2010: The Year of Contentious Architecture

By: Maryam Eskandari

In 2010, this year’s headlines showcased architectural projects pushing the envelope. Plagued with debate, below are the top five most controversial buildings this year.

On top of the list was none other than the Burj Dubai, renamed Burj Khalifa honoring the ruler of Abu Dhabi who spared $11 billion dollars to rescue Dubai from its financial crises. The 2,717 feet tower designed by the Chicago office of Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill (SOM) LLP, were determined to build the world’s tallest, sustainable, mixed use, and free standing structure that ever existed. On the 158th level is the world’s highest mosque, while the world’s highest swimming pool resides on the 76th floor. With barely 900 apartments now owned and only three-quarters of the 37 floors of commercial and office spaces occupied, Dubai still struggles with the rest of the $29 billion tab for the Burj. Nevertheless, what is unfortunate to see was the one-week opening of the observation deck that was forced closed because of liability and safety issues. The Burj Khalifa is still struggling to make a name for itself, while the main architects: Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill who where the designers of the Burj, upon completion, where immediately hired by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to design a tower, taller than the Burj Khalifa.

Within the same region of the Middle East, the second most hyperactive project had to be Frank Gehry’s Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem. Over the past six years Gehry had been erecting a landmark in a historical city, on the historical site of Mamilla– the Muslim cemetery in Jerusalem. Many established architects protested the site, stating that it would be a ‘blow to peaceful co-existence.’ Of the most outspoken architects are Will Alsop, Richard MacCormac, Charles Jencks, and Eva Jirticna, who have been leading the petitions. Nevertheless, the wave of protest for the design of the Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem and protest against Gehry Partners was to an extent that the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Founder Rabbi Marvin Heir decided to drop the architect and the scheme. However, Frank Gehry responded: “I greatly value my relationship with Rabbi Marvin Hier and admire his determination to establish a Museum of Tolerance in Jerusalem that will serve as the embodiment of human respect and compassion. Unfortunately, our staff and resources are committed to other projects around the globe, and thus I will not be able to participate in the redesign effort. Contrary to a published report quoting my partner Craig Webb, this parting has nothing whatsoever to do with perceived political sensitivities. The Museum of Tolerance project is vitally important, and I have no doubt that Rabbi Hier will create a visitor experience that will bring people of all faiths closer together.” Despite the fact that the petition has gone to the higher court; it has been over-ruled based on a previous design– the corner of the cemetery had been transformed into a parking lot back in the 1960s and ”that Jerusalem has been inhabited for roughly 4,000 years, and many ancient sites have been built over.” Hence, the new architect has yet to be announced, and there is a push to complete the project in two years.

Third on the list has to be the £100m Iranian Embassy building. In the heart of London, at the corner of Manson Place and Queensgate mews is the site of the new embassy, which was recently approved despite the angry residences who have been outwardly expressing their frustration and anger through letters to Prince Charles. The residences are in hopes that the Prince of Wales would be just as successful in deterring this project as he has been in Chelsea Barracks redevelopment projects. Commissioned to design the project is Daneshgar Architects, the Venice-based Iranian architect Dr. Armin Hohsen Daneshgar. The six story conceptual renderings, indicate that the building is to be made out of marble and stone structure, with asymmetrical and random windows, yet wrapped with sharp and clean lines to allow for a cohesive design. Cantilevers and the contemporary approach to the architecture is in response to the modern movement that has been happening in London, despite the traditionalist values that are to be integrated into the architectural design of the project. Daneshgar Architect has claimed that the form and the development that they have proposed are consistent with the architectural vocabulary and style that covered the site previously and are in conjunction with the surrounding building scales.

The Iranian Embassy is not the only project that was debated this summer, Park 51 in the heart of New York City, is fourth on my list. Developer Sharif el-Gamal appointed SOMA architects for the ‘Ground Zero Mosque.’ Numerous debates have been hovering over this project. The first debate has been the location of the project, two blocks away from ground zero, in line with a synagogue and a church. The second debate has been the fact that Park 51 is not a mosque, rather a Muslim version of a YMCA (Young Men Christian Association) and the Jewish Community Center that is located on 92nd and Y. Besides the 1,000-2,000 occupancy prayer space, the project is to have many amenities to accommodate the needs of the residences and commercial needs within that area. Such architectural programmatical function of the building have been a recreation center, 500–seat auditorium/theater, performing arts center, bookstore, swimming pool, culinary school, art studios, food court, and a 9/11 memorial to accommodate everyone within the areas.

The $100 million project, originally named the Cordoba House is a 13-story 1850s Italianate-style building that was previously occupied by the Burlington Coat Factory and was vacant after 2001. The facade of the building has now been conceptually designed as an ice-white latticework that replicating a modern Islamic design, with an integration of all the Abrahamic iconic faiths.

Debating over the last one, and considering all the hype over the final decision of the 2022 World Cup, I have decided that perhaps of the listed projects I would let you pick–the 5 stadiums of World Cup designed for 2022, the Delhi Airport by HOK, the Zayed National Museum, and Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi.

Maryam Eskandari is an Architect in Training and is in the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture at Harvard and MIT.