Today while reading an old issue of Time magazine in our break room, I found an interesting quote by architect Frank Gehry "My name's Frank Gehry and my buildings don't leak." The quote is in reference to the lawsuit MIT has initiated against Mr. Gehry, citing that the $300 million dollar building that Gehry designed for the school was poorly designed and has developed issues with leaks, mold, and poor drainage.
Well, MIT, it's Frank Gehry. What else would you expect? The man has often been reviewed as an architect who creates "function-less forms". His design ideas come from the forms created by dropping string and following the pattern it falls in to. He's a sculptor who has found a niche in architecture. If an architect can't construct a building that effectively serves it's purpose, why spend $300 million dollars to have him create a complex for your school? I'm not surprised that his building is leaking. So Gehry is a big name, but a big name doesn't guaranty a perfectly functional building. Even Frank Lloyd Wright had problems making vision meet a functional reality. Oh MIT, this will be an expensive lesson for you.
