10(+) MORE architects i have been thinking about

well overall it's the most useful and productive way to work so i wouldn't get depressed about it.

Comment by roxy lost in the discussion of pomo upthread:

also, are there any wittgenstein/popper-esque stories about famous architects beefing? i never encounter these. are architects just chill?

There are some good ones! Off the top of my head:

* Bernini versus Borromini - the former said the latter had been "sent to destroy architecture." Lots of cute anecdotes about how a project by one would be a deliberate attempt to upstage a project by another - Bernini's fountains in Piazza Navona featuring a statue arguably recoiling in horror from the Borromini building it faces, etc. They were also stereotypical Hollywood opposites - He's a genteel, suave, theatrical architect - he's a low-born geometry nut who bludgeons workmen to death for bad craft!

* Frank Lloyd Wright versus everybody. Ego a-go-go and he didn't take well to the long years of being considered a has-been, eg "the greatest architect of the 19th century" according to MOMA. Refused to meet with Gropius when the latter came to America, and I think there's some story of a really awkward meeting with Mies. There are also some perceived betrayals by his students, I think - I'm pretty sure he fired Soleri for some reason.

* More recently - there was some kind of falling out among the New York Five, possibly relating to the pomo tendencies of some of its members? But they all still support each other's work. Supposedly the generation just after them (Stephen Holl, Williams & Tsien et al) are much more fractious generally but this is just repeating things said by professors; I have no details because, y'know, it's a generational thing to really care. If I'd been following it at the time, it'd probably be as clear to me as Eminem's beef with Triumph the puppet dog, but, well, LOL 1980s u old.

Oh, and not to be missed, Adolf Loos vs. Josef Hoffmann. I'm not sure the latter ever really shot back but Loos couldn't stand Jugendstil/Art Nouveau, and Ornament and Crime is more or less an anti-Hoffmann screed. Great little read, too, if you haven't done it - should be easily found in full-text online. Any architectural text that accuses people of being "either a criminal or a degenerate" has to be good. (Warning, icky early-20th century racism is in full force.)

casino, i love you

hahah, well, I love being in TA mode, so thanks!

Ornament and Crime is probably my next favorite piece of architectural writing after the Futurist Manifesto.

I am now thinking about Frank Gehry because I just saw him on Arthur - complete with Arthur-esque ears.
http://13.media.tumblr.com/1195466_400.jpg
He was also on The Simpsons iirc, which must make him unique among architects I think.

So while we're at it - this is one of his buildings I really like - much less...er...ornamental than his more well known stuff.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Hannover_Gehry-Tower.jpg

What I like about it is that he hasn't really done that much but it's enough. If that makes sense.

haha, he WAS on The Simpsons - note the letter box.
http://blog.davidteoh.com/archives/simp5.jpg
OK, enough Gehry already.

Huh, didn't know about that one in Hannover, or the Arthur appearance...nice!

http://www.dezeen.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/kvadrat-showroom-by-peter-saville-and-david-adjaye-2-kvadrat-1.jpg

http://www.dezeen.com/2009/03/20/kvadrat-showroom-by-peter-saville-and-david-adjaye/

awesome what can be done with a showroom that doesn't display anything!

that project is utterly gorgeous.

just drooling over it, makes me happy to have specified mostly Kvadrat fabrics on my current project.

I am not much of a fan which is odd because normally I'm all about the "ooh shiny"!

Has anyone been to Le Courboisier exhibition in The Barbican? I am wondering if it's worth travelling over for.

Eldridge Smerins
http://www.eldridgesmerin.com/img/projects/hampsteadvillage_large6.jpg
http://www.eldridgesmerin.com/img/projects/kithouse_large1.jpg
http://www.eldridgesmerin.com/img/projects/highgatecem_large2.jpg

Lots more pix at the architects website.
I really like the first two there, but the third one I'm in two minds about - firstly the glass corners look a bit awkward i think and second it replaces a fine house by John Winter (which I am struggling to find a photo of sadly). In fact I'm pretty sure it was Winter's own house, which was a lovely floating glass box of a house.

http://www.eldridgesmerin.com/img/projects/hampsteadvillage_large6.jpg

^ prefer the one on the left

i like them both, i think. i would probably prefer to live in the new one.

the middle one was the subject of last week's grand designs (a UK TV show that follows the construction of a house from plans to completion.)

