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March 22, 2007
Gehry’s New York Debut: Subdued Tower of Light
Architecture Review | IAC headquarters
The NY Times
By Nicholai Ouroussoff
A review of Atlantic Yards architect Frank Gehry's first building in NYC ran in the NY Times today. In July, 2005, Nicky O. was effusive in his response to Gehry's Atlantic Yards plans, but this time he penned a fairly lukewarm response to the aging starchitect's NYC debut.
Are the curvaceous glass forms of the IAC headquarters building, evoking the crisp pleats of a skirt, a bold departure from Manhattan’s hard-edged corporate towers? Or are they proof that Mr. Gehry’s radical days are behind him?
Well, both. Mr. Gehry is adding a much-needed touch of lightness to the Manhattan skyline just as the city finally emerges from a period of mourning. The IAC building, serving as world headquarters for Barry Diller’s media and Internet empire, joins a growing list of new projects that reflect how mainstream developers in the city are significantly raising the creative stakes after decades of settling for bland, soul-sapping office buildings.
Yet the building, which is not quite complete, also feels oddly tame. For those who have followed Mr. Gehry’s creative career, these easy, fluid forms are a marked departure from the complex, fragmented structures of his youth. Rather than mining rich new creative territory, Mr. Gehry, now 78, seems to be holding back.
The results — almost pristine by Mr. Gehry’s standards — suggest the casual confidence of an aging virtuoso rather than the brash innovation of a rowdy outsider.
NoLandGrab: The following comment about the IAC building reflects a common complaint about many Gehry projects — the entrances are so discreet that merely entering the building is a challenge for the first-time visitor.
The lobby entries of the IAC headquarters are discreetly located on the two side streets, giving the building’s main facade a smooth, uniform appearance.
Perhaps that's why Bruce Ratner has proposed a gigantic foyer, called the "Urban Room," for the beacon of Atlantic Yards, Miss Brooklyn. This way, Frank Gehry will be sure not to leave thousands of arena-goers fumbling around, looking for the entrance.
Posted by lumi at March 22, 2007 7:49 AM