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Which architect built the most in the 20th century?

Archietalksabout

Hello to all,

I recently came across a comment about an architect claiming to be "the architect who built the most in the 20th century". Of course, this kind of declaration without any specifications has no value. Are we talking about the number of projects? The number of square feet or cubic feet built? Or even the number of apartments if we are talking about housing? Anyway. Let's move on. I have a few names in mind for the category “which architect built the most in the 20th century”. I think the most famous are for sure not the ones who built the least (so please don't say Le Corbusier....) But what about Frank Lloyd Wright? (approx. 800 build projects!), Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (?), Louis Henry Sullivan ( ?) or …? I'm sure the – international ! – history of architecture and construction is full of prolific builders. So if you have any suggestions with precise names and numbers (please quote!), please participate to the discussion! I am more interested in build quantity than in quality, so we dare to talk about engineering offices or construction companies, etc. I am curious to read your suggestions!

Daphne Laurent

 
May 23, 21 3:51 pm
natematt

I think it would be a much better question to ask for some good examples.... 

The question as you've stated it is so broad yet asking for such a specific and data driven answer that it's probably not possible to answer.  

You also have pointed out the failings of the very question you have brought up, lack of specificity of criteria, yet not actually clarified which of the criteria you'd like to be used in an answer???

Also, if you already saw a topic about this, any reason you wouldn't bring any of the people in question over to start the discussion? Or was FLW with 800 the best hard number anyone brought up? That surprises me. If you're not putting any hard limits on things, FLW is going to be nothing next to any large firm that started early in the 20th century. 

May 23, 21 7:44 pm  · 
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Archietalksabout

That's what I'm asking... examples! I am interested in the extent of what is possible to do. Some architects have had the audacity and the ability to organize offices to realize large-scale works. I wonder who these architects are, because I would like to find out what they did, how they did it. The case of FLW is interesting because despite the quantity of projects, he kept a line, a "signature". From what I know, he has his own touch on the projects.

May 24, 21 4:58 pm  · 
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rcz1001

However, if anyone, as a designer, who was prolific in number of homes designed that was built --- then you might be looking at someone like Cliff May whose work was substantive influence on an entire style as well that was prolific during the big housing boom during post-WW II and virtually every house of the style was designed by him or was a derivative ripoff of his work. He sold designs for about 18,000 homes, according to the article on Cliff May on the Los Angeles Conservancy website and some 1000 or so custom homes. From that, there is most easily millions of derivatives from those designs and many more that were built. He was a building designer and was in fact a "registered building designer" in California until that program ended and he was granted an architect license near the end of his career. I would argue that Cliff May is perhaps one of if not one of the most prolific residential designers and has influenced a very significant period and style of residential architecture in the United States and beyond. I am not fully clear as to how much extent Cliff May had in actually building homes but he has had a significant hand in residential architecture especially of the mid-20th to late 20th century and the style is still occassionally built maybe with some update from 1950s to 2020s.

May 24, 21 11:26 pm  · 
1  · 
Archietalksabout

Thank you rcz1001, I am sad to see that there are so many negative comments in this forum. Architects wear black, I am an architect who wears light colors. I didn't know, Cliff May, I will look into it. That's why I write here, to get informed opinions and not black bile. Thanks again.

May 25, 21 6:43 pm  · 
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rcz1001

While I may wear black but on the occassion I wear other colors but it has little to nothing to do with the profession specifically but it sure is nice to hide ink when doing things old school with ruling pen (and calligraphy pen) and good ol' black india ink and draw or write (or both) on paper. I don't think it is absolutely a requirement for architects to wear black but its a preference that some push more than need be. Wear what you like.

May 26, 21 11:08 pm  · 
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midlander

totally agree w natematt, this is an open-ended unanswerable question that depends on information which isn't merely non-public but to a large extent doesn't exist. old large offices that grew out of partnerships in the early 20th century (and a few in the 19th c!) don't have records of every project done. it would be a serious and legitimate research project to study the history of project productivity across a region and time period.


also - what would be the use of this information? obviously a large multi-partner firm with 80 years history will have done more projects than an individual practitioner with a 60 year career. what meaning would there be to giving a number of projects done by a large AE firm which has a huge legacy portfolio from buying up smaller firms and legally can take credit for the work without actually having been the organization that produced it? there's also the complexity of projects that have multiple architects involved with varying roles - design architect, consulting architect, arch of record, consulting architect... etc. how does this count?


i've worked for a few large AE firms and was always fascinated to hear stories of "off the record" projects from old hands who remembered the disastrous airport renovation or private house for a friend of the partner which were not part of the archives.

