Five Architects Who Planned the Future

 Five post from Friday:

Those of us who work in [department] often speak with architects and review architectural plans. And many of these plans look similar – one box, or two boxes, or one curved wall stuck on a box. It’s easy to compare buildings to small squares and tall rectangles.

But, as we know, architecture can be far more interesting. As I was speaking with an architect last week, I began thinking about the fascinating minds responsible for the masterpieces that continue to capture our attention – Andrea Palladio, Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Kahn, Greene and Greene, Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe, Walter Gropius, Inigo Jones, Richard Neutra, Charles Mackintosh, Santiago Calatrava, Zaha Hadid, et al. Despite my somewhat cursory knowledge of architecture, I realize that condensing a list of architects to five talented folks would be impossible.

Instead, I’ve decided to focus on architects whose ideas inspired future generations. While many of their ideas remained on paper, these visionaries had the insight to create spaces worthy of housing the zeitgeist they helped define:   

1. Louis Sullivan, the “Father of Skyscrapers.” When you think of Chicago, or better yet, any city skyline, you should think of Louis Sullivan. An early adopter of the modern construction methods, he used steel framing and linear ornamentation to emphasize the towering heights that could not be achieved with masonry.

2. Vladimir Tatlin. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, Constructivist architects sought to define communist architecture – a style emphasizing both modernism and equality. Tatlin, who was also a painter, did not limit his ideas to accepted architectural forms, but rather ignored these limitations and created a structure with rotating elements, The Monument to the Third International.

3. Adolf Loos is better known for his theories than his works. His essay, “Ornament and Crime” is a scathing critique of the excess ornamentation popularized by Art Nouveau. His claims, while bombastic, sought to champion a strong relationship between form and function. Loos' concepts were similar to those proponed by the founders of The Bauhaus school, an institution known for the design and creation of well-made and moderately priced structures and furnishings.

4. Antonio Sant'Elia. Influenced by Adolf Loos and associated with the Futurist movement, Sant’Elia imagined Italy’s industrial possibilities in a series of design drawings, La Citta Nuova. While none of his works were ever realized, he influenced a new generation of architects who began to consider structures as machines for living.

5. Antoni Gaudi, a true individual. His works, including Casa Batlló and the never completed Sagrada Familia, recall drip castles, dragons, and fish scales. Instantly recognizable all over the world, his designs encouraged later architects to depart from classical forms and straight lines and explore whimsical elements.

Funnily enough, I began writing this post before the [meeting] that took place this afternoon. What fun to hear the Frank Gehry has accepted an invitation to attend a [company] event! There are some seriously jealous people here at the [Massachusetts] office! Well, at least one.

What architects would you include in a top five list? I'd love to hear your thoughts.