Thursday, October 21, 2010

Over the moon

I attended a concert at the Austrian Embassy last weekend and on the walk to the metro, I noticed that the roof of the new Chinese Embassy perfectly framed the moon! The embassy was recently designed by famed architect I.M.Pei and has been widely panned. What do you think of this odd building; Bizarre, right? Rendering of the whole complex below.

12 comments:

Unknown said...

No - I don't find it bizarre at all. It fits perfectly into the neighborhood if the rendering is realistic. I am no Feng Shui expert but I am sure that the "frame" for the moon has something to do with it. Probably not directing to the moon but rather for the dragons to be able to escape through the hole. As you can find on various occasions in Hong Kong f.e.

Reggie Darling said...

Interesting post. I look froward to checking out the new embassy when I am next in Washington. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. Reggie

David Toms said...

I love it as i do most of Pei's work. Great photo of a framed moon!

ArchitectDesign™ said...

It's rather odd coming upon this building, I felt, from walking down the street. The rendering isn't quite accurate with the appearance of the neighbors. My friend and I felt it looked like an outer space embassy! It definitely is interesting. I am a fan of I.M.Pei typically (east wing of NGA is one of my favorite buildings in dc), but this embassy was primarily done by his 2 sons who are now running the business.

Yuri-Alex Niso said...

Oh, I get the outer space vibe. The building is very "Science Museum" and that (wonderfully captured) picture of the moon doesn't help dissociate that impression from what was probably an attempt at "Looking at our future with the US!" or similar kind of schtick.

Kerry Steele- Design du Monde said...

I haven't seen the building in person. Is it too chunky? It appears that the others around it have more windows and look less megolithic.

pve design said...

I happen to love the mass of the structure and the photo you captured of the moon seems like one of those over the moon moments!
pve

Unknown said...

Well, after seeing it here, framing the moon just so...I am somewhat partial to it! Makes you wonder if I.M. ever had anticipated this in his design?

bill kellner said...

Ah-ha, Stefan, you solved the mystery of the owner of this building. The pic turned out nice! I do still wonder if there's intended meaning behind the odd geometry.

Kwana said...

Very cool how it frames the moon. I don't think it's an accident.

Anonymous said...

I can't make up my mind on this one.
His Hancock Tower in Boston is incredible. From one vantage point it looks as thin as a sheet of paper!

Samuel John Lima said...

I don't like this building at all. How does it, in any way, represent China, architecturally (or even Austria)? It doesn't. It could be anywhere! The problem with so many famous architects is that their designs really only speak about them, not what the building is made for, or who it is made for, or where it is made.