Zaha Hadid (photo from this site)
If you scroll down to the bottom three photos in this post, you'll see the exterior and interior of the building where I work, Morrill Hall. It's one of the oldest buildings on our campus, built around the turn of the 19th century. Students and professors either love it or hate it. It's old, decrepit, plain, and well, I love it. It will be torn down one of these days, because they say it's too decrepit to bear repair.
In about two years, just down the block from Morrill Hall along Grand River Ave., in a row of similarly traditional university halls, a world-class 26,000 square foot art museum shown in these renderings will be completed.
Zaha Hadid, world-renowned Iraqi-British architect and winner of the Pritzker Architectural Prize, created the winning design for the museum that will house modern and contemporary art. Hadid is the only woman architect to win the Pritzker, comparable to the Nobel prize in architectural circles. Her work is known for pushing the boundaries of architectural and urban design.
Thanks to Loring who brought this NYTimes Art & Design piece about this to my attention.
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Eli and Edythe Broad donated most of the money ($24 million). $34 million was raised before the winning design was even chosen.
Won't it be interesting to see this sleek, floating aluminum and glass structure in a row with buildings like mine?I am VERY EXCITED to witness this arrival. It will change the face of our old North Campus, which I love as is. But I think when I walk by the new Broad museum, I will be startled by aesthetic pleasure every time.
Morrill Hall
16 comments:
I appreciate Hadid's vision, but it will be unnerving to see the new museum juxtaposed against Grand River Avenue. And Morrill will be missed by more than its present tenants!
so they will demolish Morrill Hall to put up this museum?
it's amazing, i love her work. there was an exhibit at the Guggenheim not too long ago with all of her work, but i totally missed it. argh! it does seem a bit different for the campus, but it will be a breath of fresh air indeed.
loves!
Loring, some days I think it will be great, others, I drive past the spot where it will be, with its beautiful mature pine trees, and my heart says "no!"
Maybe the threat to demolish Morrill will continue to be just a threat.
No, Lesley, I'm sorry to confuse. Morrill has been "under the gun" for years, because they can't refurbish it. I don't think it's been condemned yet, but once a ceiling/floor fell through to the level below! Sometimes when I hear something loud above me I think, Oh no! :|
What do you think of this design? And what do you think of designs that scream "modern" in a context like our old campus?
Oh, I meant to say, the site for the museum is down the street, in my same block. the Paolucci building was already torn down, so the site is ready for building.
The photo of Zaha Hadid is as fabulous as her architectural design, Ruth. I would want that building anywhere for the idea and vision of her alone! If it were anyone else's, maybe I'd think differently. So, hmmmm. That's interesting that I cannot separate that building from her. SHE is the beauty to behold. Congratulations to you both!
Boots, I agree with you. I was so intrigued by this photo of her, even though it isn't mine, I had to post it. She is spectacular-looking, and there is something about her presence, at least in a photo, that drew me to her work. It is quite interesting to contemplate that.
The New structure doesn't seem to blend with the surroundings Ruth.
Where as your building is blending very well.
I agree, rauf, it doesn't blend. I don't think Hadid intends her designs to blend. And that is why I think it's difficult to like it. People had this problem with the Eiffel Tower, with the Pompideau. I think it raises interesting questions about modern art.
Well, of course the questions about modern art were raised long ago.
Hi Ruth,
What a wonderfull achitectual building this is, I even told my hubby (he is in archtecture too) and its a great design, spacius and mysterious, like nature or weather, like travelling around in spaces of room and lightning, all lines and forms. fantastic!!! that one person can design this eh?
I love all kinds of architecture, tough thats not in my blog (yet) but its my interest also...
Thanks for showing, I loved looking at it!:)
I'm glad you like it, JoAnn. I will be interested to see the whole neighborhood when it's finished.
Hey, one of the main stories in the Jan. 24 NY Times Arts section was this one about Zaha Hadid and MSU:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/24/arts/design/24hadi.html
Leave it to Ruth to beat the New York Times by more than a week!
Wow, cool! Thanks, Loring. I'll put on the post too.
they look great but they have a chilliness to them (i feel). i like the warmth of the old buildings myself. somethings can change for the better there too, ofcourse, more spaciousness and efficiency and so on.
I agree, Mystic, I prefer old brick buildings. There is something, though, about the startling vision of this modern building that reminds me what art can do to us.
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