The Floating House Of Brad Pitt by Morphosis seems to be outside of the context that made this kind of design meaningful - the 1980s.
The angularity, and prickily-ness of this house's aesthetic made sense in the 80s when we were challenging both Modernism's bleak regularity and Post-Modernism's detached ironic position to the whole profession. But now that the urgency to address these two trends has died down, I wonder who this building is speaking to?
Is it a shout out to Gehry's old Venice Beach residence?
Or is it a challenge shouted by Morphosis at anyone who walks by? If so, is that needed?
Fueled by the UX movement in the web, architects are recognizing that they must recognize the needs of the final audience before they address their own need to confront the final occupants and passers-by.
In other words, it appears Morphosis' aesthetic/theoretical agenda is jacketing the needs of the final users inside a conversation that most have moved on from.
