Show Us Your Curves...

Snapping this shot last night on the way to see this amazing show at REDCAT, I realized that the embarrassingly (but somehow appropriately) named Disney Hall is as likeable in person as it is in photos, possibly more so. This is good, since many buildings I see these days seem to be tailor made for the photo, not the live experience. What is kind of remarkable about Frank Gehry is that his buildings work on both levels, they are almost obnoxiously photogenic and yet they have a sort of living breathing, dare I say, human quality when you stand next to them and put your hand against the cold, curved metal and see the rivets that hold each plate in place. I know Gehry takes heat because his buildings leak and are way too shiny for the neighbors. All valid. But as a purely instinctual admirer of architecture I'm really glad to be living in the era of exuberant, non-box shaped structures. Santiago Calatrava, Rem Koolhaas/OMA, Zaha Hadid, and all the big, obvious names behind the curvy, soaring lines of our day. These people have enough critics, and they are probably a nightmare to, say, get coffee for, but since I have no business with them other than use their buildings and marvel at their feats, I will humbly offer my simple enthusiasm to their hard-earned monster egos.

(photo by Paul Gachot)