A Fine Dump on the ICA in Boston

Tags: Architecture, Art Museums, Architecture Reviews, Institute Of Contemporary Art, Boston Harbor
Email this Topic • Print this Page

Read Discussion
Reply to All

LINK to article, Die another Day, by Philip Nobel in Metropolis Magazine

http://www.metropolismag.com/webimages/2681/ICA-Boston-DSR-1280_t346.jpg

photo credit - Iwan Baan

I think I haven't posted before on the ICA, the new institute of contemporary art at Boston Harbor. I've been reading nearly unanimous good reviews on it for weeks, even months now. (Will list some if I've saved any.) This article is the opposite of a good review, and seems to me to bring up valid points. But..... I don't live in Boston, haven't seen the building in person, much less been in it.

Here's a link to the fine architectural photo site, ARCspace. They do NOT want people reproducing their photos, so I won't - but there are quite a few images by the same photographer, spelled Iwan Ban this time.
http://www.arcspace.com/camera/ban/ban.html

Another review - way more pro -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/22/AR2006122200207.html

Any votes pro or con or in-between from A2kers?

Topic Stats
Top Replies
Link/Embed

Type: Discussion • Score: 1 • Views: 594 • Replies: 19

Does it exist already? Or is it planned?

0 Replies

It exists already. Diane's artist son has been to it, liked it if I remember correctly.

0 Replies

I visited the link. Then I remembered hearing about it's proposed construction years ago. I remember the counter-lever and walls of glass. I haven't been there, though.

0 Replies

Well, I voted that I liked it although I probably should have reserved judgement until visited. But based on the photo, it looks good to me. Purely subjective. I think it's because the architects seem to have considered the purpose of the building, the site and interior experience in almost equal proportions.

I personally would have to avoid that "mediatheque" room, though.

Aside: I'm going on a design tour of the ROM on June 26 -- after all my harsh words about the David Liebeskind (sp?) design, I'll be able to report on the real thing.

0 Replies

Cantilever lilk.

0 Replies

Ah yes, thanks dadpad, I knew that was wrong but was too lazy to look it up.

Frankly, just from the photos, it looks a little too boxy for my tastes. I do like other factors though. I'll have to pop over to check it out. If I go, I'll take photos.

0 Replies

Ok, good Tico, would like to go with you... oh, well. I would have to review what I was grousing about on that. Something about the interconnection of the buildings. That grouse might fly away in real life.

On the ICA, I've been all for it, just reading of course, and am at least somewhat a fan of Diller Scofidio and now Diller, Scofidio + Renfro. The one time in, oh, 40 years, I was in NYC, when I checked out the Whitney there was a D + S show. I didn't spend enough time at it, but was engaged in their thinking. Good recent article on them in the NY'er.

0 Replies

I'm not fussy one way or the other about the outside, but following ossoB's links, the inside seems quite marvellous.

(can't quite figure out how to vote - can I register a "I think I'd like it a lot, but only once I got inside")

0 Replies

I like it. I like galleries on water, in general. And this one seems to work with it rather well.

The one I love most, trying to be a good patriot, is Danubiana in Slovakia. It's not that spectacular, but they have good exhibits and when inside, all you see is water, on all sides.

http://www.mates.sk/Slalom/images/Badura2005/photos/P8300040.JPG

If nimh had his passport, we could have gone to see Hungarian expressionism there together next week.

0 Replies

Sure! I probably agree with you - I'm iffy on the back to the city, where's the door thing, while I still like the cantilever from outside. I guess we're OTHER.

Dadpad, have you heard of/followed Glenn Murcutt (sp?) Australian pritzker prize winner from 2002. I read an interesting article about him (works alone, terrible driver, idiosyncratic guy - like him already) a few weeks ago, but can't immediately find it online.

0 Replies

It looks like that around here, dag, except there a lot more trees.

0 Replies

you, too, are having an exhibit on hungarian expressionism! The odds of that!

0 Replies

dagmaraka wrote:

If nimh had his passport, we could have gone to see Hungarian expressionism there together next week.

True. And it looks like I'd better go there soon before it goes down with global warming.

0 Replies

I think you've shown that photo before, Dag, and I liked it before too... er, probably with some more glass on the wall facing us. But maybe that's facing the north wind, or some such.

Now I want to go see if I can find a photo of that restaurant Nobel mentioned, one even I have somehow heard of, see what he's saying about relation to the city as well as the water.

0 Replies

Well, this doesn't seem to prove his point, but maybe I need a rounder view.

http://www.northrup.org/Photos/boston/low/anythonys-from-harbor3.jpg

And, I'm wrong about having heard of it. I think there's some famous Anthony's in SF or Seattle, oh, never mind.

0 Replies

ossobuco wrote:

Dadpad, have you heard of/followed Glenn Murcutt (sp?) Australian pritzker prize winner from 2002. I read an interesting article about him (works alone, terrible driver, idiosyncratic guy - like him already) a few weeks ago, but can't immediately find it online.

I've heard the name but thats about all. Enviro friendly design with Australiana and aboriginal influences. Uses lots of corregated iron, and shearing shed/out back concepts.

http://z.about.com/d/architecture/1/0/U/G/murcutt-magney-house-anthony-browell-01.jpg

http://z.about.com/d/architecture/1/0/V/G/murcutt-magney-house-anthony-browell-03.jpg

http://z.about.com/d/architecture/1/0/S/G/murcutt-magney-house02.jpg

0 Replies

Yeah, that's him.
I'll get the link from the friend who sent it to me in the first place and maybe start a thread on Murcutt., or you could, you know the land/people there so much better. Either way, baack on that.

0 Replies

Interesting article in the New Yurker about the team of architects who designed it. A husband and wife with another partner.

0 Replies

Panz, you mean re the the art museum they worked out in Boston?... I agree that was an interesting article.

I am sort of a fan of theirs (Diller, Scofidio + Renfro). On the other hand, I can see the fullblown take of Mr. Nobel, of the original thread post, which is pretty anti-them. So it goes as a wafter....

0 Replies

Read Discussion
Reply to All

A Fine Dump on the ICA in Boston

Related Topics