PA3 – Views – IAR – Carola Moro

The Architects from their works

Step1. To analyze a work by the architect studied in PA2

source: https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/dalla-stazione-al-museo-d-orsay-rinnovato/ARK7SK5T?hl=it

In 1980 Gae Aulenti directed the restoration of the Musée d‘Orsay in Paris, coordinating a team of designers and architects. She suggested to built two towers at the end of the main hallway. She also projected a ‘’V’’ shaped hole of the walls looking out on the terraces, and also wanted the main hallway not to be continuous but in the form of big open spaces matched with stairs where sculptures can be placed.

source: https://www.archilovers.com/projects/19681/allestimento-interno-museo-d-orsay.html

She re-established the original level of the roof that belonged to the old structure. Her aim was to create a unitary structure. For this reason she decided to put the same white chalk all over the floor and over some walls too. With this artifice she managed to highlight the art works of the museum. She also benefited from the light coming through the glass and metal rooftop which shows a floral decoration as well. The old components combine perfectly with the new ones giving an harmonious impact. The restoration team achieved to built a contemporary space without damaging the previous texture. They created a museum that fit well with the art works exhibited in. The team focused on each aspect at the same time in order to give to the whole a coherent aspect.

Even though it seems to have an excellent outcome, this project received some criticisms, most of all immediately after the end of the realization. For example, Holland Cotter on The New York Times defined it as ‘’fabulously eccentric’’and also a French newspaper called Libération said that the museum had been ‘’linked to a funeral hall, to a tomb, to a mausoleum, to an Egyptian burial monument, to a necroplolis.’’ Sometimes people preferred her work as a designer rather than as an architect, as we can deduce from Massimiliano Fuksas’ words : ‘’She was a great designer, but concerning the Musée d‘Orsay I’ve always thought that if there were elephants, it would be perfect to represent the Aida.’’ This comments wouldn’t affect her since she had always been rooted on his ideas without being influenced by other people’s judgement.