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Calatrava's 'MAMA'


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Well to make a long story short, after starting a pano series, being stopped by security, taking down the pano rig and turn off the camera (ooops), getting approval from the museum director, getting set back up, finishing the shoot, adjusting 3/4 of the images in PS, getting it all together in 'stitcher', going back in PS and taking care of the normal.....

 

A single pano image

 

 

 

 

CsMAMA.jpg

 

Here is a cylinder pano .mov

http://www.wdadesign.com/links/PC/artm2.mov

 

 

This is the east facing courtyard framed by Lake Michigan, the Art Museum Addition and the original art museum which was extended out from underneath E. Sarinens Milwaukee County War Memorial. Have'nt see much of this view in the publications and web. Anyway they were taking down from an art fair out front, what a mess, it rained today and tommorrow Summerfest starts and theres no parking with in 2 miles, so this is it for a while. But I'm looking forward to doing some more panos in the area.

 

WDA

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That's awesome. Is that a Calatrava building or a knock off? I love Calatrava's work. My favorite architect.

 

What rig and camera do you use?

 

Also, why do you need permission to take pictures of a public building? Sounds like a rent-a-cop on a power trip.

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That's awesome. Is that a Calatrava building or a knock off? I love Calatrava's work. My favorite architect.

 

What rig and camera do you use?

 

Also, why do you need permission to take pictures of a public building? Sounds like a rent-a-cop on a power trip.

Jeff,

 

No, it's the real thing! It's a credible world class Calatrava design, but it has a wonderful reflection of the Great Lakes and Milwaukee's maritime history. It's much better than the original Milwuakee Art Museums added out from E. Sarinens War Memorial Building.

 

Well the rig, it's a DIY. Most of what I've seen is really only cylindrical. Rather than an expensive "true Spherical" rig, I built one out of wood. Base on a 'theotolite' (sic), for test purposes. All in my garage with basic hand tools (not in the shop). See attachment. It works and if I continure to use it I'll either do a "pattern-maker" version in the shop or go really nuts and machine one up ( yea right, if I had the time).

 

Camera is a Sony Cyber-shot 5.0 mp, nothing incredibly fancy but has a wealth of photo controls as well as real good piont and shoot settings.

 

The software is RealViz's stitcher, it's a very good program but the apex of the lens really needs to be at the center of all the axis of the rig, for it to work well.

 

Permission? I know I did not need it, but it's better to respectfully work with system. In this day and age in the US, some one with a transit tripod, a survey looking rig, doing some strange activity better draw some attention! Everyone was real decent, although slightly confused.

 

Now the trick is to get inside and do a panorama during a real interesting exhibit, well the director knows who I am now! :eek:

 

WDA

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  • 1 month later...

 

Also, why do you need permission to take pictures of a public building? Sounds like a rent-a-cop on a power trip.

 

Dunno.....but in Bilbao's Guggenheim you can't take pictures or film the museum either.

 

WDA, the .mov file link isnt working for me, you took it down?

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Dunno.....but in Bilbao's Guggenheim you can't take pictures or film the museum either.

 

WDA, the .mov file link isnt working for me, you took it down?

 

Sorry Salf,

 

Envolved in some ongoing work that requires substantial server disk space and need to up my 'disk quota'. I'll repost the server side side file shortly.

 

WDA

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  • 3 weeks later...

What don't you like about it, Alicia? I'm sort of a fan of Calatrava's expressionistic modernism, myself. His architecture strikes a chord with me, I suppose, because it so much resmebles the sort of futuristic architecture I remember looking forward to as a boy growing up in the fifties and sixties. It's otherwise been very disappointing, for me, to see how little progress has been made in all that time, especially in residential design. I've always lamented being surrounded by housing that poorly imitates the styles of centuries past (and, sometimes, two or three of them in the same design) and, these days, it seems the trend has worsened, when you look at the crap builders are churning out everywhere. For me, Calatrava's futuristic forms are a breath of fresh air.

 

Gary

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Alicja,

 

Thank you.

 

Your opinion is repsected, believe me after hearing all the people in the Milwaukee Metro Area that thinks it's an Eye sore and believe hanging an acrylic blue shirt "Blue Collar" on the airport' parking structure is truely fine art, who am I to say.

 

Although after seeing some of your bathroom concepts, I would certianly like to understand what you feel is wrong? The pano image is really the backside of the structure and does magnify it being an addition. Overall the structure on this side is rather sparse and lacking.

 

The photography goal was to give a sense of "placement" & "scale" to the design, all to often being viewed out if it's environment. The design overall is really connected to the site with some very inspired imagery and playfulness- imho. The backside and court yard face the lake. That area really captures the essance of Lake Michigan and the site prior to construction.

 

Cheers

WDA

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Well, William, my response to Alicia's comment was certainly not intended to be disrespectful in any way, as I'm sure you're not really implying it was, either. The most valuable thing I learned in my art appreciation classes, years ago, was that, with education, one may get beyond the phase the general public is at, i.e.: "I know what I like and I don't like that." Knowing why we like what we like and why we dislike what we dislike is the first step toward understanding art and the new and unfamiliar. When someone merely says they don't like a building, that doesn't tell us much, does it? Perhaps, if Alicia cares to answer my question, we'll then know to what extent she understands Calatrava's intent and the language he was using. Afterall, an opinion that is well informed is more valuable than one that is simply a gut reaction.

 

Gary

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Gary,

 

Was just just being respectful of alijca's opinion.

 

From the work she has posted here, I was a little surprised. I would really like to, as you explained, have someone express what they feel is not "personaly" pleasing in art-architectural language. That, although not really 'artistic' in theory, has revelence to my design work, mostly dealing with clients who have no "art" background.

WDA

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My point was really two-fold. First, that no real "opinion" was stated. Merely saying "I don't like this" is not truly an opinion. It's just a statement of a personal dislike. Now, if Alicia had said, "I don't like Calatrava's work BECAUSE..." or "I don't like it and here is why...." and then offered supporting statements, THAT would be an opinion.

 

Secondly, by saying you "respect" her opinion, I am sure you're not saying you agree with her disliking of Calatrava's work, so, I believe what you're actually saying is that you respect her right to an opinion and to the expression of that opinion. Right? I, also, respect those rights. However, as a matter of curiosity, I'd like to know more about why she feels the way she does, hence, my question to her. I don't think either of us has shown any disrespect, though. But, enough of that. Let's let Alicia answer....if we haven't scared her off, that is. ;)

 

Gary

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