C U RECORD Dean Bernard Tschumi to Build New … · However, Bernard Tschumi, dean of the School of...
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C olumbia U niversity RECORD April 19, 2002 5 SIPA Professor Mark C. Gordon, CC ’81, SIPA ‘82, has been named dean of the Univer- sity of Detroit Mercy School of Law, effective August 1. Since 1996, Gordon has been an asso- ciate professor in the Practice of Public Affairs at SIPA. While at Columbia, Gordon founded and directed the Urban Habitat Project, which worked in partnership with the United Nations, the World Bank and oth- ers to identify and analyze cre- ative approaches to addressing the challenges of urbanization around the world. He also created a student-run, non-profit Alliance for Community Enhancement, which has worked with religious institutions in Harlem to enhance the flow of tourist revenues to the community. Antonio Freitas, valedictori- an of the School of General Studies class of 1997, has been appointed an assistant professor at Columbia’s Department of Psychology. Freitas, who is completing his doctoral disserta- tion at Yale University, begins his appointment on July 1, 2002. His research interests include goal-directed action and cogni- tion. Freitas has co-authored research published in journals such as “Psychological Science” and “The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.” Dean Bernard Tschumi to Build New Acropolis Museum in Athens; Greeks Hope It Will Facilitate Return of Controversial Elgin Marbles R arely does an architect have to consider factors like international politi- cal debate and the history of west- ern civilization when designing a building. However, Bernard Tschumi, dean of the School of Architecture, Planning and Preser- vation, had to pay close attention to both before submitting his plan for the new Acropolis Museum, which will break ground this sum- mer in Athens, Greece. Set only 800 feet from the leg- endary Parthenon, the museum will be the most significant build- ing ever erected so close to the ancient temple and was commis- sioned by the Greek government to be completed in time for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens. The structure will also be used in an attempt to help bring the Elgin Marbles back to the city after two centuries in a foreign country. But to understand the importance of the future museum, one first has to examine the history of the land. In 479 B.C.E., after two bloody years of fighting, the Greeks drove the Persians out of Athens thus reclaiming the city and its sacred, yet ravaged structures. Several decades later, a decision was made by Pericles to build a new temple atop the Acropolis—the highest point in Athens—that would glori- fy both the goddess Athena and the Greek capital, which had become the state’s largest and wealthiest center. It would house a grand Athena statue and other elaborate idols in tribute to the Greek gods. By 432 B.C.E., the Parthenon was completed after fifteen years of construction, and though the build- ing would eventually endure numerous attacks and religious incarnations, it has remained per- haps the world’s foremost example of mathematical precision and clarity in Greek architecture. Then, 200 years ago, something happened that continues to trouble the Greeks to this day. In the early 19th Century, Eng- lishman Thomas Bruce, the sev- enth Earl of Elgin, traveled to Athens with the intent of bringing back some historic Greek pieces to put on display in London. He obtained permission from his friend, the Turkish Sultan (the Ottoman Empire controlled Greece at the time), to remove whatever he wanted for a small price. Elgin took the Sultan up on his offer, essentially looting the Parthenon of its idols and taking as much as his ships could fit. The haul of sculp- tures, housed in London’s British Museum since, would come to be known as Elgin’s Marbles. Thus, most of the top floor of Tschumi’s new museum will be devoted to space anticipating the return of the treasures Elgin took, many which date back to the Parthenon’s earliest days. He will create a rectangular “Parthenon Gallery,” enclosed in glass to pro- vide ideal light for sculpture view- ing and with a direct view of the Acropolis above. Lower floors in the museum will house a range of galleries from the archaic period to the Roman Empire. There will also be a multimedia auditorium and a mezzanine bar and restaurant. The Greek government chose Tschumi’s design in part because of the prominence his building will give these pieces. For years, one of Britain’s strongest arguments against returning the mar- bles has been Greece’s lack of a fitting place to house them. Nicos Papadakis, a spokesman for the Greek Embassy in London told the British Broadcast- ing Corporation, “This is the clearest manifestation of our commitment to have [the marbles] returned. This shows that we mean what we say.” However, the English govern- ment still maintains the right to possession of the marbles, with Prime Minister Tony Blair recently stating his intention to keep them in London. The British cite several reasons for refusing to return the pieces, most notably the fact that they possess a bill of purchase (though from an Ottoman official, which some consider