After visiting the new Dr Chau Chak Wing building at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) this week, designed by Frank Gehry, a number of people asked me what I thought of the building. I think they expected a simple answer – you either love it or you hate it. But it’s a lot more complicated than that. And answering this question well goes to the heart of the purpose of architecture, and also the role of a university.
The opening of the first Frank Gehry building in Australia was always going to be a major event for architecture and, perhaps even more so, for the media. Throughout his career, and ever since the Guggenheim in Bilbao in particular, Gehry has been one of the most famous starchitects in the world, even appearing on the Simpsons. Read more