May 23, 21 8:20 pm  · 
1  · 
midlander

if you want a guess without numbers though i'd look at either a large acquisitionn-heavy AE like aecom or stantec - or the very old east coast partnerships like sheply bullfinch.

May 23, 21 8:24 pm  · 
2  · 
midlander

an example of the challenge of creating an accurate account of creative works exists in classical music - and yet that's much simpler given the individual nature of the artistic invention. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Köchel_catalogue

May 23, 21 8:29 pm  · 
1  · 
bowling_ball

Exactly. My ~30 person firm starts about 100 projects a year - of which 2 will get any attention. This is an impossible question to answer. I'm thinking this is a student whose instructor is playing games.

May 24, 21 12:28 am  · 
1  · 
natematt

If the OP had said 21st century, you could probably narrow it down to less than a dozen companies just by virtue of size. You'd still probably never get an exact answer. However, with the prompt being for the previous century, it's really hard because you would have to have some sense of the size of these companies over time, and when they started. For example. SOM is quite a bit smaller than Gensler, but started 30 years earlier... AECOM is insanely larger than both of them and any other architecture company, more like the top 20 combined, but their work is much less categorically architectural... regardless they may well have had a chance... except that they only existed for 10 years in the 20th century, so .... nope. 

May 24, 21 12:47 am  · 
2  · 
archanonymous

Is the Chicago office of Gensler or AECOM distinct for these purposes from the San Francisco or NY office? Often (especially like at SOM) they are distinct business and design entities operating under one corporate name, often with other financial and legal entanglements, but still, distinct. It is a very hard question.

May 24, 21 6:31 pm  · 
3  · 
TED

"Mine is bigger than yours" is a good title to this macho topic. 

May 24, 21 7:59 am  · 
 ·  1
Archietalksabout

this is not a quote from my question but from the voice in your head and your reading of my thread. Sorry, I can't do anything for you. If the topic seems stupid to you, leave. As the french rapper BOOBA would say "si tu kiff pas renois, écoute pas et puis c'est tout".

May 24, 21 4:59 pm  · 
 ·  1
Non Sequitur

French rapper who? No one cares about French gangsters.

May 24, 21 5:20 pm  · 
1  · 
Non Sequitur

Calice de t’abarn...

May 24, 21 5:20 pm  · 
1  · 
TED

@Archietalksabout We are not here to do your essay research - go to the library or learn how to google - to speak of size as the single measure of what its important without value is the failure of 20th C approach to architecture and perhaps society. Your question lacks an understanding of complexity, empathy and history. Good luck with that essay. 

May 25, 21 3:32 am  · 
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Archietalksabout

Dear TED, If you think a forum is where you do research... or write essays by googling. Anyway. I don't think you know who you are talking to. I probably have more architecture books in my private library - that I have read - than in the one of the university where you studied... I have to admit, it's more like the local bar here. I won't be doing this for long. So keep your opinions and beliefs to yourself. If you're not interested, if you don't have constructive suggestions, leave the discussion. With my respectful greetings. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

May 25, 21 6:33 pm  · 
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Archietalksabout

In good French it's the tabernacle, and it's not an insult.

May 25, 21 6:47 pm  · 
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Archietalksabout

And if you still think rappers are gangsters.... especially the French ones, I can't do much about it. ...

May 25, 21 6:49 pm  · 
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Non Sequitur

Sti.

May 25, 21 7:08 pm  · 
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Archietalksabout

And you can keep your swear words in Quebecois, believing you can't be understood while pronouncing them...

May 26, 21 9:47 am  · 
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Non Sequitur

blasphemy is a victimless crime and using such terms as expressions is not "swearing". Calice.

