NYT: Art Gallery of Ontario

[RobinFinderson]

In November the NYT reviewed Frank Gehry's AGO building in Toronto, Canada. This is significant for me because I developed most of the parametric computer models for every feature element in the building. These models, imo, represent the technical design of the building. In other words, Frank would design the building as the primary author. He would then need 3D experts to solve how his forms could be actually built. The design would ultimately change a bit, due to the physical limitations of real-world materials. I was the person tasked with solving these problems for this building during the design phase, when all of the critical issues were resolved. Thought Frank gets all of the credit (c'est la vie) I still feel a great sense of authorship in this project. Here are some images of my work:



The front facade was primarily a paneling exercise where I had to figure out how to bend glass planes to conform to this shape without bending them too far.



The glass is extra clear (no greenish blue tint) which is cool, but expensive.



I built the models for that little cork screw on the back of the building. I'm not too thrilled with the big box.



And the models for this 'feature stair.'



The front facade is the best part, and developing the modeling process for that was all my design. Ain't I special?

[SteelBlue]

Color me impressed.

[Surfah]

Robin that is pretty bad ass. I spent about 6 hours doing AutoCAD today. All I was doing were some details for shop drawings. Anyone that can do 3-D modeling on a project of that scope has some serious skills that I could only dream of having.

[creekster]

Can we just cut to the quick here: Do you, or do you not, have a Ph.D?





Ok, I admit, that is sort of childish. But I will say that is impressive stuff. My wife loves Ghery's buildings and we rented that documentary about him. After viewing it my impression is that he is an artisitic paper bender and the students/assistants/seconds did all the real world work. Sounds like you might agree.

[tooblue]

I attended the opening with Mrs. tooblue. In the first photo at the street corner to the left is a sculpture by Henry Moore (one of my favorite artists) Continue down that street 20 paces and you are at the front doors of the art college where I was educated:



I like the changes to the museum -- a much needed upgrade.

[RobinFinderson]

Hello. I posted this between classes today. Fridays are my heaviest teaching days, with wall to wall classes from 8:00am to 8:00pm. So I haven't been around to respond.

Steelblue: Thanks.

Surfah: Yeah, I am a 3D bad ass. I can make just about anything. The 3D skills that I don't have are those related to the field of animation-- rigging, texturing, character modeling. But if has anything to do with architecture or product, I can model and prototype it.

Creekster: No PhD. But if work ever gets boring enough, and if I ever get really passionate about something (a unique combo of boredom and passion) I would consider it.

Your joking aside, I haven't even seen the Gehry movie, though it was being filmed while I was there. My primary interest in renting it would be to see if I was in any of the office shots. But Frank really is the author of the work, in the most fundamental way that anyone can be an author of something so inherently collaborative. He is to the building what the director is to a film. He is far more involved in the design process than I expected before working for him. But yes, his process is one that works on slave labor (which is why I'm no longer there today), and many people do a lot of heavy lifting for minimal recognition. I guess I have to say that all of your warm fuzzies have made it worth it.

TooBlue: So you studied at OCAD? OCAD is the name of that shoebox in the sky that TooBlue is showing in his post. Gehry's big blue box at the back of AGO was a visual response to OCAD. I like your building, even if lots of people don't. Propping that giant thing up on stilts like that took some serious architectural cajones.

Also I am very familiar with the Moore piece that you are referring to at that front corner of AGO. I built the models for the Moore sculpture for all the physical models we developed for AGO. Lots of Bondo and sanding. Here is a model photo that includes my version of the Moore piece:

[RobinFinderson]

Also, the NYT article mentions that the inside, behind the front glass facade, is one of the most interesting spaces, but they show no photos of that space. The driving inspiration for the project was the wealthy donor's passion for old ships. Our Ken Thomson, our benefactor, was the wealthiest Canadian, and one of the wealthiest men on the planet, right up to the point he became worm food, a couple of years before we completed the project. The inside and front facade are loosely based on the structural spars supporting the hulls of the ships this man loved. I modeled every stick:

[RobinFinderson]

As an interesting side note, Ken Thomson commissioned the redesign of the AGO building to house a Rubens painting he had acquired for $86 million dollars, which was the highest price ever paid for an Old Master work. The image is probably the most grotesque painting I have ever seen. It depicts the massacre of children at Herod's behest, and is titled Massacre of the Innocents. Here is a photo:

[tooblue]

As an interesting side note, Ken Thomson commissioned the redesign of the AGO building to house a Rubens painting he had acquired for $86 million dollars, which was the highest price ever paid for an Old Master work. The image is probably the most grotesque painting I have ever seen. It depicts the massacre of children at Herod's behest, and is titled Massacre of the Innocents. Here is a photo:

Rubens is my favorite master -- I love his paintings. And it's not a shoe box but a kleenex box on knitting needles. I love the building. It was built after I graduated though.

[tooblue]

Also, the NYT article mentions that the inside, behind the front glass facade, is one of the most interesting spaces, but they show no photos of that space. The driving inspiration for the project was the wealthy donor's passion for old ships. Our Ken Thomson, our benefactor, was the wealthiest Canadian, and one of the wealthiest men on the planet, right up to the point he became worm food, a couple of years before we completed the project. The inside and front facade are loosely based on the structural spars supporting the hulls of the ships this man loved. I modeled every stick:

The inside of the facade is a very nice departure from what one commonly sees in large buildings. It does feel very much like you are in the hull of a great ship. At first, though, the space feels very much out of place, a waste of space even. But because of it's length before you get to the other end you start to recognized the splendor ... the best way I can describe it is having fun while walking a long hallway ... not to get to any room in particular but simply to walk the hallway.

The Gallery has an amazing collection of model ships on display -- while I was in school I spent countless hours looking at them.

[cowboy]

I thought I was cool because I designed our house. You win.