Today, we went outside to look at the architecture of the ICA building. One of the major features to be noted is the architects' (Diller Scofidio + Renfro) use of glass throughout the entire building. You can see all that's taking place inside, while standing outside (in the freezing weather). By letting you know what's going on on the other side of the glass, the building appears to be more open to the public. And you don't feel shunned by it, as you would if you were approaching, say, a granite version of the building.
The use of wood in continuation from the boardwalk at the harbor also adds to the theme of "Welcome!," as it climbs up the stairs and merges with the glass and metal building, wrapping it with more wood on its floor, ceiling, and walls on both the inside and outside.After examining ICA from the outside, we explored its innards with our handy digicams and tried to find something we'd never noticed before.
So, I present to you my video of elevator weights (sorry it's so dark):
I was so excited when I thought I had found more wood from the boardwalk in such a sneaky little place. "Wow! The wood even has a part in how people/things go up and down the building." I was going to say how thorough that theme of public space mixed with private was carried out, by connecting the materials of wood and metal. But oh well.
1 comment:
Hi Cynthia,
Your review of the ICA's wood planking is a great read! I really like your original idea of the material as a "welcome" mat that rolls from outside to inside the building in an inviting way.
A fun tidbit:
Did you know the wood itself is a non-endangered tropical hardwood: Santa Maria mahogany?
Did you also notice how the wood is fading to a soft grey color? The architects intend for the outdoor wood to fade with weather exposure so that it will eventually complement the grey color scheme of the floor finish on the inside of the building. I thinks its fascinating to think about this as just one tiny example of such a huge number of decisions the architects made that allow our building to have a coherent, overall connected feel--not just in the short term, but the long term!
And it's GREAT to see in your blog how you notice these little details as signs of their "artistic" and "conceptual" decisions. I bet they'd be impressed with your sharp eye!
I'll leave you with a question:
Have you every thought about being an architect?
Cheers,
Jen
Assistant Curator
ICA/Boston
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