akin to a receipt for stolen goods) and also because if the marbles were returned, they say, it would set a precedent for demand that pieces from all museums be returned to their countries of origin. Still, some members of the British Parliament, along with sup- port from public figures like actress Vanessa Redgrave, contin- ue to argue vehemently for the return of the marbles. In fact, a television poll taken several years ago proved that 90% of British cit- izens favored sending them back to Greece. Indeed, the debate will likely intensify as the Olympics draw closer and Athens finds itself under an international spotlight. For Tschumi, several other unique challenges exist on the pro- ject. He has to build the museum very carefully on top of an excava- tion site where an ancient Christian town was recently unearthed. Offi- cials will monitor the process to make sure none of the structures are disturbed. To complicate mat- ters, he has to consider and accom- modate for the regularity of earth- quakes, which the area suffers. Of course, there is also the pressure of building a major structure that will stand right in the shadow of the Parthenon itself. “The Parthenon was the highest point of culture and worship,” says Tschumi. “The museum is a place that records those achievements. The museum will stage the work of that era while asserting a new identity.” The commission is one of the highest in profile that Tschumi has ever worked on, but his commit- ment to presenting a strong design was the only focus he had when preparing for the competition. “We asked, ‘How can we pro- vide a building which is as repre- sentative to our contemporary sen- sibility and technology as the Parthenon was at its time,’ ” says Tschumi. “Architecture is not about form, but about defining a goal or concept. There is no senti- mentality in it. You cannot be intimidated.” And, clearly, Tschumi was not. Still, he entered the contest with low expectations, believing the prospect of winning almost “impossible” because he thought technical and bureaucratic con- straints would not allow him to real- ize his vision. But his commitment to the idea of making the building “first and foremost a museum of natural light,” pleased the Greek government more than any other. When the call carrying good news came from his assistant in New York, he was on a site visit in Florida. “I’m glad I was already sitting down when I heard,” says Tschumi. “I was stunned.” Now that the celebration is over, the work has begun. Tschumi says the time frame he has to complete the museum in is “unbelievably short,” but that finishing is possi- ble. “Indeed, it requires major efforts from both the bureaucrats and con- struction companies, but it can be done. [Construction] can be a very fast process, but sometimes slow at the same time.” Tschumi feels certain that the approval stages will be a top prior- ity for the Greek government as the finished museum and the Olympics will present an opportu- nity for the country to show a fresh face to the rest of the world. “Clearly it is part of an ambition on the part of Greece to modernize itself,” says Tschumi. “This is the first step.” BY JASON HOLLANDER The New Acropolis Museum will be set just below the Acropolis in Athens, only 800 feet away from the legendary Parthenon. A model view of the new museum from above. The Greek government commissioned the building to be completed in time for the 2004 Sum- mer Olympic Games in Athens. Dean Bernard Tschumi Following are comments made by Columbia experts on issues of public concern: “Despite superficial warm- ing, the relationship between Iran and Iraq is as hostile and as mistrustful as ever. In the event of a U.S.-Iraq military encounter, I would expect Iran to maintain official neutrality – as it did before – or even coop- erate tacitly with the U.S. – as it did in Afghanistan.” —Gary Sick, senior research scholar, Middle East Institute, The Washington Times, March 25, 2002. “It would only be a humor- less economist who would say you have to stick to free trade at any cost. I think the President was caught between a rock and a hard place. The best free traders don’t say you have to jump off a cliff.” —Jagdish Bhagwati, profes- sor of economics, on President Bush’s recent decision to impose tariffs on steel imports, The Washington Post, March 29, 2002. “While it is very hard to say scientifically that this is global warming happening right here, it is exactly what the projec- tions of global warming show, in particular warmer winters and less snow because of that. It also shows more droughts and floods.” —Cynthia Rosenzweig, cli- mate scientist, WABC-TV, March 1, 2002. QUOTES PEOPLE “We asked, ‘How can we provide a building which is as representa- tive to our contemporary sensibility and technolo- gy as the Parthenon was at its time?’ ” —Bernard Tschumi
Transcript of C U RECORD Dean Bernard Tschumi to Build New … · However, Bernard Tschumi, dean of the School of...
C o l u m b i a U n i v e r s i t y RECORD April 19, 2002 5
SIPA Professor Mark C.Gordon, CC ’81, SIPA ‘82, hasbeen named dean of the Univer-sity of Detroit Mercy School ofLaw, effective August 1. Since1996, Gordon has been an asso-ciate professor in the Practice ofPublic Affairs at SIPA.
