As always, I read with interest the views expressed by other alumni on the new buildings that are nearing completion on our campus — especially the vehement observations on the new art museum.
They brought to mind a letter to the editor I read in Le Monde in 1973 about the recently opened Tour de Montparnasse. The critic, writing in French, asked the question “why is that 21st century Bauhaus monstrosity besmirching the noble architecture of our 18th century Paris?” Paired with that letter was one sent in by a local historian that featured a letter published in Paris more than 600 years earlier asking the parallel question about the recently completed Cathedral of Notre Dame — “what is that 14th century Gothic monstrosity doing in our 13th century Paris?” It seems that it may take some time to fully understand and appreciate new arrivals to our campus.
As always, I read with interest the views expressed by other alumni on the new buildings that are nearing completion on our campus — especially the vehement observations on the new art museum.
They brought to mind a letter to the editor I read in Le Monde in 1973 about the recently opened Tour de Montparnasse. The critic, writing in French, asked the question “why is that 21st century Bauhaus monstrosity besmirching the noble architecture of our 18th century Paris?” Paired with that letter was one sent in by a local historian that featured a letter published in Paris more than 600 years earlier asking the parallel question about the recently completed Cathedral of Notre Dame — “what is that 14th century Gothic monstrosity doing in our 13th century Paris?” It seems that it may take some time to fully understand and appreciate new arrivals to our campus.