Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption
San Francisco, California

Pietro Belluschi, Angus McSweeney, Paul A. Ryan, John Michael Lee, Pier Luigi Nervi, architects and engineers, 1971

Tags:   pietro belluschi san francisco st saint mary cathedral dom church kirche beton brut concrete site cast expressionist catalano pier luigi nervi catholic hyperbolic paraboloid

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Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption
San Francisco, California

Pietro Belluschi, Angus McSweeney, Paul A. Ryan, John Michael Lee, Pier Luigi Nervi, architects and engineers, 1971

There is a long and interesting story about the development of this project which I can recommend, found in the book on the religious architecture of Belluschi titled, 'Spiritual Space' by Meredith L. Clausen (1992). One also learns about the influence of his MIT colleague Eduardo Catalano, who, at the time, was doing a lot of research about structures with 'warped surfaces'.

It really would have been great if the glazing at the corners would have been done to allow the massive supporting feet of the roof to have been more visible (here, one barely sees a hint of the foot, but only if one really looks). On the other hand, it then might have been too bright inside.

One of the many nicknames this structure has is the 'washing machine', which only makes sense if you are aware of the 'agitators' in top-loading models common in the US.

Tags:   san francisco st mary nervi pier luigi oietro belluschi

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Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
Arch: Herzog & de Meuron, Basel

Tags:   usa 2009 de young san francisco museum herzog meuron copper expressionist sculptural imperial architecture roofscape

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de young museum of modern art
Herzog & deMeuron, Architects.

Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

After seeing all those redwoods and pure nature, a little bit of modern architecture was on the order, and I wasn't disappointed.

The presentations in various architecture magazines had never really made me want to go and see this building, but seeing it in person is something else. The exterior is nothing short of an architectural tour de force. The sculptural qualities are wonderful, and it fits into the environment of the park wonderfully--and will probably continue to do so for some time to come, as the facade is made out of stamped copper panels which will weather as time goes by.

I don't know what made H & dM skew the tower with observation deck (probably in order to allign at least part of the museum with the street-grid as it is turned within the boundaries of the park (but parallel to Pianos California Academy of Sciences right across the way), but it is brilliant. Just brilliant. I guess I have to upload a shot or two of the exterior now.

The interior spaces were light and 'clean', but from what I saw (I was on my way to the airport, I am afraid) not as strong as the bold exterior. Damn, even--or especially-- the roofscape was beautiful.

Tags:   usa 2009

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Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
Arch: Herzog & de Meuron, Basel

I have always believed that fear was always an element which plays a role in how we appreciate architecture and this building certainly supports my theory. It is not what one would call an 'inviting' structure by any means, but it intrigues and makes one want to see more--from all angles. And these angles are offered! The access to the viewing platform is free, so everybody even gets to see the awesome roofscape with its various courtyards and helps the visitor understand the building better.

Getting back to the fear-factor. This could easially be some sort of military structure with the horizontal bands on the tower or the armour-plated facade (stamped copper). It could be from (here we go again) a Star-Wars movie, protecting the inhabitants from the harsh environment (be it the weather or neighbors). In this case it is both. The art and the viewer are 'safe' inside the fortress, whose facade will change according to how the weather is over the years.

The courtyard was too small for me to get any kind of perspective on the entry AND the tower, so I 'extended' my viewing point by shooting into a window-reflection, so no, they are not rounds of energy-ammunition from a imperial blaster, but only overlaying bands of ceiling-lights and windows as seen through the glass.

Tags:   usa 2009

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