Truth about architecture.Before a packed house of more than 900 people at the 92nd Street Y, famed architects Richard Meier Richard Meier (born October 12 1934 in Newark, New Jersey) is an influential, contemporary American architect known for his rationalist designs and the use of the colour white. , Charles Gwathmey He is one of the five architects identified as The New York Five in 1969. Gwathmey received his Master of Architecture degree in 1962 from Yale School of Architecture, where he won both The William Wirt Winchester Fellowship as the outstanding graduate and a Fulbright Grant. , Peter Eisenman Peter Eisenman (born August 11, 1932 in Newark, New Jersey) is one of the foremost practitioners of deconstructivism in American architecture. Eisenman's fragmented forms are identified with an eclectic group of architects that have been, at times unwillingly, labelled , John Diebboll and Alan Ritche discussed the continuing evolution of architecture as an artistic form. The forum titled: "The Truth About Artchitectecture" was hosted by historian Michael McKenzie Michael McKenzie (born July 3, 1967) was an Australian long distance freestyle swimmer of the 1980s, who competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea for his native country. There he ended up in eleventh position in the 1500m Freestyle, clocking 15:19. . Taken with the artistry of Philip Johnson and Alan Ritchie's latest project, the Metropolitan--a 32-story, high-rise on 90th Street and Lexington--McKenzie decided it would be a worthwhile endeavor to bring Johnson's proteges, including Gwathmey, Eisenman, Meier and Ritchie, together to discuss the forces that inspired a high-rise condominium like the Metropolitan, which is noted for its rounded corners, seven rectangular sides and adjacent cantilevers. Diebboll spoke for Michael Graves, who was unable to attend due to illness. "Architecture is probably the most undervalued Undervalued A stock or other security that is trading below its true value. Notes: The difficulty is knowing what the "true" value actually is. Analysts will usually recommend an undervalued stock with a strong buy rating. of all art," McKenzie said. "These gentleman are all sculptors and artists." The central theme of the evening was the influence Johnson has had on transforming architecture from formalized for·mal·ize tr.v. for·mal·ized, for·mal·iz·ing, for·mal·iz·es 1. To give a definite form or shape to. 2. a. To make formal. b. structuralism structuralism, theory that uses culturally interconnected signs to reconstruct systems of relationships rather than studying isolated, material things in themselves. This method found wide use from the early 20th cent. to a venue for political and creative expression. Each of the architects showed examples of their work and explained how their designs have illustrated this transformation. "Architecture is a continuum," said Gwathmey, referring to his renowned talent for enhancing existing buildings with expressive additions. "You can respect an icon and also enrich it, humbly, by intervention, renovation and extension, by letting the original building slide through past the addition to be revealed outside and inside. "It's archeological preservation in the best sense of the word." Gwathmey, Meier and Eisenman also discussed their submission for the World Trade Center-site design competition as an example of the expressive potential of architecture. Their design, which did not win, included two pools serving as the original towers' footprints. The pools would have reflected giant shadows onto 40-foot high, lit glass roof. |
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