A portion of the famed rock garden at Ryoanji temple, Kyoto
Dana Buntrock, associate professor of architecture, University of California, Berkeley, responds to Clash of Perfectionists: Ando and Conforti at the Clark:
Loved the discussion. Comes down to one question: people or
purity? Pure concrete, clean control of movement, etc. Both Ando and
the director seem to have related, but not similar enough, stances on
the goal.I think, though, the concrete wall’s slashing the scenery, which you
complain about, is actually intended to have this effect (“shakkei” or
borrowed landscape). What makes it work some place like the famed
Ryoanji [the Kyoto temple best known for its rock garden, above, which I, Lee, photographed during my recent trip to Japan] is an appreciation for
the wall, too—but appreciation for a simple, fair-faced wall takes
time and will only work if the wall can develop some beauty as it ages.
Hard, with concrete.
CultureGrrl adds:
When asked about the walls at the recent press
preview in Williamstown, Ando remarked that “the wall creates space
between you and nature” and imparts “some sense of serene space.”
As I mentioned in the above-linked post, I’ll soon have more to say about concrete issues at the Clark.