Material / Image Research Lab (MIRL)

There’s an interesting debate in the New York Times about when/if it’s okay to demolish buildings that may have aesthetic or historic significance.  The debate was sparked by a controversy over whether or not a government building with numerous structural flaws (at left)  in New York state could/should be torn down.   Those who argue to take it down point out the cost of maintaining and repairing it, and also note that it’s “ugly”.  Those who disagree argue that it’s a strong example of Brutalist architecture, by Paul Rudolph, and therefore of architectural significance.  The debate includes several voices of interest.