List: Best architecture of the decade

[editor]

The Washington Post is out with a list of the best architecture of the decade here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/24/AR2009122400116.html

The Tate Modern in London

National Stadium in Beijing

The Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles

The Seattle Public Library

Alice Tully Hall in New York

I saw the Seattle Public Library a couple of months ago, and it is a great structure. Very modern, but very welcoming and heavily used by the public.

And unlike my local library which won't even permit bottled water inside, the Seattle library has a cafe and a gift shop. Finally, a public library that realizes it has to compete with Borders and Barnes and Noble and that there's no shame in giving people what they want.

I saw the The Walt Disney Concert Hall earlier this year, too. It's a great space, but not so welcoming. It invites you to get close, but not too close. Still, there are great places inside and a nice little cafe.

I don't necessarily agree that the Tate modern should be on the list, mostly because it's the reuse of an existing space.

The Post article names the expansion of the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto the worst architecture of the decade.

I was there last summer:

Many more pictures on HAIF's sister site: http://www.glasssteelandstone.com/BuildingDetail/3547.php

People in Toronto seem to genuinely hate this structure. They feel it's an affront to the classical architecture of the original building. Meanwhile, they're perfectly happy to let an abandoned planetarium to go waste right around the corner.

I actually like the outside of it (the nickname is "The Crystal"). But inside, it's poorly done. Getting in and out is confusing and there are lots of unnecessary dead ends. I've never seen such an open space be so confusing to navigate.

[AtticaFlinch]

The Royal Ontario Museum reminds me of quartz growing out of granite. I guess that's why it's nicknamed "the crystal".

I like it. Aesthetic quality is indeed subjective.

[Subdude]

I haven't been to the Royal Ontario Museum but in the picture it does look ghastly.

Interesting choice of Tate Modern as number one. The other winners make sense with the exception of the Disney Hall. Not that it is bad, but it is just another Gehry Bilbao rehash.