The Robert Stern reading’s help to clarify the difference in “the Whites” and “the Grays” philosophies that distinguish the two groups. The Gray’s principles carry historical principles that are established in a modern take that leaves a connection to the past and present. After reading what Stern said, I can really see the Gray principles in Charles Moore’s Piazza d’Italia more clearly.
Charles Moore’s Piazza d’Italia incorporates a plaza which ties into the configuration of space in terms of light, view, and use. By incorporating a plaza, he allows for light to hit at every angle and room for people to move around and really experience the piazza in different perspectives. By mixing rich colors and ornament together, Moore constructs walls that hold the history of the design while creating a modern feel. It also allows for the scale of the walls and columns to really stand out to the viewer. The Gray’s hold the past and the future in their architecture without ever losing visual representation of where they came from.
Stern, Robert. Gray Architecture as Post-Modernism, or, Up and Down from Orthodoxy. 1976
Good insight Seth – it would be interesting to note the specifics on how historical conventions were challenged through composition, color, and materiality in Moore’s Piazza d’Italia. Moreover, were there any points provided by Stern with which you disagreed? I think the gray approach almost necessitates reception of both accord and discord.