In that spirit I set a challenge for myself: Could I come up not just with one but with 25 buildings that might have deserved the award this year? It took me a few days — and I was helped by some terrific suggestions from architects, critics and historians on Twitter and elsewhere online — but in the end finding 25 wasn't that difficult. — LA Times
LA Times journalist Christopher Hawthorne has penned, or passionately typed, an inquiry into the fact that this year's 25-Year-Award was awarded to—no one.
In the article, Hawthorne walks us through the importance and aim of such an award and how to him, there are more than a few projects that could have claimed the award this year. Hawthorne even goes as far to produce a personal 25 for 25 list that emphasizes the lack of clarity and potential rigor that might have gone into this year's decision. The Hawthorne list is as follows:
Temporary Powell Library, UCLA, Hodgetts & Fung, 1992 (dismantled 1997); Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, HOK Sport, 1992; restoration of Majestic (now Harvey) Theater, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer, 1987; Hayden Tract, Culver City, Eric Owen Moss, begun 1986; Hollywood Duplex, Los Angeles, Koning Eizenberg, 1987; Temporary (now Geffen) Contemporary, Los Angeles, Richard Meier, 1983; Fire Station No. 5, Columbus, Ind., Susana Torre/the Architectural Studio, 1987; Metro Blue Line, Los Angeles, 1990; Goldberg Bean House, Los Angeles, Franklin D. Israel, 1991; Humana Building, Louisville, Ky., Michael Graves, 1985; Vitra Design Museum, Weil am Rhein, Germany, Frank Gehry, 1989; Centennial Complex, Laramie, Wyo., Antoine Predock, 1993; 599 Lexington Avenue tower, New York, Edward Larrabee Barnes, 1986.
The 25-Year-Award calls out a particular project that has stood the test of time both conceptually and physically. But, its excitement also lies in the fact that the award gives us a glimpse of where things were yesterday in order to understand where they might be headed tomorrow. For Hawthorne, this inability to find that point might be more detrimental to today's culture and its growth rather than to the award itself.
4 Comments
I approve the AIAs stand against postmodernism (Hawthorne didn’t get the message). But there are others that emerged post-pomo: Holl, OMA, Maki, Meier, and more.
The Humana Building should have won. It's an excellent building by any measure, but its PoMo cred makes it an important building, too.
the Humana Building is a good choice but because it is better than most Pomo not because it represents it ... similar to 550 Madison. There seems to be a movement for neo-Pomo in some design media circles, but critics don’t talk about the value of individual buildings anymore, only about periods. In that context, can see why AIA isn’t big on celebrating Pomo as a movement
Not knowing what the jury had to choose from makes it impossible to judge the wisdom or, lack therof, in their non-award.
I lived and worked through the the 1982-92 period, and to say that nothing worthy of the AIA 25 year award was done in that period is some really ignorant bullshit.
Is the AIA anti-pomo? Maybe. I wouldn't put it past them. But if pomo makes you butthurt, here's plenty of Richard Meier, Ed Barnes, and Pei projects from that period worthy of the award.
Hopefully, these events will motivate an increased number of 25 year award submissions next year.
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