May 26, 21 10:11 am  · 
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TED

@ Archietalksabout again....’my books are bigger than your books?’
This is your first post - please don’t criticise me unless you review my post going back to the start of Archinect.

May 26, 21 10:17 am  · 
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Archietalksabout

I think I have more interesting things to read than these thousands of posts, which should disappear before the end of the energy machinery era, the day this site closes. Unless the state invests in scanning everything and saving it on magnetic tapes in a bunker. Tschuss ;)

May 26, 21 4:21 pm  · 
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square.

this question is a contradiction - architects don't build anything.

May 24, 21 9:21 am  · 
2  ·  1
Non Sequitur

I built a tree house for my 4y old. So I refute your statement thus.

May 24, 21 11:50 am  · 
2  · 
square.

i'd like to see those permitted drawings, sir.

crayon not permissible.

May 24, 21 11:55 am  · 
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Non Sequitur

Not a building. No permit required but I don’t think my railing filled with rock climbing holds will pass as non-climable guard tho... so don’t tell the city.

May 24, 21 12:21 pm  · 
1  · 
natematt

I presume you're being cheeky... but how would you define building? Paying for it? Swinging the hammer? Being a contractor?

May 24, 21 12:40 pm  · 
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square.

anyone who, yes, actually swings a hammer, or has direct responsibility for/legality related to/supervision of someone swinging a hammer. and certainly not paying for it- a developer is no more responsible for building anything than a family who hires and architect to design their house and a contractor to build it.

it's not an insult, just the reality of the situations. architects aren't responsible for building anything, they're responsible for making instructions for building.

e.g., ikea doesn't build your dresser.

May 24, 21 2:21 pm  · 
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natematt

I didn't mill the wood. I didn't write the instructions, I could not have built my (bookshelf) without Ikea. I get what you're saying, but I also think construction has become more and more abstract in that sense.

Does an architect build if they are part of a design/build team or company. Does a GC build if they don't self perform work? 

If the architect has to go out to the site, and tell people how to construct things during construction, is that not building? 

It's fine if not, it's not an insult to say architects don't build buildings if you're just defining building in that way. Would you say that architects get work built? How else do you separate built from unbuilt work? 

May 24, 21 6:07 pm  · 
1  · 
Archietalksabout

Square.... This is what we use to call a metonymy. . . and you use it maybe every day ... "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metonymy

May 25, 21 4:58 am  · 
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Archietalksabout

Or maybe you are being ironic and talking about the lack of mandates and work.... reason why all the people discuss on this forum... ;)

May 25, 21 5:00 am  · 
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square.

the architect is not legally permitted to instruct anyone on site how to do anything related to the means and methods of construction (this is very clear in aia contracts, the most commonly used). in other words, there is a very strict and intentional division. design-build is indeed different (though still uses the same dichotomy we are discussing), but most firms are not structured that way, and this thread seems to be discussing traditional architectural practices.

but yes, i would say that architects certainly contribute something to the building of works that follow their instructions, i just think it's a bit of a stretch to say they have built anything. a great alternative word is design, which covers work both built and unbuilt.

May 25, 21 9:06 am  · 
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Archietalksabout

...metonymy...

May 26, 21 9:50 am  · 
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square.

i'm afraid you still don't understand the definition of the word..

experiment: ask a contractor, next time you are on site: "good sir, do you not agree that 'build' is simply a metonymy for 'design'?"

keep trying.

May 26, 21 10:15 am  · 
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rcz1001

First, architects are not architects unless they are the chief/master builder and in charge of construction trade if we go by the etymology of the word architect to its original meaning in Greek. Yes, some architects are also licensed as a GC and they will be in charge of the means and methods of constructing what they design. I think the original question should be rephrased better because most modern day architects don't build anything. The question then is what exactly is the question. Architects whose designs most influenced the built environment in the 20th century. I don't know we can get an exact answer that is able to be adequately quantified. A good question might be to start with understand the degree of influence some architects & designers had on the built environment of the 20th century. It might be hard to pin any one in all aspects of 20th century built environment but we can certainly find significant architects & designers who had significantly influenced certain types of architecture and styles during their period of significance. We are certainly talking about a time frame but the 20th century isn't just one style or one singular period of significance. We aren't just talking about residential or commercial or whatever. It is definitely something of legitimate research which I agree with midlander on.

