Gehry project tightens its belt

You’re not the only one being asked to recraft that building just a teensy bit smaller.

Architectural Record reported this week that the Atlantic Yards, a controversial $4.3 billion, 8 million-square foot Brooklyn development designed by Frank Gehry, is scaling back its buildings.simpson_frank_gehry_concert_hall.jpg

New renderings were released for the project, showing Gehry’s designs altered to shrink the space of the project’s signature building and accommodate a change in use from residential and office to commercial.

Gehry’s work is distinctive and powerful, but it’s rarely compact.

An interesting function of our shrinking economy, rising fuel costs and fears of global warming might be to see some striking architecture come from doing more with less.

Of course, it’s going to have to get a lot smaller before it really turns heads.

Tags: ,

  • Anne Whitacre

    this blog comment is somewhat incorrect. The “signature” building (Miss Brooklyn) changed use from housing to commercial space, and also became smaller. The stadium has remained the same size, but design and detailing have been simplified.

    as for small buildings, one only has to look at the Maggie’s Centers (cancer hospice centers) to see small projects, and many projects built for university and college campuses.

  • shawna

    Thanks to Anne for the clarification.

    I’ve rewritten the sentence about Miss Brooklyn to better reflect that use changed from residential to commercial. Thanks for reading!