Where did I read about that one on the end? I think NYT or Dezeen. Still. I likes it.

I like all of his things. I don't like Grand Designs. The host (and people responsible for some of the monstrosities) make me v v angry.

the middle one was the subject of last week's grand design

Damn, really? I have given up with the programme specifically because of Kevin McCloud. "When that huge piece of granite fell on your head - how did that feel?" and his constant tone of impending disaster - but I would have liked to have seen more of that house. It's described as "low cost" by the architects, but I notice it has a price tag of £650k on the Grand Designs site. I suppose these things are relative.

^ prefer the one on the left

I lived in a house v. similar to that and it was great in many ways, character, lots of wood, lots of space but it was terrible to heat, terrible to keep clean and bits kept falling off it. I don't know if it's everyone's experience but once a house gets to about 100 years old it really starts to feel it's age. I would have given anything to have moved into "the house next door" there. Also check out this inside wall.
http://www.eldridgesmerin.com/img/projects/hampsteadvillage_large4.jpg

yeah "Low Cost" my arse. the building looked like it was going to be great but the interior was pretty poor, i have to say.

Talking of ceder cladding (I know we weren't but the hpuse on the middle there is) I went to see a housing scheme in Birmingham the other day built in 1917 from pre-fabricated cedar clad houses made in Michigan. A little bit of Americana in the heart of England.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3297/3332809131_ca78a0ffb8.jpg

fwiw, i don't mind kevin mcleod it's the clients that make me mad. more often that not it's a childless couple building a six bedroom house or something. cunts, usually.

I always shout at the TV - WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A LIVING!!!??? - and it always turns out to be "consultant" or "interior designer".

I think when an architect says a project is "low cost" it means the client didn't spend as much as the architect wanted them to.

Ha! Everyone OTM.

I used to (as penance for my sins) be responsible for an historically very important Georgian building for more than five years (on top of my day job). Having dealt in parts with conservationists, architects and general "ooh the past was so great why would you ever need CAT-5 cabling?" types of people I now err on the side of modern. Case in point: I'm off in May to check out the Vitra design museum on a visit to the parental units. Why is this a case in point? Well, if I ever have to deal with another sacrosanct building again at least I'll know what fun can be had with a hangar and a bit of money. Bloody architectural sacred cows...

I will admit that I am now a total wood snob. It behoves on on such occasions to be able to spot one's cuban mahogany (phwoar!!!) from one's stained oak.

I will admit that I am now a total wood snob. It behoves on on such occasions to be able to spot one's cuban mahogany (phwoar!!!) from one's stained oak.

co-sign! I'd be lost without my American Woodwork Institute Quality Standards Handbook.

http://spaceinvading.com/bookmarklet/Images/resized/2603091238108405frame_bar.05.jpg
http://spaceinvading.com/entry/project_id/Frame_Bar200903261238108397

okay, this seems to be a nice enough design but descriptions like this...

The main aim of the design was to recreate the usual typologies of chairs, benches, bars stands, tables and coffee tables using forms that morph from one geometry to the other, thus denying determined typology - activity associations.

...make me insanely angry. You mean the main aim of the design wasn't to create an enjoyable gathering place or a successful business? The client came to you and said "we are seeking to deny determined typology - activity associations, what do you suggest?" Fuck designers who describe their built projects as anything other than the result of a set of very real client, financial, and regulatory requirements.

I don't mean to dismiss larger design concepts - I just want designers to acknowledge that the concept serves the project rather than the other way around.

YAY PRITZKER

http://mamariapapoila.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/peter_zumthor1.jpg

Nice. I'm pretty sure his chapel was put up somewhere else here(perhaps it was on the other thread) but here's another view of it anyway...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3265/3122721913_bcb11d573d.jpg

Lots of detail on it on the flickr page from whence it came. The photographer,seier+seier+seier, has a big set of architecture photos worth seeing.

