The morning-after photos from yesterday's massive blaze at architect Rem Koolhaas' hotel addition to his iconic, twisted CCTV project in Beijing, China, are transfixing; in particular, check out the Flickr photostream of funzheado, from which the above image yields. The fire, which was alledgedy started by revelers playing with fireworks, has also brought out critic Paul Goldberger, who files for the New Yorker thusly: "The slab, which was to have contained a Mandarin Oriental Hotel, was expected to open this summer, but it will probably now have to be entirely rebuilt." You... don't say?
Speaking of Goldberger, we really can't decide which of these three quotes from his piece today is our favorite:
1) "Probably not since a gunman went on a rampage at the Frank Gehry-designed business school at Case Western Reserve University, in Cleveland, a few years ago has there been such an intimate connection between cutting-edge architecture and catastrophe."
2) "But what does all of this have to do with the fire? Not much, I would suspect, although apparently the orange flames of the fire looked quite spectacular reflected in the tower’s smoky gray glass."
3) "How much more wonderful if this could be the sign they have been waiting for, the burning bush sent to show us how dangerous it is to worship architectural icons. Rem would see the light, he would repent and begin to design dull buildings. And all would be well."
Even more genius? The work of Flickr user kallgan, who uploaded these exclusive images of the fire:
What hath Rem wrought? Regardless, click through for more war.
· Burning Koolhaas Down [New Yorker NewsDesk]
· CCTV Fire Photos [Flickr/fuzheado via Dezeen]
· War for CCTV [Flickr/kallgan]
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