While at Columbia, Gordonfounded and directed the UrbanHabitat Project, which worked inpartnership with the UnitedNations, the World Bank and oth-ers to identify and analyze cre-ative approaches to addressingthe challenges of urbanizationaround the world. He also createda student-run, non-profit Alliancefor Community Enhancement,which has worked with religiousinstitutions in Harlem to enhancethe flow of tourist revenues to thecommunity.
Antonio Freitas, valedictori-an of the School of GeneralStudies class of 1997, has beenappointed an assistant professorat Columbia’s Department ofPsychology. Freitas, who iscompleting his doctoral disserta-tion at Yale University, beginshis appointment on July 1, 2002.His research interests includegoal-directed action and cogni-tion. Freitas has co-authoredresearch published in journalssuch as “Psychological Science”and “The Journal of Personalityand Social Psychology.”
Dean Bernard Tschumi to Build New Acropolis Museum in Athens;Greeks Hope It Will Facilitate Return of Controversial Elgin Marbles
Rarely does an architecthave to consider factorslike international politi-
cal debate and the history of west-ern civilization when designing abuilding. However, BernardTschumi, dean of the School ofArchitecture, Planning and Preser-vation, had to pay close attentionto both before submitting his planfor the new Acropolis Museum,which will break ground this sum-mer in Athens, Greece.
Set only 800 feet from the leg-endary Parthenon, the museumwill be the most significant build-ing ever erected so close to theancient temple and was commis-sioned by the Greek government tobe completed in time for the 2004Summer Olympic Games inAthens. The structure will also beused in an attempt to help bring theElgin Marbles back to the city aftertwo centuries in a foreign country.But to understand the importanceof the future museum, one first hasto examine the history of the land.
In 479 B.C.E., after two bloodyyears of fighting, the Greeks drovethe Persians out of Athens thusreclaiming the city and its sacred,yet ravaged structures. Severaldecades later, a decision was madeby Pericles to build a new templeatop the Acropolis—the highestpoint in Athens—that would glori-fy both the goddess Athena and theGreek capital, which had becomethe state’s largest and wealthiestcenter. It would house a grandAthena statue and other elaborateidols in tribute to the Greek gods.By 432 B.C.E., the Parthenon wascompleted after fifteen years ofconstruction, and though the build-ing would eventually endurenumerous attacks and religiousincarnations, it has remained per-haps the world’s foremost exampleof mathematical precision andclarity in Greek architecture.
Then, 200 years ago, somethinghappened that continues to troublethe Greeks to this day.
In the early 19th Century, Eng-lishman Thomas Bruce, the sev-enth Earl of Elgin, traveled toAthens with the intent of bringingback some historic Greek pieces toput on display in London. Heobtained permission from hisfriend, the Turkish Sultan (the
Ottoman Empire controlled Greeceat the time), to remove whatever hewanted for a small price. Elgintook the Sultan up on his offer,essentially looting the Parthenon ofits idols and taking as much as hisships could fit. The haul of sculp-
tures, housed in London’s BritishMuseum since, would come to beknown as Elgin’s Marbles.
Thus, most of the top floor ofTschumi’s new museum will bedevoted to space anticipating thereturn of the treasures Elgin took,many which date back to theParthenon’s earliest days. He willcreate a rectangular “Parthenon
Gallery,” enclosed in glass to pro-vide ideal light for sculpture view-ing and with a direct view of theAcropolis above. Lower floors inthe museum will house a range ofgalleries from the archaic period tothe Roman Empire. There will alsobe a multimedia auditorium and amezzanine bar and restaurant.
The Greek government choseTschumi’s design in part becauseof the prominence his building willgive these pieces. For years, one ofBritain’s strongestarguments againstreturning the mar-bles has beenGreece’s lack of afitting place tohouse them.
Nicos Papadakis,a spokesman forthe Greek Embassyin London told theBritish Broadcast-ing Corporation,“This is the clearestmanifestation ofour commitment tohave [the marbles]returned. Thisshows that we mean what we say.”
However, the English govern-ment still maintains the right topossession of the marbles, withPrime Minister Tony Blair recentlystating his intention to keep themin London. The British cite severalreasons for refusing to return thepieces, most notably the fact thatthey possess a bill of purchase(though from an Ottoman official,which some consider akin to areceipt for stolen goods) and alsobecause if the marbles werereturned, they say, it would set aprecedent for demand that piecesfrom all museums be returned totheir countries of origin.
