question about it. Audacious: perhaps 20 years ago. But how is it respectful in any way? And how can you describe the cloister as "a couple of stones"? Zab, I never called for a reproduction of the past, but for an attitude different from one of complete refusal. The proposal is interesting, there’s no question about it. Audacious: perhaps 20 years ago. But how is it respectful in any way? And how can you describe the cloister as “a couple of stones”?

Zab, I never called for a reproduction of the past, but for an attitude different from one of complete refusal.

]]> By: cuneese http://www.dezeen.com/2012/07/16/music-school-louviers-extension-by-opus-5/comment-page-1/#comment-964777 cuneese Wed, 18 Jul 2012 02:09:00 +0000 http://admin.dezeen.com/?p=227142#comment-964777 I agree on your first point: as you can see I linked an example of a project interacting with a similar setting, using a minimalist language but being as you say no-obtrusive. Very much unlike this Music School. I live in Asia and as far as you are right on their pursuit of Westernization, that doesn't really affect their existing architecture. You d be amazed how these two worlds, the ancient and contemporary-westernized, live together side by side. Pachinkos and Pagodas in Japan. On the other hand I want to point out the recognition of the Pritzker to Wang Shu, who is an Asian pioneer in combining modernism with a cultural sensitivity which is, as far as I know, unknown in Europe. The main difference is that modern architecture being a produce of the western world we tend to live it as a natural historical evolution, rather then as an alternative language. This mindset justifies the comment of Zab, which seems to think I was expecting to see some kind of conservative restoration, which is not the case. I am well aware we don t live in the 17th century anymore, and I don t ask to blend in seamlessly. I ask for subtlety, sensitivity, and not this violent and arrogant approach. The theoretical approach to architecture, and therefore the resulting practice, is far from being balanced today. Modernism needs to be diluted and regarded objectively, it will take a few more years to do so but it will happen. I see the germ in some works by Zumthor. But Wang Shu gives me greater hope. I agree on your first point: as you can see I linked an example of a project interacting with a similar setting, using a minimalist language but being as you say no-obtrusive. Very much unlike this Music School.

I live in Asia and as far as you are right on their pursuit of Westernization, that doesn’t really affect their existing architecture. You d be amazed how these two worlds, the ancient and contemporary-westernized, live together side by side. Pachinkos and Pagodas in Japan.

On the other hand I want to point out the recognition of the Pritzker to Wang Shu, who is an Asian pioneer in combining modernism with a cultural sensitivity which is, as far as I know, unknown in Europe. The main difference is that modern architecture being a produce of the western world we tend to live it as a natural historical evolution, rather then as an alternative language. This mindset justifies the comment of Zab, which seems to think I was expecting to see some kind of conservative restoration, which is not the case. I am well aware we don t live in the 17th century anymore, and I don t ask to blend in seamlessly. I ask for subtlety, sensitivity, and not this violent and arrogant approach.

The theoretical approach to architecture, and therefore the resulting practice, is far from being balanced today. Modernism needs to be diluted and regarded objectively, it will take a few more years to do so but it will happen. I see the germ in some works by Zumthor. But Wang Shu gives me greater hope.

]]> By: nick http://www.dezeen.com/2012/07/16/music-school-louviers-extension-by-opus-5/comment-page-1/#comment-964566 nick Mon, 16 Jul 2012 20:42:00 +0000 http://admin.dezeen.com/?p=227142#comment-964566 "Asians, in pursuit of Westernization, show little respect towards their greatest monuments" - This is a generalization taking into account many cultures, and not a very good one at that. Have you been to Japan? "As for Americans, they seem to shamelessly demolish any heritage in favour of tall glass boxes" - Also a generalization, and something not only particular to the US. Care to be more specific? “Asians, in pursuit of Westernization, show little respect towards their greatest monuments” – This is a generalization taking into account many cultures, and not a very good one at that. Have you been to Japan?

“As for Americans, they seem to shamelessly demolish any heritage in favour of tall glass boxes” – Also a generalization, and something not only particular to the US. Care to be more specific?

]]> By: zizi http://www.dezeen.com/2012/07/16/music-school-louviers-extension-by-opus-5/comment-page-1/#comment-964565 zizi Mon, 16 Jul 2012 20:40:00 +0000 http://admin.dezeen.com/?p=227142#comment-964565 The problem here is not the coexistence of old and new but the frankly indelicate way it was done. The problem here is not the coexistence of old and new but the frankly indelicate way it was done.

]]> By: zizi http://www.dezeen.com/2012/07/16/music-school-louviers-extension-by-opus-5/comment-page-1/#comment-964564 zizi Mon, 16 Jul 2012 20:28:00 +0000 http://admin.dezeen.com/?p=227142#comment-964564 Agree, this intervention lacks subtlety. Agree, this intervention lacks subtlety.

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