Some good natured ribbing...

...at ionarts about LeCorbusier et moi.

My response? Just what I said before; it's not about either Corb or me:

People make a big deal about a particular structure in Europe. And I wouldn't doubt rightfully so; I haven't been there but it may well be -- if you stay on the picture postcard side -- as marvelous as conventional wisdom contends.

(A little secret? I think it was the first building that I ever noticed as a discrete building. I must have been about seven or eight -- maybe it was the year in fact it was finished. I dimly remember seeing a photo, loving the image of the building -- the image you always see, of course -- and wanting to be an architect. See how dangerous starchitecture can be?)

But this view of it is rarely shown:

click

Would the building be so acclaimed if the facade (above) was shown alongside the famous iconic view?

I tend to doubt it. This facade of the building appears particularly unpleasant and homely. But if you told people the name of the architect and the building before you showed them the photo I have little doubt that most -- after remembering their proper place -- would ooh! and ahh!

Can anyone read this and think that either
1. I do not like the facade we usually see or
2. the facade may indeed be a great facade?

If so, I apologize if I was not clear. But my point is that so much of our reaction to famous buildings (and other famous things, too, of course) stems from a mediated view of them, from knowing who designed it and therefore being primed to be impressed. I believe that this Chapel has facades so ugly that if you saw them in media, you would be turned off...so you rarely get to see them. The post was an attempt to deal -- not with Le Corbusier -- but with the formation of public opinion in which so-called connoiseurship -- the sort of thing you see at certain well-informed but snobbish blogs, in fact -- preempts your own reaction.

Now it is fine to have people who know more help you form an opinion because there are people of greater and lesser knowledge and perception. But when you have herds of people seeing things and yet not knowing how to react until they get a cue from some connoiseur...well then you get the kind of environment we have now which is by and large from the banal to the ridiculous.

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In fact I love the famous facade of the Chapel -- honestly and also as I know I am supposed to. And while I am surpised at the ugliness of the back side I am not surprsied that it is a view rarely shown; otherwise it would degrade LeCorbusier's reputation.

As to "every building has an ugly side"...I don't buy that, I simply don't think it's true and it would be especially weird for a religious building to be designed with lack of care for any aspect of it, as the entire structure must be holy

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As to where to send my birthday present, I will send the address off-line.

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OK. End of rant. See you next week! Drive safely!