Mr. Summers “was Mies’s absolute right-hand man, always,” said Phyllis Lambert...
Asked in 1987 why he and Mies got along so well, Mr. Summers speculated that, as a Texan, he talked so slowly that Mies, a German émigré with halting English, could understand him.
— nytimes.com
RIP Gene Summers, 'modernist', architect of McCormick Place, and Mies' lieutenant for the Seagrams Building has died. Oh, he turned down pursuing the design of the WTC and was dean of IIT among other storied accomplishments.
Previously: Chicago architect Gene Summers dies
also: LAtimes
2 Comments
The last time I saw him was when he and Phyllis Lambert were sitting in the window at the W in San Francisco eating lunch. One of the great things he did at IIT was introduce students to Jim Dine and the publisher of Arion Press, Andrew Hoyem. Hoyem showed us photos of the Desert de Retz outside of Paris. I was hooked. Jim Dine put one of his Venus de Milo statues that fit surprisingly well into the Campus and make you realize how comfortable Mies was with Schinkle.
Not old enough to have met him, but from talking to my IIT professors while I was there we get to know the old guys through them. Saw his interview in "Regular or Super". A good Architect. Condolences to his family.
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.