First it was Monday’s G2 and then yesterday it was BBC’s Imagine – I feel my week is being punctuated by Richard Rogers. He’s an architect who I’ve often appreciated but without really thinking of his work overall, nor assessed my own interest in modern architecture. Whilst watching Imagine, I realised I had been lucky enough to experience some of Europe’s most exciting architecture, and that most of it 
had been constructed in my lifetime.
I’ll say now that I have never studied art or architecture, my knowledge of it academically is poor. However, it is something that excites me and often when mooching around a new city, if it is diverse and creative in its buildings it will subconsciously appeal to me.
Starting off with Rogers, his most memorable work is probably the Pompidou centre in Paris, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year (and thus is seven years outside my lifetime). I first visited the Pompidou when I was six years old and was captivated by its ‘inside-out’ approach with the escalators on the outside. It just struck me as a really fun building – and I imagine probably still has great appeal to kids.
I returned in 2006 with fellow Bolsovers and all my childhood enthusiasm for the place returned. (Although this time I went to an exhibition on pornography which probably scarred me even more than it would have done as a six year old). According to G2, 20% of the Pompidou’s budget goes on maintaining the building, which doesn’t quite fit in with Rogers’ current environment and sustainability mission. However, one of the key things I think about architecture is that they reflect the period they were built in. So buildings built now reflect the concerns of the generation – namely climate change and the environment. Centre Pompidou reflects the playful element of the 1970s and a feeling of being able to break out of the regular mould.
Another much lauded European art house is the Guggenheim in Bilbao – which, like the Pompidou is as exciting from the outside as the content on the inside. Built by Frank Gehry, the silver building is exciting and curious. I personally think Gehry could afford to be a bit more diverse in his buildings. To an idiot like me they all have very similar lines and connotations. But perhaps, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. I’ve been to the Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles too and think Gehry did a good job at making humdrum LA a little more architecturally inspiring.
Bolsoversion (both halves) was in Bilbao during the summer of 2004. They had a heinous time getting there (thanks to the Basque train system and a night of sleeping on a rainy beach) but couldn’t help but enjoy ourselves at the Guggenheim.
Carrying on with European cultural centres, next stop Berlin. I’ll say now that Berlin is perhaps my favourite European city and its architecture is only one miniscule reason for this. But, as that was my brief when I started this (frankfully, quite boastful) jaunt around my modern architectural memories, I’ll start there.
The Reichstag has an amazing history, and one you can delve into if you visit. It’s free and open practically all day so there’s no excuse to miss it if you visit the city. Redesigned by Norman Foster and completed in 1999, he added on a glass cupola to a nineteenth century building that had (just about) survived the First World War, the Nazis and the Cold War. The views from the roof look all over Berlin, and you can look along the Brandenburg gate towards Potsdamer Platz and almost visualise where the Berlin Wall ran.
You can then walk up around the inside of the glass cupola/dome all the way to the top. Once you’ve stopped being dizzy there are some amazing views. Also inside the cupola is a central mirrored column and if you look down it you can see into the main debating chamber. I think Foster’s idea was that the people stand above the elected representatives. That way there is transparent accountability and the electors are overseeing the elected. I love that imagery of democracy – particularly in a relatively new European power with such a tormented past.
If you’re in Berlin, other modern architectural sites of interest are certainly Peter Eisenmann’s Jewish Memorial and Daniel Libeskind’s Jewish Museum. (He also designed the Imperial War Museum North in Salford Quays, England which is also worth a look).
Living in Cardiff means I’ve now gone full circle and come back to Richard Rogers. His design for the Welsh Assembly (or Senedd) building has been embraced by some and not by others. (The BBC has a picture gallery here) I’ve been in it a few times and I love the central flume and the undulating roof – although it feels more Scandinavian than Welsh. It’s all very eco-friendly – the building can use the ground as a heat source – which is in keeping with Rogers’ latest interests. It still has the sense of fun that the Pompidou has and its open glass structure means that inside feels bright and clean. It also has the same idea of accountability as Foster’s Reichstag. The public gallery is looking over the Senedd seats, making sure the AMs know who really wields the power.
Now I’ve realised I’m actually quite fascinated by this stuff, I’m eagerly following what’s happening to the WTC site in New York. Foster, Gehry and Richards are in action so let’s see where these new skyscrapers and pieces of modern art may take us.
