A General Discussion of Eric Owen Moss as in No Way New To Architecture

... larger framework of Gehry's progress as an architect since his own house caused such an uproar in the press nearly fifteen years ago, the Schnabel House represents an important ideological watershed, marking the end of a search for a specific kind of architectural vocabulary, as well as the mixed blessing of national and international recognition. The opportunity to do larger buildings came with that recognition, which has prompted the re-evaluation of earlier formal positions." (Steele, 15) Gehry's work is a reflection of his feelings for Los Angeles, where his office and heart belong. He uses unconventional means to obtain building with the grandeur of the Schnabel house. "It is this specific aspect of Gehry's aesthetic, perhaps due to its historical connection with Constructivism, that has prompted whose who are more concerned with superficial appearances than content to label him as a 'Deconstructivist'." (Goldstein, 6) Eric Owen Moss uses his power to evoke significance to his structures. "Los Angeles, which is generally categorized as being a social barometer for the rest of a nation that consistently looks to it for new trends, the awareness of potential harm seems to be missing, with the debate carried out in the media centering around the question of public paranoia. While sociologists continue to discuss the extent to which such fear may be disproportionate-or not-architects must grapple with clients' perceptions of danger in a city that is a petri dish of cultural experimentation and racial mixtures. Eric Owen Moss has chosen to use the Lawson-Westen commission as a commentary on those perceptions. The dominant drum at the center of the house speaks to a similar, most basic instinct the preservation of the best and most fragile parts of a cultural legacy-an intention which has historically been behind all great architecture." (Steele 30) 9. Illustrations