Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr Downtown
^What makes one way of having a material pretend to be something else "proper," and another illegitimate? Louis Kahn has asked me to prepare a memo.
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The difference is like making expensive wood cabinetry out of walnut veneer on plywood versus making shaker cabinets out if plywood and then putting a plastic printed veneer or just painting it with faux grain and saying "look as ye olde beautiful cabinet".
One is actually superior to the original (much like Pilsenarch mentions with exhibit) because plywood doesnt warp and is stronger and more consistent than many solid woods. When you veneer it you are still getting the exact same or better aesthetic effect. The other is hideous and cheap and will look like shit in 10 years. Using a veneer for the look you want is totally acceptable, in fact it let's you do things that might otherwise be impractical or impossible. The other route is Disneyland and doesn't pass for the original for a moment, never will, and will be increasingly obvious as it ages. Just like the plastic faux wood in Mr. DTs Buick, lol.
I suspect that the brickwork we see here would be exceedingly difficult or more work to try to lay traditionally, all these skinny sills and mullions, think if the iron that would have to be placed to carry it all. This situation is a perfect use of precast because it allows forms that were previously impractical. We still get the visual interest of real brick magnified by the new use if the material.