architecture
Herzog & de Meuron architectural firm, recipient of the prestigious
Pritzker Prize, has been described as refining the traditions of modernism
to elemental simplicity, while transforming materials and surfaces through
the exploration of new treatments and techniques. If the synopsis of their
skills and works is accurately summarized, Swiss architects Jacques Herzog
and Pierre de Meuron offer a shining example in the De Young Museum located
in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.
The 293,000
sq. ft. structure that was unveiled in October 2005 catches the eye and
grabs you with its unusual vertical climb and mesh or dappled exterior
treatments. Coated with several copper textures, the building will
eventually become green to blend with the park's environment. Read more
about De Young Museum construction...>
MORE.
The two
dapper gents who came up with this design have scattered their unique ideas
around the globe, creating joy and amazement wherever they go. Contracted to
create the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Stadium, their projects have varied in
size and scale, but nothing is too large for these innovative giants.
Credited with the Bankside Power Station design, their work has been seen
around the globe in projects ranging from municipal buildings and spaces to
museums, stadiums and offices.
Some have
described their earlier body of work as reductivist modern, always with a commitment to the primacy of
materials. The unfamiliar is defined through familiar materials that wrap or
surround spaces.
For example, Beijing National Stadium, the main track & field stadium for
the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, is also known as the bird's nest. The stadium
unveils an inner shape and substance surrounded by a circular network of
material that you see into. Seating up to 100,000 people, the stadium's appearance is
a synergy, between
the facade and the superstructure. The structural elements mutually support
each other and converge into a grid-like formation like a bird's nest with
its interwoven twigs. While some elements of design have been scaled back
due to spiraling expenses, the project offers a monument to not only the
spirit of the world games, but also represents the re-birth of a nation
that's rapidly changing.
For Herzog
and de Meuron, there's more to come.
