Frank Gehry once said that if we didn’t have starchitects, architects (and architecture) wouldn’t be in the media at all. But this kind of coverage, even when positive, we don’t need. It perpetuates a Howard Roarkian image that makes most of us architects cringe — not the least because of the uber-capitalist, Ayn Rand alignment — and also deflates a more productive optimism within the profession that sees these arrogant acts as old school. — mobile.nytimes.com
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After reading this, I can't help but wonder - does the 'starchitecture' slant have a correlation to those who practice under their own (literal) name as their office identifier (Santiago Calatrava Architects, Gehry Architects, etc)? Would the use of a disconnected office name (Shop, Populous, etc.) create a disjoint in the public psyche's awareness of the starchitect, as it seems to afford at least a sense of anonymity?
The effect of this (the ongoing shift toward collaborative work) might be less apparent to the media, but it will be much more rewarding for all of us.
Three cheers for Peggy Deamer. It's a good letter.
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