Aesthetic Explorations | Contemporary Archeticture

Contemporary Architecture which is also known as architecture from the 21st century, is both expressive dramatic and are modern works of art. The three architects that I am going to focus on are Santiago Calatrava, Zaha Hadid, and Frank Gehry. Santiago is probably best known for his work on the newly redesigned World Trade Center Transportation Hub. The inspiration for this project as stated from Calatrava’s website is “Although suggestive of motifs from many traditions (the Byzantine mandorla, the wings of cherubim above the Ark of the Covenant, or the sheltering wings on Egyptian canopic urns), the form may be summed up, according to Santiago Calatrava, by the image of a bird released from a child’s hands.” This is a stunning building that represents so much to the people of New York and around the world. The following pictures are also from the architects website. 

 

The next architect, Zaha Hadid is possibly best known for her work on the Heydar Aliyev Center. This building is beautiful inside and out. I really like the organic curves that are used by the architect, the natural flow of the building is very pleasing on the eye. The following images are from the Architect Daily website.

The final architect Frank Gehry is responsible for designing the Walt Disney Concert Hall. This hall has a very specific style to it. As described by the LA Philharmonic “the 3.6-acre complex embodies the unique energy and creative spirit of the city of Los Angeles and its orchestra.” Not only is this building a representation of the orchestra itself it is also one of the most acoustically sophisticated halls in the world. The following images are taken from the LA Philharmonic website.

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4 Comments. Leave new

  • Preston Marcoux
    January 30, 2017 9:00 am

    I think that you have chosen a very unique and distinct aesthetic. I really like the way you have used quotes to depict the style of the architecture. I also think you did a good job in focusing on three different architects that exemplify the use of the contemporary architecture. Good job!

    Reply
  • Max Scrimgeour
    January 29, 2017 11:57 pm

    I really like the way that you connected all of the architects through a style in this post. It is cool to see how each architect has their own take on something that can be considered one aesthetic. It is interesting to see how different all of these designs can be and the feelings that they evoke when i look at them from the flowing forms of Zaha Hadid to the sharp angles of Gehry. How do you think that these architects deal with the balance of creating a functional space without sacrificing the aesthetic aspect of the design? Do you have a favorite architect of these three?

    Reply
  • I think that architecture is an excellent subject for an aesthetic exploration. It is one of the best examples of combining form with function, and allows for a lot of unique ideas from the designers. My favorite one of these examples is the Walt Disney Concert Hall, as it has a really unique layout and really contrasts with the buildings surrounding it. One thing I noticed about each of these buildings is that they seem designed for large amounts of people gathering in the one area at a time. Do you think that type of purpose lends itself to more creative designs from the architect?

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  • Hello Marcus, I liked that you put descriptions of the architecture from the architects themselves here, I think those quotes were well balanced with providing your own opinion. I was curious as to why you chose these three designers. Is there a common element in all three that you enjoy particularly (curves maybe?). Are there some common motifs throughout contemporary art, or is the work all different styles?

    Reply

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