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On 9/22/2020 at 3:15 PM, clutchcity94 said:


@rgarza When do you think y’all will be testing the illuminated tubes at night...anytime soon? Would love to see how it looks lit up!

Not sure. They were lighting up at night for a while but stopped recently. Not too sure why, but I can assure you it does look pretty cool when it’s lit up. 

14 hours ago, cloud713 said:


Have they moved in the Kusama room?

Yes, I saw it out of the corner of my eye as I was walking by last week and was instantly mesmerized. And that was just from seeing through the door from twenty feet away!

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41 minutes ago, MidCenturyMoldy said:


I found this photo of a model of the building at night a day or so ago. I’d never seen it before. It’s definitely better than the original model we’ve all seen.

07B6985B-6FA9-44E4-B6BB-0AE99C8B9610.jpeg

Looks about right. The only difference I can see is there is no longer a canopy at the entrance. Also, when I saw it lit up the light wasn’t quite that bright white, but I think this does give a good idea of what it’ll look like. 

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16 hours ago, rgarza said:

Looks about right. The only difference I can see is there is no longer a canopy at the entrance. Also, when I saw it lit up the light wasn’t quite that bright white, but I think this does give a good idea of what it’ll look like. 

@rgarza, are those lights:

1) "windows" through the concrete wall?

2) light panels behind the glass tubes?

3) or do I have it all wrong and these are lights external to the glass and are actually shining on the outside?

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On 9/23/2020 at 2:47 PM, MidCenturyMoldy said:


I found this photo of a model of the building at night a day or so ago. I’d never seen it before. It’s definitely better than the original model we’ve all seen.

07B6985B-6FA9-44E4-B6BB-0AE99C8B9610.jpeg

The model/rendering looks cool.  I’m still bummed that the most interesting aspect of the exterior design (imho) — the roof — will go largely unseen.  Although, it should translate to a spectacular ceiling on the inside.

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20 minutes ago, MarathonMan said:

The model/rendering looks cool.  I’m still bummed that the most interesting aspect of the exterior design (imho) — the roof — will go largely unseen.  Although, it should translate to a spectacular ceiling on the inside.

Best view of the roof will be from the top of the Glassel School, and you’re right about the interior ceilings - spectacular!

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6 hours ago, MarathonMan said:

The model/rendering looks cool.  I’m still bummed that the most interesting aspect of the exterior design (imho) — the roof — will go largely unseen.  Although, it should translate to a spectacular ceiling on the inside.


agreed, the building will appear very blocky and imposing from street level. Wish they could have brought some of those sweeping design elements down into the facade a bit.

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Well, this is a Steven Holl building. Glowing crystalline boxes are sort of his thing. If you want swooping sculptural forms, get yourself a Gehry.  The challenge with museum buildings is that they aren’t great candidates for bold undulating form. Curators and conservators would be thrilled with hermetically-sealed boxes. Windows and curved walls are the enemy. Overall, I think Holl has done a good job of breaking-up the large mass with the 7 insets, the cantilevered sections and the diaphanous cladding. And the true test will be how it works as gallery space inside. But, you’re right. It is a blocky building in the end.

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2 hours ago, DarklyMoron said:

Well, this is a Steven Holl building. Glowing crystalline boxes are sort of his thing. If you want swooping sculptural forms, get yourself a Gehry.  The challenge with museum buildings is that they aren’t great candidates for bold undulating form. Curators and conservators would be thrilled with hermetically-sealed boxes. Windows and curved walls are the enemy. Overall, I think Holl has done a good job of breaking-up the large mass with the 7 insets, the cantilevered sections and the diaphanous cladding. And the true test will be how it works as gallery space inside. But, you’re right. It is a blocky building in the end.


yeah, Gehry is on the other extreme for me. I never could figure out how the interior of his buildings are even usable. In this case, just a little bit of slice would have been nice 😊. But I’m still waiting for the end product and hoping to be pleasantly surprised. I’m hoping the gardens and reflecting pools offset the imposing facade a bit and create a pleasant pedestrian experience. 

