The poor quality and laying of stone flooring in Milan's newly completed Museum of Culture has led its architect, David Chipperfield to dissociate himself with the building. Blasting officials for skimping on materials, the British architect is demanding his name be removed from the project, claiming the building is now a "museum of horrors" and a "pathetic end to 15 years of work" due to the low quality flooring.
On the contrary, Milan's council says the material decision was made in the "interests of the taxpayers," further claiming that, according to councillor Filippo del Corno, Chipperfield has been "unreasonable and impossible to please."
“[The museum] cost €60m, of which €3.6m went to Chipperfield for his design and project management,” said the council in a statement. “These are sums of money appropriate for a public institution and right for the importance of the project, but it was necessary to make choices based on common sense and in the interests of the taxpayers... The samples and the visits to the quarry supplying the material were overseen by staff of the office of David Chipperfield Architects, who validated the choice of the material used.”
Chipperfield has not yet commented on the council's response. However, reports indicate that the 5,000-square-meters of flooring is comprised of scratched, stained and ill-aligned pieces of stone.
The €60 million museum is expected to open April 26.
News via The Independent
