SAS Royal Hotel and Modernist architecture.

[LabelKing]

Has anyone stayed at the SAS Royal Hotel, which is now unfortunately owned by the Raddison chain? Fortunately, however, for the hotel is that the Raddisson has not "restored" the whole thing with a gamut of unappealing and contemporary riffs off of the classic Arne Jacobson design. This also reminds me of the Gresham Hotel, which while preserving the esthetic integrity of the original edifice, has completely over-restored the whole thing, making it yet another "Heritage Centerpiece" for tourists and plutocrats to stay in. It might as well be Art Nouveau Disney version. Also keeping in line with the theme, are the stupid actions of the Russians and the Germans in demolishing their Cold War era structures. The most egregious examples are the demolition of Berlin's Palast der Republik and Moscow's Hotel Moskova--for a parking structure of all things. Oddly, they are going to build a sham replica of the Hotel Moskova but for all sakes it's going be good as a Chinatown Rolex. Another disgusting abuse is this demolition of the Paul Rudolphs Mitcheels house in Westport, CT by the new owners who expressed in a particularly vapid statement about buying the house for its lot. These sort of esthetic philistines should never be allowed to purchase significant pieces of design.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/17/ny...c05b64&ei=5070

 

[JetBlast]

Why the hell would someone demolish that? Seriously?
They may have wanted the lot but I am sure that just the house that is already there is worth the money. I'm personally not all into modern architecture but that is no doubt a house that should be saved.

It's the loss of the community, but most of all, it's the loss of the people tearing down the house.

JB

 

[LabelKing]

And the worst part is that it's probably going to replaced with some grossly oversized sham Colonial filled with electronic un-goodies and featured in some local Home & Design rag, replete with "custom" furniture, a pointlessly luxurious kitchen, and a mawkish owners' portrait.

 

[LabelKing]

Another relevant site:

http://www.maps-moscow.com/index.php?chapter_name=eng

 

[LabelKing]

The iconic Melnikov House is also under threat:

 

[matadorpoeta]

lk,
you keep depressing me with threads like these.

yes, the masses have bad taste. yes, they ruin everything.

what am i to do about it?

 

[JetBlast]

Melnikov House? Wow, I didn't know that kind of architecture existed in places like Russia.

When I think Russia, I think-

That's just me though

JB

 

[LabelKing]

Originally Posted by matadorpoeta

lk,
you keep depressing me with threads like these.

yes, the masses have bad taste. yes, they ruin everything.

what am i to do about it?

I think we should be violent about it.

Originally Posted by JetBlast

Melnikov House? Wow, I didn't know that kind of architecture existed in places like Russia.

When I think Russia, I think-

That's just me though

JB

Russia had some architectually significant periods before the War and after the War. There was the Constructivist movement as well as the gaudy Stalinist style.

 

[muelleran]

Originally Posted by JetBlast

Melnikov House? Wow, I didn't know that kind of architecture existed in places like Russia.

When I think Russia, I think-

That's just me though

JB

It's better not to think this:

But to think that:

 

[LabelKing]

The Baroque and Rococo are, of course, very nice, but to deride mid-20th century architecture is an error, I feel.

You have to remember that some of what we consider "masterpieces" were considered tacky in their day.

 

[Pink22m]

The Baroque and Rococo are, of course, very nice, but to deride mid-20th century architecture is an error, I feel.

You have to remember that some of what we consider "masterpieces" were considered tacky in their day.

This is an excellent point. Even Baroque was considered a rather pejorative label, and it's stylistic merits in architecture were scoffed at by many architectural educators.

 

[itsstillmatt]

Originally Posted by Pink22m

This is an excellent point. Even Baroque was considered a rather pejorative label, and it's stylistic merits in architecture were scoffed at by many architectural educators.
Baroque architecture is still scoffed at by many.

 

[LabelKing]

Sicilian Baroque is still an obscure field. Oddly, the only text on the subject was by the spy Anthony Blunt.

 

[Pink22m]

Baroque architecture is still scoffed at by many.

Perhaps, although I think it is taken much more seriously than it used to be.

 

[matadorpoeta]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

I think we should be violent about it.
i've already said that if i were a terrorist, my first target would be the faux tuscan.