Vanity Fair - 21 architectural wonders of the modern world

[livincinco]

Vanity Fair asked 52 of the world's leading architecture experts to name the five most important designs of the last 30 years and then compiled a list of the most common choices. The Menil Collection drew 10 votes.

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2010/08/architecture-survey-slideshow-201008?currentPage=2

[AtticaFlinch]

A solid #2 after the Guggenheim, no less. Not bad.

[Subdude]

Good choices overall. I'm surprised the Menil came in second.

[bachanon]

the list of experts is quite impressive; international representation as well. it gives an idea of the magnitude of attention the menil has garnered over the last two decades.

[porTENT]

The “most significant work of architecture created so far in the 21st century” votes:

1. Herzog&deMeuron, Bird's Nest (7 votes)

2. LeCorbu, Saint-Pierre Church (4 votes)

3. OMA, Seattle Central LIbrary (3 votes)

4.OMA, CCTV Beijing (2 votes)

5.Toyo Ito, Mediatheque Bldg (1 vote)

6.OMA, Casa da Musica (1 vote)

7.Jean Nouvel, Cartier Foundation (1 vote)

8.COOP, BMW HQ (1 vote)

9.Foster & Assoc., Millau Viaduct (1 vote)

[lockmat]

A guy from Vanity Fair was on Charlie Rose last night talking about this. Pretty decent interview.

I was shocked that the Menil was on there, not because I don't think it's good, but I did not know it was held in such high regard...pretty sweet. Although it stinks, in the interview when Charlie was naming the top 5, he just said the Menil was in Texas, not Houston.

http://www.charlierose.com/

[editor]

I love it when I come to HAIF to post a link to something, and you guys are already discussing it.

[editor]

Here's a link that shows all the pictures from the slideshow in one page: http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2010/08/architecture-survey-slideshow-201008?currentPage=all

I've been to four of these places. The picture they use for the HSBC building really doesn't do it justice. Though much of its significance is in how the interior is laid out (and thus VF used an interior photo), it is most visually striking from the outside. And at night. Here's a picture I took for HAIF's sister web site, Chinese Architecture.cn.

More pictures of the HSBC New Headquarters.

It's also interesting that in a list of just 20 buildings, that two are churches. The cross of light is interesting, but I think I've seen that elsewhere. Doesn't Saint Basil's Chapel in Houston do that, as well? Or am I thinking of another building?

[bachanon]

Here's a link that shows all the pictures from the slideshow in one page: http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2010/08/architecture-survey-slideshow-201008?currentPage=all

I've been to four of these places. The picture they use for the HSBC building really doesn't do it justice. Though much of its significance is in how the interior is laid out (and thus VF used an interior photo), it is most visually striking from the outside. And at night. Here's a picture I took for HAIF's sister web site, Chinese Architecture.cn.

More pictures of the HSBC New Headquarters.

It's also interesting that in a list of just 20 buildings, that two are churches. The cross of light is interesting, but I think I've seen that elsewhere. Doesn't Saint Basil's Chapel in Houston do that, as well? Or am I thinking of another building?

yes.

[Narrow Larry]

I've created a Google Map of the Vanity Fair selections:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=111437531509850323425.00048a47f66c81ce42fdf&ll=25.076798,-126.39084&spn=176.386966,90&t=h&z=1

[bachanon]

i love that feature of google maps. thanks for sharing your map with all of us, narrow larry. way cool.

[Narrow Larry]

Thanks, bachanon.

I have a number of architectural-related travel guides on Google Maps, just click on "Narrow Larry" and it should bring up the other maps.

[texas911]

The Menil is a a land mark building because of its roof. Piano is a genius, he saw that most works of art that Menil had were painted using natural light, so why display them in artificial light? The problem was that direct sunlight destroys the painting, so he devised those beautifully rendered louvers to diffuse the sunlight. Fantastic! The building itself is a work of art. On the other hand, the Twombly gallery experiment with the sail material as a sun diffuser isn't quite as elegant. Everyone should visit the Menil, its a treasure.