bturk said:
In the contrary, I used those phrases to point out the things that jump out at me about them. I still dont find them particularly inspirational which was the original subective criteria we were debating.
Not to be contrary to your being in the contrary, but I haven't been debating inspirational architecture with you--I've been debating your statement that most architecture in Milwaukee looks like the examples you posted of architecturally conservative International/Modernist Style buildings.
I don't really see conservative architecture as being based on opinion. The architecture either looks like much of the rest of the buildings (it looks common, regular, predictable, the design is reserved in some way, etc.), or it does someting that makes it stand out from the rest--in which case it is non-conservative. In other words, a building is either architecturally conservative or it isn't. That is the basis for my list of buildings.
On the other hand, inspirational architecture is based on opinion. It is based on how an individual experiences architecture, or how it makes one feel. It is about emotion. A building doesn't have too look like something (such as the Calatrava looks like a bird or ship) in order to be inspirational. In that respect, somebody can look at a building (whether it's convervative or not) and be inspired by it, and somebody else can look at the same building and not be inspired by it.
Care to elaborate? I'd really like to hear more of your thoughts on the buildings you listed which actually exist in Milwaukee in 2003, excluding the quadracci pavillion which obviously started this discussion (and I'm not being acerbic - I really do want to hear what you have to say). Please say more, and I might agree with you more:
Sure. I am going to add some others that I have remembered in the meantime too. Keep in mind, this is a list of buildings that are architecturally non-conservative, not necessarily buildings I think are inspirational.
- Milwaukee County War Memorial Center (1957)
There weren't any buildings that looked like this in Milwaukee when it was built, and there aren't any buildings that look like it today. It is one of the few buildings in town I can think of that was designed to be more than just a building, but a sculpture (as is the Quadracci Pavillion next door), which is a common theme in architect Eero Saarinen's works. He was a very non- conservative architect (see the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, TWA Terminal in NYC, Dulles Airport near DC). Not only is the building form a sculptural piece, the front facade also includes a mosaic depicting the years of WWII and the Korean War--which isn't a typical form of building artwork (as little of it that we have here, most consists of painted murals).
- Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory ["the Domes"] (1959)
Just the fact that these are glass domes sets them apart from any other archietcture in Milwaukee (and with some excpetions, set apart from architecture anywhere).
- Bayview Public Library (1993)
Most of the libraries in the system are low-flung, boxy, brick bunkers built during the 1960s (
take a look at them on the MPL's website). The Bay Vew Branch, however, stands out among them because it is remarkably different from the rest of them. It's not just a box for books like the others. It has it's own identity; it's own form.
- Beerline River Homes (Phase I, 2001; Phase II under construction)
While most of the new construction going on in the Beerline area is more architecturally conservative, the River Homes are pretty unique. The condos have a sort of industrial/Wrightian design to them, while the surrounding developments are more traditional-looking and mimic qualities from older buildings in the area (which is a characteristic that
most of the recent small scale residential developments in town share). River Homes boldly stands out. You don't see a lot of residential archietcure like this in Milwaukee.
- Lynde & Harry Bradley School of Technology & Trade (2002)
The architecture of this school is unlike any other in MPS. It stands out quite a bit from the usual deco and/or bunker-like school buildings around the city (and the suburbs). Not only is it structurally expressive, exterior and interior, but it also employs some "green building" technologies that other newer schools in the area may not have.
Thus, these are examples of some of Milwaukee's non-conservative architecture. People may or may not find them inspirational, they may or may not be symbolic civic icons of the city, but they all are unique buildings for Milwaukee in that they push the envelope of design (maybe not far enough in all cases) and stand out against the usual traditonal, modern, and post-modern stuff we have here.