Tag: philip-johnson | ArchDaily

Who Has Won the Pritzker Prize?

Nicolás Valencia — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 05:30:00 +0000

The Pritzker Prize is the most important award in the field of architecture, awarded to a living architect whose built work "has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity through the art of architecture." The Prize rewards individuals, not offices, as happened in 2000 (when the jury selected Rem Koolhaas instead of his firm OMA) or in 2016 (with Alejandro Aravena selected instead of ELEMENTAL); however, the Prize can also be awarded to multiple individuals working together, as was the case in 2001 (Herzog & de Meuron), 2010 (Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa from SANAA), and 2017 (Rafael Aranda, Carme Pigem, and Ramon Vilalta from RCR Arquitectes).

Staging Culture: The Architect as Curator

Diogo Borges Ferreira — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 07:30:00 +0000

Architecture has never been confined to the act of building. It constantly negotiates between material practice and intellectual reflection, yet throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, many architects felt that the built project alone was insufficient to address the full range of questions facing the discipline. Economic pressures, political contexts, and programmatic demands often narrowed the scope of practice.

Designing for Density: How Modernist Principles Continue to Shape Social Housing Solutions Today

Jonathan Yeung — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 04:00:00 +0000

When discussing modernist living, several iconic private residential projects may first come to mind—Le Corbusier's Villa Savoye, the Case Study Houses, most notably by Richard Neutra, Pierre Koenig, and Charles and Ray Eames, as well as the glass houses by Mies van der Rohe and Philip Johnson. Most of these projects exemplified an idealized vision of modern living, set in picturesque landscapes and characterized by experimentation with new construction methods, materials, and spatial concepts. Their designs embraced openness, blurring the boundaries between private and public spaces, largely unburdened by constraints such as density, efficiency, accessibility, public transit integration, or communal considerations.

After Closure due to Hurricane Damage, the Rothko Chapel Announces Reopening Date

Maria-Cristina Florian — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 06:30:00 +0000

The Rothko Chapel, a celebrated structure appreciated for its profound meditative space, has announced its reopening to the public on December 17th. Following the extensive damage caused by Hurricane Beryl last July, the custodians of the structure announced its indefinite closure, as a team of art conservators, engineers, and volunteers began the extensive work to restore both the architecture and the invaluable artworks stored within. The Chapel's reopening marks a significant milestone in the recovery process, making this sanctuary of contemplation accessible once again to the community.

Rothko Chapel Closes Indefinitely After Suffering Damage During Hurricane Beryl

Maria-Cristina Florian — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 06:30:00 +0000

Built in 1971, the Rothko Chapel in Huston, Texas, was conceived as an intimate sanctuary for people of every belief, while in front of the chapel, Barnett Newman's sculpture "Broken Obelisk" stands in memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In 1964, Mark Rothko was commissioned by John and Dominique de Menil to create a meditative space for his site-specific paintings. Rothko’s vision clashed with that of the initial architect, Philip Johnson, over the scale and grandiosity of the building, which he felt distracted from the art. The project underwent several revisions with different architects, including Howard Barnstone and Eugene Aubry. Now officials have announced the indefinite closing of the chapel, after having sustained severe damage during Hurricane Beryl, the Category 1 storm that hit Houston on July 9.

Madrid Architecture City Guide: 27 Brutalist and Contemporary Attractions to Explore in the Spanish Capital

Maria-Cristina Florian — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 07:30:00 +0000

Madrid, the vibrant capital of Spain, offers a blend of tradition and modernity, reflected in its diverse architectural heritage. This rich past is etched into the old façades, expansive public spaces, and historic religious institutions that define much of Madrid’s character today. The city’s continuous architectural renewal, reflected in both respectful restorations and innovative new constructions, highlights Madrid’s commitment to preserving its heritage while embracing modernity.

Caruso St John Architects Wins Competition to Renovate Philip Johnson’s Kunsthalle Bielefeld

Nour Fakharany — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 05:30:00 +0000

Following an international competition, Caruso St John Architects has been appointed to renovate the iconic Kunsthalle Bielefeld in Northwest Germany. Designed by Philip Johnson and completed in 1968, the structure is Johnson’s only museum in Europe. Despite past maintenance efforts, the building remains largely unchanged from its original state. The renovation aims to modernize the museum’s services, exterior, and interior spaces.

