Tod Williams + Billie Tsien

There was a lecture at GSAPP tonight given by Tod Williams and Billie Tsien. Before the talk, I was only familiar with their American Folk Art Museum, located next to MoMA, but quickly fell in love with the projects they presented.

Aside from interesting designs, what also sparked my interest was their integral approach to and focus on material choices. My favorite project presented was a complex for the Bennington campus in Vermont. Vermont was a major source marble source, and the campus was near an abandoned quarry, littered with old marble samples. The architects decided to clad the 3 buildings in the complex entirely of marble cut from these remains. Some pieces had flaws (drill marks, stains) or previously cut rippling designs, but they were all integrated onto the facades. Unfortunately, since the project is still under construction, no photos of the materials are on their website yet, but you can get a taste for the massing and a sectional sketch.

Another project involved the relocation of the Barnes Collection of art in Philly. Artwork was being relocated downtown, but the owner's will stipulated that the collection could never be moved or placed in a new setting. TW+BT's sollution was to move and recreate the museum itself, but to pull it apart in places to add new settings, adding additional program wrapping around the original. The materials used for the project were hand-picked by the architects at the quarry (why buy vegetables at the market when you can get them from the farmer?) and they were rigorous in testing their choice on aesthetics with various finishes in raking light.

Overall, I was impressed with their material considerations. I've learned to pay so much more attention to materials this year at Columbia- how they were assembled, how they were cut, how they're performing, etc.- much more insight than I ever got at RPI. It was a breath of fresh air to see a firm with sensitive designs taken with a realistic, yet still creative approach.

I'm sure this entry doesn't do justice to my impressions from the talk, but it's just as much a way for me to remember everything as it is a public entry. So poke around their site if you're so inclined, and keep an eye on their work :)