Gestalt said...
a site of political significance requires an architectural response of significance.
Agreed

by detaching the gallery from the ground, sausage has cleverly introduced public space below and emphasize the significance of the original site.
Also agreed

the lofted gallery, symbolic of the canopy of the tree, takes on a sculptural form which
overshadows and blurs the threshold for the user.

Agree with the overshadow comment, I assume that the sculpture in no way impacts the natural light penetration/view of the surrounding buildings? As for blurring the threshold...I think I need a better res pic to comment on that. From the image posted in the news it just looks like an elevated box? (Sorry sausage)
as the paper said it's a modernist box, which probably should have said brutalist box. neo-brutalism maybe.
.

Definitely more toward brutalism than modernism (the Smithson's would be proud!

), and the funny part about that is, the brutalist-form was (and still is) known as one of the 'ugliest' eras of modern-day architecture, although through historical significance it has made a comeback because of its impact/originality and 'shock' value...hmmmm, I'm not a big fan, although I must admit I think less=more in many cases, and the monument (shape-wise) delivers this.
I don't believe that something should be judged until completion of the finished product (have had this happen to me...clients reacting to a shape during sketchwork they didn't understand, once finished and viewed in rendered 3D - all was good.)
In saying this...the jury's still out on this one. Keep us posted?