The Sexiest Buildings

I had the blessing of a quiet evening the other day and took advantage of the situation by catching up on the fourth season of Downton Abby.  It's the little vices in life that can make things worth it, right? 

The sponsor of PBS' Masterpiece is Ralph Lauren which, of course, means a prominent commercial.   It is a steady stream of models set against fabulous surroundings, reminiscent of the post-Edwardian era of the show.  The voice over  is Ralph Lauren explaining how design is a creative journey which starts with a feeling and evolves with the influences of the world around him.  He creates a world for his heroine, his muse.  It's a well crafted narrative which left me with an incredible sense of jealousy.  

How indulgent it must be to create something which must only satisfy you.  Now I'm sure his fashion house has critics to please and there is money to be made  and a reputation to be upheld.  What I'm really speaking to is the fact that in designing a line of clothing, in the most simplest way, one is simply creating what they think is best.  There is no board or committee to dictate your direction.  There are no codes to follow- no one's life will be at risk.  There is no governing body to impose an ordinance outlining how one must carry out their creative process. 

Now certainly I sound like I'm complaining.  I'm really not--it's just a bit difficult to remember that those boundaries within  which an architect must work within to actually 'create the world around themselves' can be just as inspiring if not simply challenging.  Blah blah blah.  So, to cheer myself up, I Googled "Sexiest Buildings".  It seems curves are in these days.

Milwaukee Art Museum by Calatrava

Aqua (skyscraper), by Jeanne Gang

The search revealed Calatrava's Milwauke has been declared the sexiest building.  Not bad though I can't say I've been to Milwaukee.  As of late, I prefer Aqua which is in Chicago...one of the sexiest towns when it comes to architecture.  I love the curves but there is so much else--from the modern, to Art Deco, to historic.

Above:  the modern wing of the Chicago Art Institute by Renzo Piano.
Left:  The Monadnok Building, the tallest iron framed building with load-bearing masonry by Burnham & Root.

Crown Hall by Mies van der Rohe

One North Le Salle St.

Here's Bart and I at The Bean in 2012?  That seems so long ago.  I hope this year brings more opportunities to seek out sexy buildings.  With any luck, it will also bring the opportunity to design just such buildings with the gleeful abandon of a fashion designer!