A building is more than a shelter or a place to store things; it’s a reflection of cultural views and values, an artistic expression, and a means to beautify our surroundings. Here we’re introducing some of the architects who have made monumental contributions to their field and to concepts of art and design around the world.
“Architecture is more than making a statement from the street. It’s making an environment for living.” – Dion Neutra
Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959)
Many consider him the most famous architect of all time. Wright brought to maturity the concept of “organic architecture,” which seeks to make buildings a part of their landscape and harmonious with nature. His Prairie Home style influenced residential design throughout the 20th century with its open-plan layout, rows of windows, and long, low profile. In later years, he developed several more architectural styles, accepted commissions from all over the world, and became a renowned writer and lecturer.
Known for:
Guggenheim Museum, New York City
Taliesin
Martin House
Fallingwater
Frederick C. Robie House
Frank Gehry (b. 1929)
Gehry merges residential and industrial styles and infuses them with a sense of whimsy and motion. His work can be considered both post-modern and deconstructive: His use of curves and color lifts standard design to the artistic level of sculpture. He’s also known for more than his buildings: Gehry’s corrugated-cardboard furniture brought him international attention in the 1960s and 1970s.
Known for:
Facebook headquarters, Palo Alto, CA
Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles
Guggenheim Museum, Spain
Der Neue Zollhof, Germany
“Architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness.” – Frank Gehry
I.M. Pei (1917-2019)
Known for combining geometric forms, natural elements, and Chinese artistry in his designs, Pei was viewed as a modernist, using clean, straight lines and wide-open spaces enclosed by glass and steel. But what he really wanted was to unite modernism and traditionalism, which he called the “impossible dream.” Elements of international and brutalism architectural styles can also be seen in his works.
Known for:
John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston
National Gallery of Art, East Building, Washington, D.C.
The Pyramids at the Louvre, Paris
Bank of China Tower, Hong Kong
Zaha Hadid (1950-2016)
Possibly the most famous woman architect of modern times, Hadid’s designs were futuristic, visionary, radical, and sometimes impossible to build. She was the first woman to win the Pritzker Architecture Prize and the first woman and first architect to win the London Design Museum’s Design of the Year.
Known for:
Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art, Cincinnati
Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, Michigan State University
Bergisel Ski Jump in Innsbruck, Austria
Phaeno Science Center, Germany
Guangzhou Opera House, China
“There are 360 degrees, so why stick to one?” – Zaha Hadid
Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe (1886-1969)
A pioneer of the International style of architecture, Mies worked under the philosophy that “less is more.” He took industrial-age design concepts and gave them elegance and is considered the father of modern minimalism. His designs are simple and clean-lined, often with structural elements exposed or even highlighted, and have influenced the designs of skyscrapers across the world.
Known for:
Barcelona Pavilion, Spain
New National Gallery, Berlin
Seagram Building, New York City
Crown Hall, Chicago
Farnsworth House, Plano, Illinois
"God is in the details.” – Mies Van der Rohe
Eero Saarinen (1910-1961)
Saarinen followed in the footsteps of his architect father and put his stamp on the world of architecture with designs that began as predominantly geometric but developed into a more sculpture-like form. Cantilevered outcroppings, asymmetry, horizontal lines, and steel framing characterize his style.
Known for:
Ingalls Hockey Rink, “The Whale,” Yale University
Gateway Arch, St. Louis
Dulles International Airport, Virginia
Sources: Britannica | Arch20