This post is from a transcribed debate between Rem Koolhaus and Charles Jencks.
The works of Jencks and Koolhaus are very different, so it is understandable that they will have opposing opinions on some topics; this comes across in the debate; for example their opinions on iconic architecture differ - Koolhaus is for it as this goes with his architectural style.
I think that Koolhaus makes an interesting point on iconic architecture; he says that sometimes the architect is only following the client's brief. This can be seen in the Bilbao Effect - the iconic, non-vernacular architecture ignores the context and creates an icon in the city, bringing in tourism because people want to see the building by the famous architect (in this case Frank Gehry's Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain). Personally, I think that iconic architecture can benefit a place, especially a small struggling city such as Bilbao, but if we have too many 'icons' will this dilute the idea and make everywhere the same? If there are lots of 'icons' by a famous architect do they loose value because there are so many? What about buildings which are could be iconic if the architect was better known and recognised?
The works of Jencks and Koolhaus are very different, so it is understandable that they will have opposing opinions on some topics; this comes across in the debate; for example their opinions on iconic architecture differ - Koolhaus is for it as this goes with his architectural style.
I think that Koolhaus makes an interesting point on iconic architecture; he says that sometimes the architect is only following the client's brief. This can be seen in the Bilbao Effect - the iconic, non-vernacular architecture ignores the context and creates an icon in the city, bringing in tourism because people want to see the building by the famous architect (in this case Frank Gehry's Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain). Personally, I think that iconic architecture can benefit a place, especially a small struggling city such as Bilbao, but if we have too many 'icons' will this dilute the idea and make everywhere the same? If there are lots of 'icons' by a famous architect do they loose value because there are so many? What about buildings which are could be iconic if the architect was better known and recognised?