Ducks new basketball floor

[mebisonII]

Huh, I guess I get a little feisty after a few drinks...

But you type surprisingly coherently!

[OrygunBison]

But you type surprisingly coherently!

Well, my drinking last night was in a sort of professional environment. I was with a client after we were unanimously approved by Planning Commission last night on a project that we are working on. It has been one battle after another on the project so we had a few cocktails to celebrate a first victory.

[KC Bison]

"The court is framed on all sides by a forest of fir trees". How's that work, do you have to look between the trees to see the court or what?

[zooropa]

It is my job (literally) to challenge design to be better, for the same cost of construction.

I like the vision.

Proportion doesn't cost extra. Something Harold Spitznagel understood, and South Dakota hasn't had an architect of his caliber since.

As far as the 'vision' on display at Oregon, I find it at odds with both your desire for 'better design for the same cost' as it is arguably less functional and certainly more expensive than a more conventional design.

And if you'd like high falutin' philosophicapated reasons for dissing the floor, they are as follows:

- functionality (covered above). Under HDTV quality lighting, unless the halfcourt, tip off circle, and men's three point lines are picked out by iridescent paint, they'll disappear. Heck, I can't see the half court line or tip off circle in that pic.

- branding. Allegedly, those are trees. Not quite sure how well that image is going to translate under HDTV--certainly better than under the old NTSC standards, but still, how many 'innocent eyes' are going to look at that and read 'forest'

- novelty is not the same as vision. I am a fan of modern art and modern architecture. While I wouldn't pretend to go toe to toe with you, I know the difference between Corbu, Wright, and Gehry.

This novelty, IMO, lacks the urge to 'do things better' that underpinned the Modernist movement. It is simply (IMO) giving in to a certain world-weary satiety with convention, in pursuit of something not necessarily better, but certainly different.

If the period beginning with Beethoven, Delacroix and Turner and ending with De Kooning, Pollock, Corbu, Gehry and Mies were to be compared with the Renaissance, this is a mannerist hangover.

I can't consider the Oregon floor as anything other than novel, and novelty, IMO, is a poor justification for doing anything.

Perhaps I'm in need of a few beers so I don't take this so seriously.....

[onbison09]

OK that looks better than the picture but still meh

[OrygunBison]

Proportion doesn't cost extra. Something Harold Spitznagel understood, and South Dakota hasn't had an architect of his caliber since.

As far as the 'vision' on display at Oregon, I find it at odds with both your desire for 'better design for the same cost' as it is arguably less functional and certainly more expensive than a more conventional design.

And if you'd like high falutin' philosophicapated reasons for dissing the floor, they are as follows:

- functionality (covered above). Under HDTV quality lighting, unless the halfcourt, tip off circle, and men's three point lines are picked out by iridescent paint, they'll disappear. Heck, I can't see the half court line or tip off circle in that pic.

- branding. Allegedly, those are trees. Not quite sure how well that image is going to translate under HDTV--certainly better than under the old NTSC standards, but still, how many 'innocent eyes' are going to look at that and read 'forest'

- novelty is not the same as vision. I am a fan of modern art and modern architecture. While I wouldn't pretend to go toe to toe with you, I know the difference between Corbu, Wright, and Gehry.

This novelty, IMO, lacks the urge to 'do things better' that underpinned the Modernist movement. It is simply (IMO) giving in to a certain world-weary satiety with convention, in pursuit of something not necessarily better, but certainly different.

If the period beginning with Beethoven, Delacroix and Turner and ending with De Kooning, Pollock, Corbu, Gehry and Mies were to be compared with the Renaissance, this is a mannerist hangover.

I can't consider the Oregon floor as anything other than novel, and novelty, IMO, is a poor justification for doing anything.

Perhaps I'm in need of a few beers so I don't take this so seriously.....

Wow, you put your big boy pants on today!!! Congratulations!!!

Regarding novelty vs. vision, perhaps this is a little of both, I will give you at least that. Perhaps they'll rip it out in 20 years when it has worn out its welcome. I will say, however, that there is something completely Northwestern about this. This region has a unique slant on the Modern (that's with a big "M") style. While you conjure up the names of landmark architects such as Corbu, Wright and Gehry (who is certainly not a straight up Modern Architect), I would look more specifically at the works of regional greats such as Pietro Belluschi, Arthur Erickson, Miller/Hull, Olson Sundberg Kundig, the Patkau's, Allied Works, Skylab, Thomas Hacker, Holst and Colab.

Things really are different here...I think in a good way. Your average citizen here is pretty thoughtful and engaged with the built environment and its relationship with the natural one. I get the floor design because I am from here...or at least have been for the last 14 years. Maybe that is the whole point. It is uniquely Northwestern. That is not to say that it is wasteful or "not better" as you allude to. As a work of art, it speaks to me and I think that it will speak to many from the region. We are intimately connected with our environment here. Might it seem off from afar, certainly. But who cares? It'll serve OUR purposes just fine. Heck, maybe it'll even inspire someone along the way.

As it relates to my previous comments of great design for no more cost, I will give you that one in the context of the Ducks floor. I'm not so sure that I connected the two or really intended to do so, but nonetheless, there's certainly something substantially different at play in Eugene. I think certain top markets can go that route. I will likely never be in that world. All my projects have strict budgets and I like to think that they are all thoughtfully crafted. I still stand by the statement when it concerns the BSA, though. Some significant additional thought could make the project very special without breaking the bank.

[OrygunBison]

Oh yeah, and I forgot to mention one thing. People here generally smoke a lot of weed, so, you know, there IS that...

[zooropa]

Oh yeah, and I forgot to mention one thing. People here generally smoke a lot of weed, so, you know, there IS that...

At the same time that I rail against novelty qua novelty, it *is* effective. Especially when everyone is doing it. This floor decoration while being nothing I particularly care for is quintessentially "University of Oregon", and that means something.

FWIW, I consider Gehry to be comparable to Michelangelo in straddling two periods: last of the moderns and first of the PoMo Mannerists,as Michelangelo's later work was quite of the Mannerist vein (especially the Last Judgment and the tomb of Giuliano di Medici).

BTW I admire your respect for your profession.

One other thing: I've long been a fan of what I call "Environmental Modern", starting with Fallingwater and the Taliesins, but (it seems) being best practiced in the West--or rather the mountain west. Enjoyed the Arthur Erickson designs--but I'd like to do something about his website. Yikes.

Here's a tidbit for you. The state of South Dakota intended to hire Wright to design the Sylvan Lake Lodge in the Black Hills in 1936. They insisted on a 'spec' design from him. He refused, and SD architect Spitznagel got the commission, Spitz later said that insisting on a sample of work from Wright was like asking a skilled surgeon to operate on a dog as a demonstration of competence. Wright for his part paid Spitz the tribute of not insulting his work--which ended up being pretty quotidian (Spitz went on to do better work):



Wright, for his part, loved the Hills in general and Spearfish Canyon in particular.

[OrygunBison]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MM9PyTx-6A

Matthew Knight Arena opening ceremony. Sorry for the poor video quality. I could not find any better ones.

[Tatanka]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MM9PyTx-6A

Matthew Knight Arena opening ceremony. Sorry for the poor video quality. I could not find any better ones.

Pssssshhhhhhht. I can see that any time I want at the BSA on a Monday night conference game.