The Opera house is of course also designed to be great when seen from on or
across the water of the harbour.  The kangaroos at kissing
distance(almost)in the zoo opposite have one excellent view.  The current
elevations of DUMBO and south from Manhattan aren't so inspiring they
couldn't be improved on and local streets enlivened.
Former Brooklyn resident and sometime visitor to Sydney.

-----Original Message-----
From: David west [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, May 10, 1999 3:57 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Sydney Opera House on the East River - "barf index"
recalled


Sydney Opera House is an absolutely stunning building, which, despite much
flak in the local press about having been 'spoilt' by adjacent development,
remains an experience with few equals in my (biased and limited) opinion.

I have been known to take my weekend newspaper and sit on a bench below the
sweeping sails, just to enjoy the light bouncing off the roof.

I've also been fortunate enough to work on the building, and so have been up
on top, down through the bowels, on stage, across the glass walls/roofs on
the harbour side ... and I still work for the firm who were the structural
engineers for the building, so hopefully more chances.

As an urban space/place, I think it works really well.  Recent publicity has
focussed on three new apartment blocks built along the streets leading to
the Opera House.  These have blocked the view of the Opera House which was
available from Circular Quay (where all the ferries leave from, and the
start of the city proper).  My feeling is that this heightens the enjoyment.
The progression from the other side of the Circular Quay, where you can
enjoy the classical silhouette of the building, around and along these new
buildings, where the view disappears, to suddenly reappear in front of you
... takes the breath away.

Photographic architecture ... it can certainly be misleading.  But if a
building or a space has 'it', then I don't think it changes.

Take the new Frank Gehry Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.  I've not visited it
yet.  The photos show it as an exquisite jewel, shimmering in the late
afternoon light.  I've seen just one shot which places it in its context,
which is adjacent to rail-yards and an industrial looking canal/river.  I'll
be interested to see if it remains such an entrancing place/space ... and
thus whether Heidi is right or not!

By the way, I've never kissed a kangaroo either, Christopher, and I have no
plans to do so.

david