I too, have never been a great fan of FG. However I visited the Stata Center last fall and was won over by the experience of the design. The myriad of complex spaces, one leading into another, the interior "street" was delightful, with views into labs, to the exterior thru interestingly placed/shaped windows and virtually continuous natural light streaming from above makes the building wonderful to move thru. The roof terrace at the top of a ramp that winds up from one end of the "street" is a great space, nestled in amongst the tors of stainless and polished metal.
My least favorite aspect of the building is the street facade, which varies in form and character along the block. I never have believed in Gehry design as an integrated form of architecture; it does not necessarily contribute to the urban fabric. I have viewed his buildings as sculptural object pieces, best for civic cultural landmarks such as art museums and concert halls, therefore not contributing to the advancement of architecture as a practical art. Strata has come as close as I have seen to being contextural, not in the sense of expressive form, but in scale and interpretation of the urban street-wall. I do not think FG will ever be considered to reside in the practical realm, hence the issues with the performance of his buildings. MIT should have known better, being a campus of engineers, that to think that they would not have issues with the building as it was designed.
