The Art of Architecture

Yesterday on our Mum's Day outing, we caught The Art of Architecture Foster + Partners exhibition at the Petronas Gallery situated on the 3rd floor of the Suria KLCC, Petronas Twin Towers. It was the last day and I particularly wanted to see it because of my interest in architecture and interiors.

The exhibition was most interesting in that it was arranged around the themes of infrastructure, high-rise, urban design, history and culture. There were sketches, models of buildings and masterplans of cities that were very detailed, some complete with model furnishing, people, and automobiles. I especially loved 'The Gherkin' building (Swiss Re headquarters in London). Other distinctive buildings of Foster + Partners include the HSBC headquarters and its plaza in Hong Kong built in the 1980s, Commerzbank - the world's first ecological office tower, the 'well regarded' Hearst Tower in Manhattan, the 'sublime' Millau Viaduct in France, the Dresden Railway Station in Germany, the Standsted and the Beijing International Airport, etc.

No photos inside, so B poses outside (CNB)

Verbatim from the exhibition programme: 'Foster + Partners is one of the most innovative architecture and integrated design practices in the world. Over the past four decades the practice has pioneered a sustainable approach to architecture through a strikingly wide range of work, from urban masterplans, public infrastructure, airports, civic and cultural buildings, offices and education to private houses and product design. Based in London, with offices worldwide, the practice has an international reputation, with buildings on six continents. Since its inception in 1967 it has received more than 600 awards and won over 100 national and international competitions'.

I noted that in the Foster Studio, 'the design process is always rooted in research'... , 'drawing is a way of thinking' ..., and that they design for a sustainable future ...

Foster buildings in Malaysia include The Troika, KL, and the Universiti Teknologi Petronas main campus in Sri Iskandar, Perak. The campus building was the winner of the 2007 Aga Khan Award for Architecture. I have been to the university campus, particularly visiting the Library there. The campus and the library are most impressive (but if you suffer from vertigo, I do not think you can work in that library!). Building projects in progress include Mont Kiara and IB Tower.

(Pic UTP Library)

Note: Norman Foster (Lord Foster of Thames Bank), founder and chairman of Foster + Partners, has been called the 'Mozart of Modernism', and 'an architectural phenomenon'!