The earlier projected image of Herzog & de Meuron’s concert hall (“Elbphilharmonie costs rocket again”, bdonline January 4) is that of an iceberg being carried on a gigantic brick plinth, and is quite compelling.

Herzog and de Meuron's Elbphilharmonie concert hall under construction

Source: Angelika Warmuth/PA

Elbphilharmonie: mega project.

But what is emerging in reality is one gross and over-scaled building on top of another that crushes everything around it.

This is reflected in the massive overspend. That such money is being spent in an age of austerity questions the need for such massive megastructures — except to boost developers’ profits and provide more luxury housing for the super-rich.

Abe Hayeem
via bdonline

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