Building
Stata: The Design and Construction of
Frank O. Gehrys Stata Center at
MIT
by Nancy E.
Joyce
The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, U.S.A.,
2004
160 pp., illus. 300 col., 60 b/w. Paper,
$29.95
ISBN: 0-262-60061-7.
Reviewed by Rob Harle (Australia)
recluse@lis.net.au
A book can only provide a limited
approximation of the reality of the subject
it describes and presents. Building
Stata goes just that bit further than
most books of this type. It gives one
the feeling that one has been part of
the design process, been "on site" with
the mud, concrete and steel, then finally
strolled around the almost finished building.
This extra reality is in large part due
to the brilliant photographs of Richard
Sobol. He has managed to capture the spirit
of the entire enterprise from the excavation
of the 5.3 million-cubic-foot-hole to
the finished glistening metal exterior
surfaces. The book is lavishly illustrated
with colour and black & white photographs,
plans, diagrams and sketches. The photographs
are as much about the people who created
this architectural masterpiece as the
building itself. It recognises the contribution
of all involved from the philanthropists
who made it financially possible, to Gehry
the mastermind behind the design and equally,
to the construction workers who brought
the concept into material reality.
The book starts with a rather candid commentary
by Frank O. Gehry. This is followed by
various introductions that provide a brief,
though very interesting history of MIT
and its relationship with Cambridge, Boston
and Massachusetts. There are chapters
on Planning, Design and
then Construction. The construction
chapter is divided into sub-sections:
Excavations, Concrete, Structural Steel,
Masonry, Metal, Glass and finally
Interiors. These sections give
an in-depth pictorial insight into the
complexity, difficulties and dangers involved
in creating a building of this stature.
Considering the nature of this project,
it is almost a miracle that the building
ever got built. As Mitchell mentions in
the Afterword, "modern universities do
not present themselves as singular architectural
clients" (p.132). The list of those that
have an interest (and say) in the project
is extensive and includes powerful corporation
members, deans, alumni, donors, local
community groups, students and academic
faculty representatives. It seems the
success of Gehrys building is partly
because it pays attention to this diverse
group of people, all with different ideas
and needs.
MIT has been and continues to be a center
for invention, technical excellence and
radical innovation in both theoretical
and practical engineering, science, communication,
and now of course IT and electronic engineering.
It was this radical innovation that needed
to be articulated and represented in the
proposed new Ray & Maria Stata building.
The main aspects of the charter were to:
(a) bring MITs computer, information
and intelligence-science researchers under
one roof on main campus, (b) create spaces
designed to improve the productivity of
humans rather than efficiently house apparatus,
(c) provide a gateway to the revived R&D
center and transport hub north and east
of the campus "creating a distinctive
icon for MIT in the twenty-first century"
(pp. 16-17).
One of MITs enduring traditions
is the, "fostering of creative revolutions
by thinking outside of the box" (p. 17).
Gehrys building by any standard
is conceived, "outside the box", the external
form and appearance is challenging and
unique. The simplicity of the offices
and work spaces belies the profound insight
of Gehry and his associates in solving
complex interaction problems and providing
inspiring spaces for researchers to achieve
the highest levels of technological innovation.
In Gehrys own words at the beginning
of the project, " What I want to do is
make some kind of magic and take people
someplace theyve never been before"
(p. ix).
This book is essential reading for anyone
involved in building design and planning,
or, in commissioning architecture. Part
of the reason for the books success,
like the building it describes, is that
it has a wonderful feeling of interaction
at a human level. The author, Nancy Joyce
(also MIT Project Director for the Stata
Center) and Richard Sobol, photographer,
are to be congratulated on producing an
informative and inspiring book which will
also become a valuable document in the
future, especially regarding the history
of MIT.