Shigeru Ban Architects Unveils "Paper Log House" on Display at Philip Johnson's Glass House

Nour Fakharany — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 05:30:00 +0000

Shigeru Ban Architects, in collaboration with The Glass House and The Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture of the Cooper Union, have just revealed “Shigeru Ban: The Paper Log House at The Glass House.” This collaborative installation opened on April 15th and is on display until December 15th, 2024, welcoming more than 13,000 annual visitors. This year, students from The Cooper Union actively participated in the making of this structure as part of the university’s Building Technology Course.

Money and the Conundrum of Architects Who Don’t Build

Duo Dickinson — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 03:30:00 +0000

This article was originally published on Common Edge.

If you’ve been in the profession of architecture long enough, you come to know a certain rarified subset of fellow professionals: Those who call themselves “architects,” who have a degree, and who may even be licensed and members of the AIA, but who do not practice architecture. They simply like being an “architect.”

Light Matters: Richard Kelly, The Unsung Master Behind Modern Architecture’s Greatest Buildings

Thomas Schielke — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Richard Kelly illuminated some of the twentieth century’s most iconic buildings: the Glass House, Seagram Building and Kimbell Art Museum, to name a few. His design strategy was surprisingly simple but extremely successful.

Cultivating “A Certain Warmth” Inside 550 Madison, One of Manhattan’s Quirkiest Towers

Ian Volner — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 03:30:00 +0000

550 Madison Avenue (née the AT&T Building, more recently Sony Plaza) is among the more recognizable figures on New York’s skyline. Designed by architect-provocateur Philip Johnson, the 37-story skyscraper stands out thanks to its curious headgear: a classical pediment broken by a circular notch, inviting frequent comparisons to the top of a Chippendale grandfather clock. A singular, if largely inoffensive presence on today’s icon-heavy streetscape, the design was positively shocking on its debut in 1979, when Johnson himself appeared on the cover of Time holding a model of the project, then still four years from completion. The image heralded the arrival of something new in American architecture: the fading of the flat-crowned Modernist towers of the midcentury and the onset of the Postmodernist wave.

A New Book Chronicles the Turbulent History of Architectural Complexity

Michael Webb — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 03:30:00 +0000

The marquee-busting title says it all: Joseph Giovannini’s Architecture Unbound is an ambitious attempt to explore the wilder shores of design and explain how and why maverick architects have dared greatly. It’s also a wide-ranging introduction to artists who laid the groundwork for architectural innovation a century ago; to the philosophers and theorists who mapped new ways of thinking, and to the complexities of chaos theory, parametric and software programs that have shaped exceptional buildings over the past few decades.

18 Ways to Make Architecture Matter

Michael Benedikt — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 03:30:00 +0000

This article was originally published on Common Edge.

What Is Postmodernism?

Camilla Ghisleni — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 05:00:00 +0000

As the prefix already indicates, postmodernism is a turning point in history, thereby proving the willingness of scholars to define this new era based on the rejection of the previous movement. Postmodernism first emerged in the 1960s as a departure from modernism. As a reaction against the austerity, formality, and lack of variety of modern architecture, particularly in the international style advocated by Le Corbusier and Mies van der Rohe, postmodernism defends an architecture full of signs and symbols that can communicate cultural values. Postmodernism is a reaction to homogeneity and tediousness by praising difference and striving to produce buildings that are sensitive to the context within which they are built.

Harvard Will Remove Philip Johnson’s Name From Cambridge Home That He Designed as Graduate Student

Matt Hickman — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 04:30:00 +0000

The Harvard Graduate School of Design (Harvard GSD) will no longer refer to a private residence at 9 Ash Street in Cambridge as the “Philip Johnson Thesis House.” Moving forward, the home, designed by and inhabited by Johnson while enrolled at the Harvard GSD in the 1940s, will now be known solely by its physical street address.

Infographic: The Bauhaus, Where Form Follows Function

Megan Jett — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 05:30:00 +0000

UPDATE: In honor of the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus, we’re re-publishing this popular infographic, which was originally published April 16th, 2012.

Philip Johnson: A Complicated, Reprehensible History

Martin Pedersen — Thu, 08 Nov 2018 07:00:00 +0000

This interview was originally published on Common Edge as "Mark Lamster on His New Biography of Philip Johnson."

This Week in Architecture: A Little Less Conversation

Katherine Allen — Fri, 02 Nov 2018 07:11:00 +0000

Kanye West is, according to Kanye West, a reformed man. After months of making headlines over his bizarre political views, he stated on Wednesday that, “my eyes are now wide open and now realize I’ve been used to spread messages I don’t believe in. I am distancing myself from politics and completely focusing on being creative !!!”