What Could've Been in Boston

On display at the Center for Architecture are recipients of the 2007 AIA New York Design Awards. Many of the presentations feature the usual sexy photography, snazzy renderings, and finished models, though for Diller Scofidio + Renfro's Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) in Boston, the architects supply some study models that show what could've been.

Here's three of the six:


I'm guessing this one was a bit too jumbled for the client. It appears the architects were channeling Le Corbusier in numerous stages of his work, especially the raised box of Villa Savoye and the rooftop objects of Unité d'habitation.


This next one immediately recalls DS+R's unbuilt design for Eyebeam Museum of Art and Technology in New York City. It's not uncommon for architects to reuse designs or design concepts, and I can't blame them here for trying to finally get the ribbon in built form, as Eyebeam is not only one of my favorite DS+R projects but one of my favorite projects, period.


This last one takes the small window that can be found in the completed building (looking down to the water from the computer lab) and just goes bonkers with it, framing views this way and that and acting as portals in some cases. It's a pretty exciting design that might have been, like the design at top, too chaotic for the client.