Compare and Contrast (Phillip Johnson vs Frank Gehry) Postmodernism/ Deconstructism

Mcknight, J. 2015. The Sony Tower (Mcknight, 2018)

In this compare and contrast essay a formal analysis of P. Johnson ‘ The Sony Tower’ constructed in 1984 and F. Gehry ‘The Walt Disney Concert Hall’ completed in 2003 will be discussed

Rennie, J. 2013. Walt Disney Concert Hall (Archdaily, 2018)

Originally designed for American communications giant AT&T, Philip Johnson Postmodern skyscraper was the first of its kind. Now known as the Sony Tower, the building remains controversial.(Dezeen.com, 2018).

 The Walt Disney Concert Hall has received wide acclaim for its excellent acoustics and distinctive architecture. The hall's sweeping, metallic surfaces have become associated with Frank Gehry’s signature style.(Archdaily.com, 2018).

The Sony Tower is totally different compared to The Walt Disney Concert  Hall. The Sony Tower is structured in a skyscraper form, it is build for length and not width. The Walt Disney Concert Hall on the other hand is in a deconstructive form, it is build incorporate form following function.

The lines used in The Sony Tower are horizontal and vertical lines and the windows are all in a rectangle shape. The lines shooting south are thick and multiplied to shape the windows creating repetition. The space is not so visible because of the multiple dark in colour windows which are so close to each other making the building to appear to be thin. The colours are natural like hues of black and grey. The texture is rather smooth and there is no complexity.

The Lines used in The Walt Disney Concert Hall are curvy creating a flow and a form of repetition. The metallic material wall waves in non-existing order forming some type of rhythm, it makes sense because it is build for musical performances. The windows are in a rectangle shape, they have a mirror effect to attract light and shine and they have silver frames in colour to match the rest of the building which is also silver in colour. The texture is smooth. Actually too smooth, it is like the feel of anything liquid would easily slide effortlessly. It is definitely a complex structure.

The form of The Sony Tower resembles the Michel Angelo building in Sandton, there is not much to notice but the multiple windows, the crown looking roof and the natural dull colours like greys and creams and it’s brass and marble finishes on the interior. Because Sony is an audio and electronics company, I would like to believe that building was designed to look like a giant speaker.

The form of The Walt Disney Concert Hall is a single volume, with orchestra and audience occupying the same space. It’s function is that the seats are located on each side of the stage, providing some audience members with distant views of the performers’ sheet music. The steel roof structure spans the entire space, eliminating the need for interior columns.(archdaily.com, 2018).

Both buildings, The Sony Tower and The Walt Disney Concert Hall have one thing in common which is that they both about/ inspired by music. Both buildings are constructed to deliver form that follows function. They are built with a purpose.