OLD Vs NEW: Can Contemporary and Historical Architecture Exist?

In this 21^st century , architecture always bring out unexpected ideas, they brave enough to explore some to combine two building with different characteristic or element. Lots of example been built outside of Malaysia, we could found some in here too. For example, Sekeping Kong Heng in Ipoh is a historical building, but they try to renovate it, build the modern hostel and swimming pool on the second floor. Although the façade still maintain the same, but the interior was design with the combination of historical and post-modern , its created a very strong definition , brings out different aesthetic value from the others, the building itself have balance the overall at the same time.

 Unfortunately, the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, the people were criticism and debate about the building, because the crystal has taken away much of the attention from the actual contents of the Royal Ontario Museum and it also monopolize the original architecture. Based on my reader Susan Macdonald, is building losing its soul? The crystal constructed by aluminium, steel frame and glass with 5 interlocking prismatic structures. Because of the slanting wall, it’s hard to exhibits the display and wasted the space, it definitely loose by the main purpose of the museum, form always follow function, that’s why is unaccepted by public.

  But in other successful cases, the iconic glass pyramid, the Louvre in Paris been accepted by public with many compliment and praising it as a masterpiece .Based on my readers Nathan Robinson, there’s a key question the city must ask itself in weighing every proposed development, “we must build in the style of the era because it is the style that people of the era build in.” In my opinion, one of the most successful key because the additional of contemporary does not interfere with the interior exhibit and the historical artwork. The pyramid was built independently without disturbing the museum, at the same time in provide aesthetic value and purpose and it provide a new sense of balance to the overall structure.

  Conclusion, architecture and the designer need to learn all the context of the work, building history, significance to society location, purpose of the addition and visual harmony with the principle of ‘Architecture of Additions’. It is crucial to evaluate what separates successful examples from the rest, and explore the potentials of this artwork of balancing the old and the new and may be the perfect balance between contemporary and historical architecture.