Yeah, Seier is the man! Great photos, really selective with what he posts, and obviously a thoughtful writer. Definitely learned a lot from him.

At this point AFAICT the Pritzker is a kind of honorary award for living long enough and doing at least two or three buildings nobody dislikes. It helps that Zumthor lives in a hermit hut in the middle of the Alps (or something to that effect) and hasn't made any enemies. I don't mean to diminish him because I love his buildings - but it's interesting to ask who HASN'T gotten it by now that arguably "should" have... if I ever remember my Archinect login info maybe I'll take it over there though.

^otm

My reaction on hearing who won the Pritzker every year is usually "What? They didn't already have one?"

sure that's partly it but i'm such a staunch fan of zumthor. i really do think he's the best in the world!

plus he was the first architect posted on the 10+ architects thread and that was surely taken into consideration by the panel when they made the decision.

well yeah I mean Zumthor A+ good job well deserved glad it wasn't Pelli etc. etc.

Agreed with all the above.

So perhaps an interesting question would be: who DOESN'T have one yet? The list to date:

1979 Philip Johnson (1906–2005)
1980 Luis Barragán (1902–1988)
1981 Sir James Stirling (1924–1992)
1982 Kevin Roche
1983 Ieoh Ming Pei
1984 Richard Meier
1985 Hans Hollein
1986 Gottfried Böhm
1987 Kenzo Tange (1913–2005)
1988* Gordon Bunshaft (1909–1990)
1988* Oscar Niemeyer
1989 Frank Gehry
1990 Aldo Rossi (1931–1997)
1991 Robert Venturi
1992 Álvaro Siza Vieira
1993 Fumihiko Maki
1994 Christian de Portzamparc
1995 Tadao Ando
1996 Rafael Moneo
1997 Sverre Fehn
1998 Renzo Piano
1999 Lord Norman Foster
2000 Rem Koolhaas
2001 Herzog & de Meuron
2002 Glenn Murcutt
2003 Jørn Utzon (1918-2008)
2004 Zaha Hadid
2005 Thom Mayne
2006 Paulo Mendes da Rocha
2007 Lord Richard Rogers
2008 Jean Nouvel
2009 Peter Zumthor

(Not sure what's up with the two winners in '88 - it's a Wikipedia footnote that doesn't go anywhere.)

Of all these the only complete ???s to me are Portzamparc, Mayne and Murcutt - they just seem a little out of their league, but that might just be my personal taste.

Who's missing? Eisenman obv, but the sense I get is that he's made too many enemies. My friend Evan is betting on Steven Holl...

good bets in the next 10 years:

Ito
Botta
Ban
Diller & Scofidio
Maki
Calatrava

btw today it was announced today that the group led by Adjaye won the Smithsonian African American Museum competition! Official group is Freelon Adjaye Bond/SmithGroup which is too many collaborators to ensure a good project.

Still, glad they beat out the others and excited about the building

http://media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2009/04/14/PH2009041401230.jpg

maybe Predock also for upcoming Pritzker

also adjaye? maybe in ten years.

morphosis?

I'm really thrilled by Adjaye's work but he's at a really critical point in his career where he's got more on the boards than he's built in total - can he keep up the quality control and the material/light sensitivity that have made him so good so far or it he growing much too fast? If he comes out of the next three or so years without a dropoff in quality he's a lock for pretty much every award there is.

i can't see him going all zaha.

don't insult zaha she's a very good painter.

changing the subject... this thing is unbelievably hideous:

http://www.spaceinvading.com/bookmarklet/Images/02040912387166573395621835_c7680bfa1a_b.jpg

i knid of didn't want to sully the thread with it but wtf?

Oh god I don't want to see/talk about that thing. There was a time when I wanted Ito to break out of his neat white geometric solid/void facade thing, but be careful what you wish for...

wtf is that?