Space Invasion

On our twice-daily jaunt through the East Village yesterday, I decided to hang a right on 3rd Avenue at St. Marks to get a closer look at the new Cooper Union monstrosity building. As my friend Nancy said, it sorta looks like one side of it needs to be pulled up, as if it were a sagging drape. In any case, it reminded me of the now-quite-quaint complaints I heard when Cooper Union erected its surprisingly utilitarian dormitory just a couple of blocks to the north. This new building shows zero regard for the architectural integrity and character of the neighborhood in which it's been dropped onto. In fact, scrawled on the boards covering what will be its ground floor, I found the most telling piece of public criticism about it yet. See below.

Comments

[EV Grieve]

In space, no one can hear you scream.

[ken mac]

too bad the aliens have all the money, if not the class.

[BK]

Cooper Union has been a steady rock in the neighborhood for over 150 years. Its admissions process is one of the few things that isn't corrupt in higher education. In a neighborhood infested by real estate and power hungry NYU, I welcome CU's limited expansion. With regards to the "architectural integrity and character of the neighborhood," how would you propose that be done?

[Alex in NYC]

You call that Imperial Star Destroyer "limited expansion"? You don't find it wildly out of synch with the surrounding environs? I'm not decrying Cooper Union as a whole (and I agree with your opinion about NYU), but I just think they made a poor choice in this instance.

[BK]

I'll be honest, I haven't done my research as to who designed the building (I hope there was student collaboration involved), but yes, I consider CU's expansion limited in comparison to NYU especially when one considers their respective time lines. Using today's economical building materials, I think it is a respectable design. There are more hideous looking projects within eye-shot. Who knows, perhaps generations of NYers from now will find the building to be one of the brighter fragments of architecture to be created during this time. I think it could have been worse.

PS - I came across your blog for the first time today, and I look forward to reading more.

[Alex in NYC]

Hi again, BK...
Well, yes -- there *are* more hideous looking projects within eye-shot (specifically up the Bowery about a block -- the fabled "Dubai Dildo"), but does that justify building another one? Seriously -- you don't think the new CU building looks ridiculous? Why must we further augment the EV's transformation into a set-piece for a "Jetsons" movie?

In years to come, who knows what people will think of it. Remember, they all laughed at the Eiffel Tower. Personally speaking, though, I think it's a horrible, audacious, inconsiderate blight. But, y'know, that's me.

Thanks for reading, BK. Hope I can keep ya comin' back.

Cheers,
Alex