http://www.flickr.com/photos/8499133@N02/sets/72157625235682810/
Botta was the first and also one of the very few star architects I actually met in face before got in GSAPP.
Once upon a time, a fresh architectural student held a special issue of "Time + Architecture" magazine with Botta's iconic dark red facade and ellipse skylight on the cover page, waiting on the line after his lecture in school auditorium to get his signature. That was like, 10 years ago... can't believe it! I don't remember a single word he said during that lecture (can I pretend lost in translation was the reason?), and honestly I could barely be counted as fan, at least a fan should have known their idol's most famous works. I don't recall any of the articles about him in that issue either, because when I saw his churches in Switzerland many years later, I was pretty impressed as I never saw them before.
Anyway, SFMoMa is not one of those. It only sparkled twice during my visit. First was having its familiar unique ellipse popping up all the sudden from downtown SF's busy skyline. The second was standing right underneath that ellipse, facing the stairway.
[I haven't quite understood why that lady checking tickets chose to sit in that location, was that part of the exhibition? Seemed "yes" to me.]
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts by Fumihiko Makihttp://www.flickr.com/photos/8499133@N02/sets/72157625328031502/with/5112504274/
If I knew this building was designed by Fumihiko Maki, I would have at least walked around instead of just sitting in the lobby, unfortunately I was too tired to find out then.
But for the record, I did feel it special. Otherwise, who takes pictures when they almost fall in sleep.
Although, it was quite a peaceful nap in the chair there. I even got a rainbow dream :) ok, this's a joke.
The Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption by Pier Luigi Nervi
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8499133@N02/5111906953/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8499133@N02/5111906953/
My friend told me the designer of this church was a not very famous engineer, even though this is definitely an incredible masterpiece. So I checked it up in Google later on, Pier Luigi Nervi, my memory from ARE structure study came back right away. He was one of the masters leading "reinforced concrete era".
I visited the cathedral twice. I'm not a catholic, but even by a peek in the first day, I could still feel God was there in the way structure married architecture.
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