Still, some members of theBritish Parliament, along with sup-port from public figures likeactress Vanessa Redgrave, contin-ue to argue vehemently for thereturn of the marbles. In fact, atelevision poll taken several yearsago proved that 90% of British cit-izens favored sending them back to
Greece. Indeed, the debate willlikely intensify as the Olympicsdraw closer and Athens finds itselfunder an international spotlight.
For Tschumi, several otherunique challenges exist on the pro-ject. He has to build the museumvery carefully on top of an excava-tion site where an ancient Christiantown was recently unearthed. Offi-cials will monitor the process tomake sure none of the structuresare disturbed. To complicate mat-ters, he has to consider and accom-modate for the regularity of earth-quakes, which the area suffers. Ofcourse, there is also the pressure ofbuilding a major structure that willstand right in the shadow of theParthenon itself.
“The Parthenon was the highestpoint of culture and worship,” saysTschumi. “The museum is a placethat records those achievements.The museum will stage the workof that era while asserting a newidentity.”
The commission is one of thehighest in profile that Tschumi hasever worked on, but his commit-ment to presenting a strong designwas the only focus he had whenpreparing for the competition.
“We asked, ‘How can we pro-vide a building which is as repre-sentative to our contemporary sen-sibility and technology as theParthenon was at its time,’ ” saysTschumi. “Architecture is notabout form, but about defining agoal or concept. There is no senti-mentality in it. You cannot beintimidated.”
And, clearly, Tschumi was not.Still, he entered the contest withlow expectations, believing theprospect of winning almost“impossible” because he thought
technical andbureaucratic con-straints would notallow him to real-ize his vision. Buthis commitment tothe idea of makingthe building “firstand foremost amuseum of naturallight,” pleased theGreek governmentmore than anyother. When thecall carrying goodnews came fromhis assistant inNew York, he was
on a site visit in Florida. “I’m gladI was already sitting down when Iheard,” says Tschumi. “I wasstunned.”
Now that the celebration is over,the work has begun. Tschumi saysthe time frame he has to completethe museum in is “unbelievablyshort,” but that finishing is possi-ble.
“Indeed, it requires major effortsfrom both the bureaucrats and con-struction companies, but it can bedone. [Construction] can be a veryfast process, but sometimes slow atthe same time.”
Tschumi feels certain that theapproval stages will be a top prior-ity for the Greek government asthe finished museum and theOlympics will present an opportu-nity for the country to show a freshface to the rest of the world.
“Clearly it is part of an ambitionon the part of Greece to modernizeitself,” says Tschumi. “This is thefirst step.”
BY JASON HOLLANDER
The New Acropolis Museum will be set just below the Acropolis inAthens, only 800 feet away from the legendary Parthenon.
A model view of the new museum from above. The Greek governmentcommissioned the building to be completed in time for the 2004 Sum-mer Olympic Games in Athens.
Dean Bernard Tschumi
Following are commentsmade by Columbia experts onissues of public concern:
“Despite superficial warm-ing, the relationship betweenIran and Iraq is as hostile and asmistrustful as ever. In the eventof a U.S.-Iraq militaryencounter, I would expect Iranto maintain official neutrality –as it did before – or even coop-erate tacitly with the U.S. – as itdid in Afghanistan.”
—Gary Sick, senior researchscholar, Middle East Institute,The Washington Times, March25, 2002.
“It would only be a humor-less economist who would sayyou have to stick to free trade atany cost. I think the Presidentwas caught between a rock anda hard place. The best freetraders don’t say you have tojump off a cliff.”
—Jagdish Bhagwati, profes-sor of economics, on PresidentBush’s recent decision toimpose tariffs on steel imports,The Washington Post, March29, 2002.
“While it is very hard to sayscientifically that this is globalwarming happening right here,it is exactly what the projec-tions of global warming show,in particular warmer wintersand less snow because of that.It also shows more droughtsand floods.”
—Cynthia Rosenzweig, cli-mate scientist, WABC-TV,March 1, 2002.
QUOTES
PEOPLE
“We asked, ‘How canwe provide a buildingwhich is as representa-tive to our contemporarysensibility and technolo-gy as the Parthenon wasat its time?’ ”
—Bernard Tschumi
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