On Grotesquely-Dancing Architecture

"Based on such uncertain, shaky, and non-existent cultural foundations, it has not taken long for the structures of much contemporary architecture to assume either the lugubriously ridiculous appearance of a hilariously grotesque Brueghelian dance; or to appear like a sky-reaching duel between aseptic Towers of Babel made of steel, glass, and special materials which, by the first story have lost the reason for their daring apart from guilty and naive construction." - Claudio Silvestrin

 

The Wedding Dance, Pieter Brueghel

Addition to the Royal Ontario Museum, Daniel Libeskind

 

Mr. Silvestrin is an acclaimed Italian-British architect who will be at CUA for three weeks this semester as the Walton Distinguished Visiting Critic. He will be specifically working with the studio I am taking, which focuses on sacred space and cultural expression in architecture. He is an avowed minimalist, which is something that immediately arouses suspicion in my mind, but, as evidenced by the quote above, I think he and I are coming from the same direction when it comes to diagnosing the problem of contemporary architecture. It will be an interesting studio indeed.

My New Home

Tomorrow, classes will begin at the Catholic University of America where I will be working toward my Master of Architecture degree. The past few days have been spent moving in to my new home, getting everything organized, and exploring the city of Washington, DC.

I live in a small, one-bedroom apartment in a two-story building built in the Fifties. It occupies the northwest corner of the building, so I don't get too much hot sun shining in. I don't have air conditioning, but a few well placed fans and open windows have kept the place 10 or so degrees cooler than the outside. I think air conditioning has been, by and large, bad for society, but that's a thought for another day.

My new neighborhood is composed of several leafy, hilly residential blocks wedged between an old military cemetery, the University, and the train tracks. It is a predominantly African-American neighborhood, and it is definitely a working-class place. It is quiet, and everyone I meet on the street smiles and says hello. In the Midwest, I think some people hardly notice anyone else walking down their street.

It takes about fifteen minutes for me to walk to the architecture building on campus. On my way I pass two seminaries (one for the Archdiocese of Washington, one for the Ukrainian Catholics in the US), a friary, two national shrines (Natl. Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, and the Ukrainian Catholic Natl. Shrine of the Holy Family), a convent, and the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center. A Benedictine Monastery and a Franciscan Monastery are both about five blocks away in other directions. Needless to say, I really don't have any excuse to miss mass. I've seen many religious sisters and brothers, priests, and others in habits in the neighborhood.

Today I went to mass at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. After mass, I walked down to the metro station to see if my SmarTrip card was working yet. I had loaded money onto it on Friday, but it takes one day for that information to reach the stations, thus postponing my few errands a day. The card was working, so I boarded the red line train, switched to the green line at Ft. Totten, and got off at Columbia Heights. There is a Target near the station, but it was absolutely packed with people (all eight universities in the DC area start classes tomorrow). I ran in and picked up a few things and left. Columbia Heights is a pleasant neighborhood that seems like a place to visit again in the future.

From there, I headed to the Eastern Market in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. There was a farmers market, a flea market, and an indoor market. The area was similarly packed (on account of the fine, not-so-humid weather). I got a loaf of fresh French bread, and then wandered around inside a fantastic used bookstore for a little while. I purchased a book on the architecture of the early Medieval period. After a brief stop for an iced tea, I walked through the neighborhood a bit toward the Capitol. I finished my journey by walking the remainder of the way to Union Station and headed home.

There is so much to explore in Washington, yet it seems manageable. I'm sure by the end of my degree, I will know it inside and out. It's an exciting time, and I'll be sure to keep you posted.