The current issue of Vanity Fair magazine has a fascinating article about the most influential and important pieces of architecture of this century and the last. Vanity Fair asked 52 experts in the field to vote on their choice for this designation. For those of us who are fascinated with innovative and cutting edge architecture it is worth a read and an opportunity to weigh in on your feelings.
Oh, how I’d like to take the list and travel around the world checking them all out.
Only three women received votes in the Vanity Fair Poll. They are Zaha Hadid, Maya Lin and Elizabeth Diller. Diller is of particular interest to me because she designed the High Line in Manhattan which according to the writer of the Vanity Fair piece, “is one of the greatest urban-planning interventions in the last century.” Straddling the High LIne is the Standard Hotel.
Having visited it in December, I agree. To read more about the High LIne, here’s the link to my post on the High Line.
Comments
2 Commentsretnol
Jul 17, 2010wow cool
R. Lyle Boatman, ASID
Jul 18, 2010Can’t wait to get to my copy. As a student of architecture + design, I will be interested to note which of the experts in the field were contacted. Since STARchitecture is notoriously subjective (thus the museums of Frank Gehry contrast with the museums of Daniel Libeskind) the buildings selected are less fascinating than the who’s who.
It is interesting that the High-line made it into this category as it represents the broadening of a definition. The term architecture, since Vitruvius, has been used to define a building that inclosed habitable space. I guess things change.
I do think that it is a sad commentary on architecture that the High-line, which is in my estimation a great work of urban planning, has made it into this category. Perhaps there were not enough great buildings to fill out the article (???).