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MIT v. Holl(Illustration by Stephen Kroninger).
A controversy heats up over one of the most celebrated buildings in recent memory.
When MIT's Simmons Hall opened in 2002, almost all of the considerable press the building received mentioned that it was inspired by a bath sponge. But given recent revelations that the Steven Holl- designed 360-student dormitory ran tens of millions of dollars over budget, the sponge metaphor is turning out to be a more apt one than the university bargained for.
Rumors have been flying around campus about the final cost of the building, which students began moving into in fall 2002 (even though construction wasn't yet complete). The budget numbers have been kept under wraps, so much so that nearly everyone involved with the construction of the building has been left to speculate about its price tag. But Victoria Sirianni, chief facilities officer of the MIT campus, tells Metropolis that the final cost for Simmons Hall-completed in 2003-is $92.5 million. Depending on whom you ask, that's $30 to $50 million more than early estimates. Sirianni quickly adds that she doesn't want to discuss it further because MIT is looking into bringing "claims against the architect." Asked what that means, she declined to elaborate.
Holl seems unaware that MIT is consid
more: www.metropolismag.com/html/conten... (165)
April 26, 2004 | Viewed 20,554 time(s)
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