Frank Gehry's Lou Ruvo Center, Las Vegas

By Dr Hirak Sen
Kolkata

Frank Gehry's Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Las Vegas was formally opened on May 21, 2010. And, it was featured in World Architecture News (WAN), May 27, 2010 issue. WAN editorial calls it Gehry's stunning new project, and, among others, states that "the building has received critical praise from the Los Angeles Times architecture critic, Christopher Hawthorne, as having the most impressive Gehry-designed interior space since the architect’s Disney Concert Hall in 2003."

You may check out the WAN editorial and the pictures of the building at: http://bit.ly/aNn287 .

The building houses a leading research center for degenerative brain diseases. The main facade seems to reflect, as one viewer puts it, a crushed brain thrown in a waste bin of crushed paper cut outs. The other facade is however disciplined in a conventional way. Altogether 25 viewers have commented upon this project at WAN in the past few hours since publication. Sadly, most comments are non-receptive and a few are downright hostile.

Personally, being a Gehry admirer, i am somewhat confounded by this project. I will love to hear your views.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Imperial College London - Seven Years that Broadened My Boundaries, Exceeding My Expectations.

By Dr Hirak Sen
Image
  List of Contents [Note: This post is relatively long; its length is that of a novelette. So, I have added this list of contents to help the reader navigate through my story. The story is in a Q&A format. The questions were framed by the Alumni Office of Imperial College London and are listed below, except that I have added a prologue and an epilogue.] Prologue Extracurricular activities you were involved in? Do you have a website or social media channel you'd like us to feature or tag? Your time at Imperial What did you learn during your time at Imperial, in class or out? Can you tell us about your studies at Imperial? Who did you find inspiring at Imperial and why?  What is your fondest memory of your time here?  What is your favourite place at Imperial and why? Your career Tell us about the work you're doing now and your journey to this point. How has what you learnt at Imperial helped you in your career so far? What have been your career highlights and lowlights? Wha
Read more

Syamal Gupta - An Eulogy

By Dr Hirak Sen
Image
  I will remember Syamal Gupta, or Syamalda to me and many of his friends and colleagues, as a man 1.       of complete integrity 2.       of impeccable character 3.       of inconspicuous charisma 4.       of innate empathy 5.       of intuitive networking skill 6.       of self-effacing leadership, and 7.       of unbounded curiosity. He had neither greed nor jealousy, and above all, he believed in plain living and high thinking. In short, he was more like the person described in Bhagavad Gita: Chapter 2, Verse 71. विहाय कामान्य: सर्वान्पुमांश्चरति नि:स्पृह: | निर्ममो निरहङ्कार: स शान्तिमधिगच्छति || vihāya kāmān ya ḥ sarv ā n pum ā n ś h charati ni ḥ sp ṛ iha ḥ nirmamo nirahank ā ra ḥ sa ś h ā ntim adhigachchhati That person, who gives up all material desires and lives free from a sense of greed, proprietorship, and egoism, attains perfect peace. On 20 April 2022, the family of Syamalda—his wife Chandra Gupta, and his three daughters, Debjani Sen, Damayanti
Read more

Prof. Roger Plank, President of the Institution of Structural Engineers and Darren Byrne, Director of Membership and Education visit Kolkata

By Dr Hirak Sen
Image
Preamble:  Prof. Roger Plank, President and Darren Byrne, Director of Membership and Examination of the Institution of Structural Engineers arrived in Kolkata on 12 March 2011 on a six day visit to promote structural engineering and to raise the profile and membership base of the Institution in the Kolkata region. In my three capacities, namely, as a Council Member, as the Chairman of the International Interest Group and as the Country Representative of the Institution--all of course labor of love for me, I organized the engagements, in which I sought and received generous help from fellow members Tapan Roy, R N Basu, Manoj Majumdar, Dr. B C Roy, Jeremy Hall, Phalguni Banerjee, Mriganka Roy, Salil Roy and Dr. Kalyan Ganguly.  While I joined Roger and Darren to make a threesome team at all engagements, some of the other members joined in at a particular event as mentioned later in this blog.  Over the span of six days the three of us attended some thirteen rewarding and enjoyable ev
Read more