Niemeyer's Brutalist Masterpiece in France

Siège du Parti Communiste Français. Photo ©Darren Bradley

While in Paris, I occasionally stop by the French Communist Party (PCF) headquarters building to see famed architect Oscar Niemeyer's most celebrated work in Paris. 

Frank Gehry Does Paris (Again)

Entrance to the Fondation Louis Vuitton by Frank Gehry. Photo ©Darren Bradley

Gehry's new contribution to the Paris skyline has made quite an impact on the arts and architecture scene worldwide, as would be expected when one of the world's most celebrated architects designs a project of this scale in a city like Paris. And after visiting the project, it seems quite clear that making an impact was the primary goal of both the architect and the man who commissioned it - the Chairman of Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH), Bernard Arnault.

International Exposition - Italian style...

For the 1889 World's Fair, Paris got the Eiffel Tower. For the 1958 World's Fair, Brussels got the Atomium. For the 1962 World's Fair, Seattle got the Space Needle. And for the 2015 World's Fair, Milan got... This. The Tree of Life, as it's called, is intended as the symbol of the Milan International Exposition. Not sure it will have the same broad impact or longevity as the some of the other symbols, but it's certainly in keeping with Milan's more low key approach. Photo ©Darren Bradley

It's hard to believe that it's already been five years since Expo 2010 in Shanghai. I was lucky enough to be able to attend that event, and it completely blew me away. The sights, the sounds, the architecture, the people, the city... It was sensory overload, and I loved every second of it. So I was very excited when I learned that the next Expo would be in Milan in 2015 (International Expos are held every five years, with smaller events held in the interim, on occasion). I immediately began making plans to attend, which I did at the beginning of July this year. 

But what I found in Milan was something completely different than what I'd seen in Shanghai - both in scale and style. 

Fondazione Prada

Some of the old distillery buildings that have been repurposed at Fondazione Prada ©Darren Bradley

The Fondazione Prada just opened a new venue in Milan in May, timed with the arrival of the International Exposition that the city is hosting this year. It was designed by OMA / Rem Koolhaas. If you are familiar with OMA's work, you may be quite surprised by the results... 

The Radiant City

Entrance to the Unité d'Habitation in Marseille, France, with its dramatic portico. Photo ©Darren Bradley

"La Cité Radieuse" by Le Corbusier, in Marseille, France is the project which is often credited with (or blamed for, depending on your point of view) popularizing both brutalism and high density social housing. Most of the copies around the world became crime-ridden tenements, and many have since been labelled as errors in social engineering, and have been demolished. But the original still stands proudly, inhabited today by mostly upper-middle class, educated residents who are proud of their building and what it stands for. I finally had a chance to visit and understand what it was all about, first-hand.