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Steven Holl designed the chapel at my university, Seattle University, and the interior is one of the most thought provoking, peaceful, and transcendent spaces I’ve been in.

 

i am excited about the interior of this space. He’s an expert at how light works inside of the building 

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I understand that this is a Holl building and that glowing boxes are sort of his thing.  It’s a fine building, and I’m sure the interior will be nice and functional.  Safe with a little twist, in my opinion.  I’m just waiting for Houston to commission a “take your breath away” piece of architecture that makes people worldwide go, “Whoa!”  I think we missed an opportunity to really advertise Houston’s impressive cultural establishment to the world.   I’d submit places like Bilbao, Denver, Mexico City, Antwerp, Valencia, Hanoi, Paris, Alberta, Minneapolis have seized their opportunity more effectively.

22ED5417-397C-44D7-8734-C6DE9D2D5AAE.jpeg

Edited by MarathonMan
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4 minutes ago, MarathonMan said:

I understand that this is a Holl building and that glowing boxes are sort of his thing.  It’s a fine building, and I’m sure the interior will be nice and functional.  Safe with a little twist, in my opinion.  I’m just waiting for Houston to commission a “take your breath away” piece of architecture that makes people worldwide go, “Whoa!”  I think we missed an opportunity really advertise Houston’s impressive cultural establishment to the world.   Places like Bilbao, Denver, Mexico City, Antwerp, Valencia, Hanoi, Paris, Alberta, Minneapolis seized their opportunity more effectively.

22ED5417-397C-44D7-8734-C6DE9D2D5AAE.jpeg

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I definitely like this building more than the majority of those in your post. Some take my breath away in a bad sense. But everyone has their own opinion, which is the beauty of art/architecture! 

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25 minutes ago, MarathonMan said:

I understand that this is a Holl building and that glowing boxes are sort of his thing.  It’s a fine building, and I’m sure the interior will be nice and functional.  Safe with a little twist, in my opinion.  I’m just waiting for Houston to commission a “take your breath away” piece of architecture that makes people worldwide go, “Whoa!”  I think we missed an opportunity to really advertise Houston’s impressive cultural establishment to the world.   I’d submit places like Bilbao, Denver, Mexico City, Antwerp, Valencia, Hanoi, Paris, Alberta, Minneapolis have seized their opportunity more effectively.

22ED5417-397C-44D7-8734-C6DE9D2D5AAE.jpeg

I think people forget that the centerpiece of the MFAH is the Mies Van der Rohe building and anything built around it needs to converse with it and be harmonious. Almost all the buildings you posted are the center pieces of new urban renewal districts or major real estate projects. I personally think the museum should have opened a concept like PS1 by Moma/Tate Modern in a part of the city that needs revitalization or an attraction. Something iconic on the bayou or east end. I think the museum's main campus is already so large and over whelming it would have been nice to have two sites. 

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I expect that we may see some compare/contrast discussion between the MFAH’s new building and the planned LA County Museum. LA will have that ‘wow’ factor you’re craving, but I expect most critics will see the MFAH’s building as more successful. Bilbao, the Guggenheim in NY, and LA County are examples of eye-catching architecture that are very compromised as museums, where the architecture has supremacy over the art it’s supposed to display. Our own Menil is one of the more revered museum buildings in the country, not because it’s showy, but because of it’s sublime galleries. That said, I agree that Houston is lacking in the iconic landmark category.

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On 9/25/2020 at 7:27 PM, Sunstar said:


agreed, the building will appear very blocky and imposing from street level. Wish they could have brought some of those sweeping design elements down into the facade a bit.

 

Perhaps blocky, but it really doesn't seem imposing at all from street level.  It looks quite large from above, but doesn't seem that large from the street/sidewalk. 

By the way, yes, the lights behind the glad tubes are on (at least they are this evening).

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