Day Tripper

Last week, I made a trip to Cleveland and then to Pittsburgh to visit some works by a few of the world’s most famous architects.  With that said, I went with the intention of trying to understand what the hype was about, because I’ll be the first to admit that Frank Gehry or Philip Johnson (in his late career) have never quite done it for me.  As a bonus, I got to see some of Marcel Breuer’s work and a classic Modern high-rise.

Long story short, Gehry still doesn’t do it for me, and I have slightly more positive feelings about Philip Johnson’s Postmodern phase.  His project that I visited doesn’t wow me aesthetically, but it seems to work as a high traffic business center and grounds for public gatherings.  And Marcel Breuer is steadily growing on me as one of the great architects of the 20th Century, especially when it comes to concrete.

Cleveland Museum of art addition by Marcel Breuer.

Cleveland Museum of Art addition by Marcel Breuer.

Cleveland Museum of Art 2013 expansion by Rafael Viñoly on the left, and the 1971 addition by Marcel Breuer on the right.

Peter B. Lewis Building at Case Western Reserve University by Frank Gehry.

Peter B. Lewis Building at Case Western Reserve University by Frank Gehry.

Cleveland Trust Tower by Marcel Breuer.

Cleveland Trust Tower by Marcel Breuer.

Cleveland Trust Tower by Marcel Breuer.

IBM Building (now United Steelworkers HQ) in Pittsburgh by Curtis & Davis.

IBM Building by Curtis & Davis. Photo by Jason Woods.

PPG Place by Philip Johnson & John Burgee.

PPG Place by Philip Johnson & John Burgee.