Comments on: Rectorate Office Building / Hauvette & Associés

By: Partick Bateman

Partick Bateman — Tue, 12 May 2009 07:54:07 +0000

I always agree with Terry!

By: Ultra man

Ultra man — Mon, 11 May 2009 09:32:41 +0000

Wondering what happen to french wit and sense of inovative design….?
20 years after the TGB, again and again this metalic minimalism for the Service Publique…
Reveillez vous les Francais, vous avez 20 annees de retard technologique et conceptuel a digere !!!

By: alejandro

alejandro — Sat, 09 May 2009 23:37:25 +0000

I agree with Terry

By: Lucas Gray

Lucas Gray — Sat, 09 May 2009 17:15:37 +0000

Seeing as they were building around an existing structure perhaps the monolithic aspect of the design works. Who knows if the original building was nice or if it gave off an even worse image. At least they were thinking of issues of sustainability and energy use etc to drive their design process.

By: robin

robin — Sat, 09 May 2009 12:23:36 +0000

love it

By: Terry Glenn Phipps

Terry Glenn Phipps — Sat, 09 May 2009 08:53:26 +0000

An obvious amount of thought went into making this building without anyone seemingly cognizant of the fact that it strongly resembles a scary futuristic prison. It is always interesting to me how architects, designers, artists, filmakers, writers, and other creative people can become lost in the concept and execution of something without seeing the bigger picture.

My guess is that there are issues of scale here too. The monolithic proportions of this end up rather forbidding. I suspect that this is a loss in translation from smaller scale projects to a rather larger one.

Certainly, the thinking is great. The ideas of extreme modularity, permanent materials, and respect for local craft traditions are all wonderful. The result, though, makes me think of interrogation rather than education.

Terry Glenn Phipps