Disney Hall: ‘Work of Art’ or Wet Cardboard?

Leon Whiteson’s praise is well deserved; the model shown of the proposed Walt Disney Concert Hall (“High Note,” Sept. 15) project does indicate that architect Frank Gehry has created a functional work of art. Frank has indeed matured in his design process over the years. Having written that, I must question whether the exteriors of the Disney Concert Hall will mature as well as the architect over the years to come.

Having been an active, practicing architect in the Los Angeles area for over 40 years, I know from personal experience and observation that convex-concave--”eccentric”--surfaces will attract the Los Angeles dirt, grime, smog, grease and droppings to a far greater degree than perpendicular-plumb exterior wall surfaces.

The exterior design shown will not mature well by taking on a positive patina--the various dribbles mentioned above will create an ugly mess in a short time resulting in a negative aura as a result of age. These shapes and forms, along with the relatively soft and porous off-white limestone, exacerbate the problem.

I do hope Gehry and the concert hall committee will exercise due diligence, care and prudence by giving serious attention to the maturation of the building so that future generations will not have to re-design the exteriors.

WILLIAM KRISEL, Los Angeles