May 26, 21 11:28 pm  · 
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,,,,

What type and what extent of involvement constitute authorship.

May 24, 21 9:27 am  · 
1  · 
randomised

what for?

May 24, 21 10:01 am  · 
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Archietalksabout

What for "What for" ?

May 24, 21 5:01 pm  · 
2  · 

Honestly some dude that either did a ton of suburban tract houses or strip malls.

May 24, 21 10:09 am  · 
7  · 
mightyaa

Yes, that was what I was thinking of; like Bob, who designed Plan150C "Spring Creek" for Richmond Homes and a quadrillion 150C's were constructed across the US and Canada.

May 24, 21 10:33 am  · 
4  · 
archanonymous

I wish I was Bob.

May 24, 21 6:28 pm  · 
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Archietalksabout

Do you referre to William J. Levitt and Levittown ... ?! https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/apr/28/levittown-america-prototypical-suburb-history-cities

May 25, 21 5:03 am  · 
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mightyaa

"I wish I was Bob." lol, no you don't. Big boy developers use in-house designers. So Bob was probably a underpaid architect and Richmond owns all the rights to the design. Bob might see a quadrillion houses he knows he designed; but he didn't really make any money or get any credit because the big boys really don't want to pay commissions or royalties each time they pull that plan off the rack.

May 25, 21 2:33 pm  · 
1  · 
archanonymous

Who needs credit or royalties when you can look out across the barren suburban wasteland and know that they are all living in some nightmare you designed while sipping claggy coffee and smoking pall-malls in some developer's depressing office park headquarters? Sounds fucking groovy to me.

May 25, 21 4:35 pm  · 
3  · 
JLC-1

mc donalds, walmart and hardrock cafe.

May 24, 21 11:38 am  · 
3  · 
Archietalksabout

At first you might think that, but I'm talking about people who plan, not clients...

May 24, 21 5:21 pm  · 
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JLC-1

then this is the wrong forum for the question, architects don't plan anything, developers do. Now, the real answer may be somewhere between China and UAE.

May 24, 21 6:34 pm  · 
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Archietalksabout

Well, either you are not an architect, and if you are an architect who doesn't plan, I don't know what you are ...

May 25, 21 4:54 am  · 
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Archietalksabout

Or maybe the country where you are, the architects are not worthy of the name ...

May 25, 21 4:55 am  · 
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JLC-1

sure daphne, get to work on your list and stop shitposting.

May 25, 21 3:24 pm  · 
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Archietalksabout

Bla bla Boomer

May 25, 21 6:16 pm  · 
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Archietalksabout

"Get on Work" yourself, b e polite and call me by my last name.

May 25, 21 6:18 pm  · 
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Archie: Post up the comment that is the source of the claim. Then we can really have some fun.

May 24, 21 12:42 pm  · 
3  · 
bowling_ball

I think they won't be back. We've been duped again.

May 24, 21 1:48 pm  · 
1  · 
Archietalksabout

Haha...

May 24, 21 5:02 pm  · 
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natematt

This made me laugh, we have underestimated the OP's commitment to their post.

May 24, 21 6:33 pm  · 
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Archietalksabout

Ok, I'll take the Wikipedia list and start filling in on my side ...

May 24, 21 5:23 pm  · 
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JLC-1

great, do that.

May 24, 21 6:35 pm  · 
1  · 
randomised

when is your homework due?

May 25, 21 2:40 am  · 
2  · 
Archietalksabout

I think I remember you. You must have been that student in the back. Another condescending boomer?

May 25, 21 6:39 pm  · 
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randomised

Nope, that's the late randomised sr. you're talking about.

May 27, 21 5:37 am  · 
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tduds

I still don't understand the original question.

May 25, 21 6:38 pm  · 
1  · 
Archietalksabout

The question is: how many paintings did Picasso do? How many projects has FLW done. Is it so complicated?

May 25, 21 6:51 pm  · 
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,,,,

50000 artworks. 800 projects.

