Deeply sorry to have just heard that Lebbeus Woods, a true visionary architect and astonishing draftsman, died this morning. A great loss. — michael kimmelman
Michael Kimmelman, Architecture critic for the NY Times, is reporting this morning, via Twitter, that Lebbeus Woods died in his sleep last night in New York. Details are still emerging.
28 Comments
Very sad. LW's work was one of my biggest inspirations when I was still a young architecture student.
The last few entries in his blog were already foreshadowing his departure.
I too just now heard of his passing.
Deeply saddened to hear it. Was so very influenced by his work and writings, back in architecture undergrad and beyond. Was also fortunate to have had a studio session with him in grad school. He was a pioneer!
Michael is writing that it was a known, deteriorating condition. perhaps that's why his blog took a turn. it sounded like the initial confusion was that perhaps he had died as a result of the storm (not true).
We'll miss you, no doubt he has conducted research outside of every stereotype, always on the border between architecture and theory, history and fantasy. A great figure of our time
very sad indeed.
I didn't mean to "like" that Lebbeus woods passed away, yet somehow, I think he'd appreciate that.
small obit from the ny times:
Lebbeus Woods, a New York architect who became a cult figure among students and academics for his signature drawings, died on Tuesday at age 72. His death was confirmed by his longtime friend and fellow architect Steven Holl.
Though he was trained as an architect and worked for Eero Saarinen, Mr. Woods became best known for fantastical illustrations of imaginary buildings and dystopic scenes, rendered in colored pencil and ink. His 1993 series in response to the war in Bosnia, for example, evokes sci-fi comics – with twisted cables, crumbling buildings and flying steel shards. On his website, Mr. Woods wrote: “At this stage in my life and work – I would optimistically call it a middle stage – I have a clear grasp of what it is that I want to achieve, though I am still searching for the best realization of ideas that have driven me all along.”
I got to see him give a lecture at Pratt a few years ago...this is sad.
I still can recall, viscerally, the first time I laid eyes on his drawings…blown away.
Definitely a genius and visionary. So sad for his passing.
Gregory: It was. As students two years ago we were informed that Prof. Woods might not be able to teach his scheduled studio because of a [rumored, at the time] illness, but when the time came it happened. He may not have been energetic but he was in good spirits and relatively active. I believe the same question arose last year, and so it isn't event that came out of nowhere– despite being very sad and shocking to all who were in contact with him. As an ex-student, I just wish I'd had the chance to talk with him more as a professional down the road but I couldn't possibly justify a complaint. He left us with a lot, and I'm sure he'll continue to inspire even more people as we write our comments here and beyond.
This is unexpected...I just visited his pavilion last week in Steven Holl's Raffles City complex in Chengdu, China.
facebook pages are blowing up with this. First book I bought was from him. We'll miss you big guy.
Yeah, he was a good drawer and his imagination was great--but he was an artist not an architect. Thank god none of this stuff was actually built.
I was stunned when I heard this news.
Mr. Woods did have some work built.
You must be a very unhappy person to make such a statement in response to an individual's death notice.
Actually this is a beautiful addition to that building... as opposed to his drawings which are (purposefully) dark and nasty. I was making a distinction: art has the luxury of being commentary.
I'm just seeking to clarify a point--yeah, it's sad that he died but i've never seen the architecture media hipsters fall over themselves so much for someone who was more of an artist. funny that architects don't get that love
You're the latest fool making foolish statements across this website. Shame on you for making dumb sweeping statements about everything from OMA to Lebbeus. Come back when your qualifications are evident.
RIP Mr. Woods
What a loss for the architectural world. He challenged our minds and our visions.
The photograph showing Mr. Woods with his keffiyeh on his side in fact tells about his ethical standing on human rights. His enormous visionary talent with this kind of political standing and courage make an exceptional human being as is and was.
I never knew about Mr. Wood, but it's amazing the influence he had on archtiectural students. I always wondered where these kinds of drawings where inspired from ever since my school days in the 1980's. He had an amazing hand. RIP.
I think our profession just lost about 80% of its edge with his passing. We all gotta go someday, but that doesn't change the fact that we're missing something huge with this loss.
Always the revolutionary.
yekh, people die. the time to be gracious to him is when there is a context other than his death. otherwise, always, the silence. don't break it
these comments are all heartfelt remembrance, 'not graciousness'. do you know the meaning of that word? you're using it incorrectly. as students and admirers of lebbeus we are in no position to be gracious. rather, he to us.
these kinds of obituaries are as gracious as they intend to be grateful. you are, in your belief if not your intention, summing up a lifetime - how gracious of you and how authorial.
i dislike obituaries. a person dies, a person dies. the work never speaks for him - the belief that it does is one of the uglier and insiduously morbid inventions. but obituaries and epitaphs make for interesting cemeteries, i give you that. cemeteries as books.
Bummer. Add me to the list of students influenced by his work. Was a turning point for me in school, to realize that architecture didn't have to be based in realistic possibilities.
I also admired how he never seemed to rest on the architecturally famous persona he had made. He aged in a way I hope we all can: interested and excited.
"Was a turning point for me in school, to realize that architecture didn't have to be based in realistic possibilities." Wow, I had a completely different experience. For me the turning point was realizing I didn't have to learn the archispeak of unrealistic possibilities. Mr. Wood still has great work though. Reminds me of those wild sets from that movie Brazilia.
RIP.... Great Architect
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