City
Frank Gehry's AGO Springs a Leak
The new and improved Art Gallery of Ontario opened to much fanfare following major renovations by famed architect Frank Gehry - and justifiably so. The visually stunning staircase that winds and curves through the heart of the gallery is truly remarkable. But just months after opening to the public, we're already seeing a problem.
A few days ago, the Globe and Mail reported that condensation and leaks were becoming an issue in the stair well. Yesterday (on an awwwwesome rainy day first date), I went to the AGO and saw it first hand.
There's a hole in your building, dear Gehry, dear Gehry.
With what shall we fix it, dear Gehry, dear Gehry?
With a bucket, dear Gehry, dear Gehry...
And some fans, dear Gehry, dear Gehry...
And some towels, dear Gehry, dear Gehry...
And a lawsuit? Dear Gehry?
The problem begets several questions...
Who is responsible for the flaws that led to leaks? Are there drainage flaws in the design itself? Flaws in the construction or materials used in construction? Are Gehry's wild and imaginative architectural concepts simply too difficult to execute? How much of this has to do with our wacky freeze/thaw weather patterns of late?
These questions and more are sure to come up. Much like they did when the Frank Gehry-designed Stata Center at MIT Cambridge (depicted below) had water leak issues that resulted in MIT suing Ghery's firm and the construction company that did the build.
Photos by Photosapience.
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"get a life" is right.
I live in a run down apartment building built in the 1960s. Last week the buildings heat failed during some of the coldest days in the last month. I've also had problems with water leaking in the bathroom from a bad seal on pipes in the apartment above. Not even just dripping. Water coming down in a steady stream. And the damage done to the ceiling is nowhere close to the damage in that third picture.
Looks more like someone took Amy Winehouse's face and turned it into a building.
Someone messed up on the construction or design of a Toronto landmark and historic institution, and regardless of the huge amounts of money spent, it is hardly something minor to complain about.
PS. Like the old saying goes, there's no "r" in "Stata Center" (except the one at the end).
Makes you wonder about who really are these so called architects the Ontario government hires to plan and destroy the façade of our buildings. Also, who are the construction companies that put this crap together? Neither groups have shown no real professionalism whatsoever!
The leaks will get sorted out. No big deal.
Thanks for showing some restraint in this design, Mr. Gehry. SO much better than that awful ROM Crystal thingy (Starchitect wank, if you ask me).
I'm disappointed this happened to the AGO, but it does mean at least we can deal with it and FIX it, and take the lesson forward for next time. I'd rather we do this and make mistakes rather than stick to what we know, all the time.
Re: Notre Dame ... I don't know if you know, but the original design, during construction, suffered major stress fractures due to the weight of the stone. They had to make serious modifications with flying buttresses so it would not collapse. I guess nobody's perfect.
This is a perfect post for haters of both the ROM and AGO to come crashing Toronto's leap forward into architecture. Are you all saying that standard looking buildings don't have their flaws also?
Give me a break.
Thanks for the "heads up" on the leak though.
BTW- These leaks must have not gone well with your "date" eh Jerrold. Looks like we'll have another Gehry hater on our hands.
I'm more concerned about the posibility that this wasn't a simple oversight, but linked to shoddy design or construction. In which case a simple fix might not be enough if more problems arise in other areas in the building.
I think you're totally misunderstanding this. I absolutely adore Gehry's work. I even make a point of seeking out his buildings when I travel (hence the photos of his work at MIT). I LOVE what he's done at the AGO.
BUT his AGO renos are clearly BROKEN. And that's a problem. One definitely worthy of discussion, I think.
PS. I'm also a fan of the ROM Crystal. You're barking up the wrong tree. :)
They can try and shrug it off as much as they like ("the building is settling"), but a major moisture problem in an art gallery that can't be fixed for months is a big problem.
And the "it's just normal amounts of condensation" argument is pretty sad. If the design of the place was expected to produce that much moisture buildup it would never have been approved for an art gallery.
And I for one don't care much for staircases, or cultural elitists shitting all over everything else in Toronto in their desperate defense of this renovation. Just because not everyone thinks its the greatest thing to ever happen to Toronto doesn't make them bitter shallow hate filled philistines.
If it leaks, it leaks. Architecture FAIL.
Art Gallery of Ontario: Transformation rush job
http://lifeoneight.blogspot.com/2008/11/art-gallery-of-ontario-transformation.html
Apparently Gehry was very unhappy with the rushed construction deadline as well.
Speaking from a layman's perspective - something I do well - when I'm indoors and the rain from outdoors is coming INdoors - that is a leak.
All the defense is nice, but you can't redefine "leak" simply because you know what might have caused it down to a science.
Now if someone would get down there and fix this, we can let this little problem dry up. :)
To suggest that issues like this are soley due to builders that are too hung up on tradtion shows a surprising lack of professional respect. I find it hard to believe that anyone with actual experience on projects of this scope and complexity would take that attitude.
Client: Hey Frank my roof is leaking!
Frank: What color is it?
Client: What color is what?
Frank: The bucket!
Frank hangs up....
and that was Frank Loydd Wright! 70+/- years ago...
What is it with these Architects named Frank?
i think the ago is better then the ROM.
Wyatt