May 25, 21 7:13 pm  · 
1  · 
tduds

FLW HAS A POSSE

May 25, 21 7:25 pm  · 
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Archietalksabout

So did Raffaello the renaissance painter. 250 peoples in the back office...

May 26, 21 3:12 am  · 
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Non Sequitur

5 loonies says this is another HobbyArch profile. 

May 25, 21 7:14 pm  · 
1  ·  1
Non Sequitur

I believe I am correct with this assumption. Big Green Head, blink twice if under duress.

May 26, 21 10:16 am  · 
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,,,,

I was just trying to end this thread before it devolved into more of a dumpster fire than it already is.

May 25, 21 7:31 pm  · 
3  · 
Archietalksabout

I think this is a good point. To be honest, this was my first forum discussion – I think this was my last! My IRL architects community is easier to talk with . . . ! Love.

May 26, 21 3:14 am  · 
 · 
,,,,

Maybe comment on other threads or news articles.

May 26, 21 8:25 am  · 
1  · 

Charles Schwartzapfel

May 25, 21 8:50 pm  · 
2  · 
rcz1001

Ms/Mrs. Laurent, some people are testing in their snarky way if you are a legitimate poster or some troll weasel making their way back with yet another account or something. I am not familiar with you and where you are licensed to verify that you are an architect in places where licensure is required to be using the Architect title. This forum is visited by architects in multiple nations but is mostly those from US, Canada, and UK but some others. I know there are a few others. If you are licensed in a country other than U.S., it can be understood if one is not familiar with some architects. 

Even those in U.S. may not be familiar with Cliff May because in his time, he wasn't as flashy on the national stardom as Frank Lloyd Wright and some other names but may easily have had more influence on the design of more houses across a lot of the U.S. than Frank ever had in the total number of buildings he designed but for virtually most of Cliff's career, he was never licensed as an architect. He did get registration in a particular registration/licensure program in California called the "registered building designer" like his professional colleague Craig Ellwood. When California ended the "registered building designer" program in the 80s, Cliff May became a licensed architect because they transferred some of those in the old RBD program into the architect licensure program. 

Today, there really isn't any such program and many architecture schools won't bother to recognize them because of the elitism attitude because these individuals were never licensed. It's surprising that they begin to become recognized in architecture school after they are dead and some get recognized and referred as an architect even though those "architects" may never called themselves that or bothered with architectural license.

This forum has the snarky kind but give it time and if you are in fact an Architect, (licensed where you are located or practice.... if its required by law in your location), then it will become more clear. I know some of the folks here are licensed and know who they are and can verify they are licensed. There are others that are less clear. If you are in fact, Daphne Laurent, it may be possible to verify your claim as an architect.

May 26, 21 11:52 pm  · 
1  · 
midlander

i am a licensed architect but i am posting across state lines. does that still give my comments more legitimacy?

May 27, 21 2:58 am  · 
3  · 
rcz1001

For the point given, if you are licensed where you are practicing because it is required.... you are an architect as far as I am concerned in the context of general forum posting. There are people who are not licensed and can't legally use the architect title and there are people who just aren't in the architectural field. I believe you are a licensed architect as you claim you are. There are some people who just flat out aren't. There are people in the license track but lack the knowledge and skill for independent practice even as a building designer to do such work competently. Then there are places where licensing isn't required so there isn't really a system in place to verify beyond portfolio of work and verifying with clients. YOU have legitimacy which is proven. One can still have some legitimacy without licensure for their comments but that depends on their comments and other measures of legitimacy. The point of my comment above is, if the OP is who the OP claims to be, then obviously the OP would gain legitimacy and recognition among the group including some that are suspicious over time. We have seen some real bozos on this forum in the past for sure. I know some are who they say they are and are licensed. There are some, that can't be verified. Some use anonymity which does make it hard to verify squat. There are some who just aren't architects or even building designers or whatever. There have been scammers and trolls as well. So if there is suspicion, it's because the OPs in new to the forum and sometimes the kinds of questions and posts the OP made resembles the kinds of posts of some of the bozos of the past on the forum.

May 27, 21 3:42 am  · 
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midlander

ok thanks!

May 27, 21 7:23 am  · 
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