The Best Architects Of All Time

Here, our list focuses on a few of the icons of modern-day architecture (the last 150 years), the true masters of their craft. If you ever desired a crash course in the icons of modern-day architecture here it is.
Daniel Libeskind.
Daniel Libeskind was born in 1946 in Poland. In 1959 Libeskind and his household moved to New York City, where Libeskind attended Bronx High School of Science and later on Cooper Union for architecture. In 1972 Libeskind briefly worked for another designer on our list, Richard Meier. He and his partner Nina Lewis founded Studio Daniel Libeskind in 1989. The Jewish Museum in Berlin was Libeskind's very first significant global success. Some other notable works include the Grand Canal Theatre in Dublin and the Imperial War Museum North in England.
Richard Meier.
A graduate of Cornell University, Richard Meier worked with a number of noteworthy architects, like SOM and Marcel Breuer (whose name you might acknowledge from our 25 Furniture Designers You Need to Know). He has won the Pritzker Prize, the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal, and the Royal Gold Medal from the Royal Institute of British Architects.
Sir Norman Foster.
Manchester, England-born Sir Norman Foster was both a graduate of Manchester University School of Architecture and Yale University's Masters in Architecture program. He founded Foster + Partners in 1967, and in 1999, he became a Pritzker Prize winner. Foster + Partners has gotten over 470 awards and citations for excellence in their 45 years in service, including Gold Medals from the RIBA and the AIA. A few of Foster's the majority of noteworthy works are the 30 St Mary Axe in London, Willis Faber and Dumas Headquarters in Ipswich, and Wembley Stadium in London.
Renzo Piano.
Born in Genoa, Italy in 1937, Renzo Piano was destined to be a designer-- or at least a specialist. After graduating from Politecnico di Milano School of Architecture, Piano worked in the offices of Louis Khan in Philadelphia.
Santiago Calatrava.
Spanish designer, artist, and engineer Santiago Calatrava was born in 1957 near Valencia, Spain. His big break came when he won a competitors proposal in 1984 to design and build the Bach De Roda Bridge in Barcelona. Calatrava was not only know for developing bridges, but for his large-scale public works as well, such as the Athens Olympic Sports Complex, Auditorio de Tenerife, and the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències.
Rem Koolhaas.
Popular architectural figure Rem Koolhaas has a big following due to his non-traditional and often provocative structures. In 1975, Koolhaas, his other half Madelon Vriesendorp, and Elia and Zoe Zenghelis opened OMA, a collective "hothouse research lab," as explained by Icon. In addition to architecture, Koolhaas is likewise an author (S, M, L, XL and Content), a theorist, a city organizer, a cultural researcher, and a teacher at Harvard. Among his many tasks, he has designed the Seattle Central Library, the Netherlands Embassy in Berlin, and the CCTV Headquarters in Beijing (his biggest work to date).
Zaha Hadid.
A trainee of Rem Koolhaas, Zaha Hadid is viewed as a particular, undeviating force in the world of architecture. She has coped her profession with both customers and partners due to the fact that of her drive, tenacity, and her being a female in a male-dominated field. In spite of these obstacles, she has actually become the most well-known female architect in the world. In 2004, Hadid was the very first (and, at the moment, the only individual) lady to win the prominent Pritzker Prize award. Hadid's big break originated from an unforeseen place, when she was commissioned to develop Cincinnati's Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art. The New York Times describes the structure as "the most crucial brand-new structure in America considering that the Cold War." When her skill was recognized, commissions started being available in to create a variety of tasks in mass transit, libraries, archives, and opera houses, consisting of Abu Dhabi Performing Art Center and Bee'ah Headquarters, both in the UAE.
Cesar Pelli.
He studied architecture at the University of Tucmán, before a scholarship led him to the University of Illinois School of Architecture. After school, Pelli worked at the firm of Eero Saarinen and Associates. In 1995, he won the AIA Gold Medal for his architectural work.
Walter Gropius.
Walter Gropius is best called the very first director of the distinguished style school Bauhaus. Gropius really designed the school's second location in Dessau, Germany. After leaving the Bauhaus in 1927, Gropius transferred to England. In 1937, he was invited to teach at Harvard. While at the Ivy League school, Gropius and previous Bauhaus teacher Marcel Breuer founded a joint architectural company together. Together they developed many significant works consisting of the Pennsylvania Pavilion for the 1939 World's Fair and Gropius' personal home in Lincoln, Massachusetts. He has been granted gold medals from The Royal Institute of British Architects and The American Institute of Architects.
Frank Lloyd Wright.
Frank Lloyd Wright was born in Wisconsin in 1867, simply two years after completion of the Civil War. His rural upbringing set the phase for his long-lasting love and appreciation of nature. Wright is perhaps the most well-known architect in the U.S. In his lifetime, he designed 141 works-- including homes, workplaces, churches, museums, libraries, and schools, and he received awards from The Royal Institute of British Architects and the American Institute of Architects. His buildings have actually been considered among the most considerable architectural works to be created in the last 100 years; 409 of his completed works are still standing today. Wright likewise helped develop the open layout-- developing spaces that circulation and open out into each other. His appreciation of nature appears in his work and its feasible that no other architect took greater advantage of setting and environment than Wright. An example of this mindful factor to consider can be seen in "Fallingwater," among his most popular styles, as well as the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City and his individual homes, Taliesin and Taliesin West.
Eero Saarinen.
Saarinen studied at Yale, and in 1936, he began working at his daddy's architecture practice and also taught at Cranbrook, where his daddy had actually been president considering that it was founded in 1932. In the 1940s, Saarinen and Eames took part in the "Organic Design in Home Furnishings" at MoMA. Unlike Eames, Saarinen chose to focus generally on architecture more so than furniture, developing the renowned Gateway Arch in St. Louis, the TWA terminal at JFK Airport, and Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C.
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.
German-born Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is thought about to be a father of modern-day architecture. One of Mies' most well-known works was his Barcelona Pavilion at the International Exposition in Barcelona (where he also designed the Barcelona chair). Mies came to America in 1937, after the Bauhaus school (where he was the director) was shut down due to pressure from the Nazi government. In 1944, he ended up being a U.S. resident and started among the most effective durations in his career. During this time, he created and constructed The Farnsworth House (a minimalist house with just one interior room that was totally enclosed in glass-- similar to his good friend Philip Johnson's Glass House in New Canaan, Conn.). In 1954, he finished the Seagram Building in NYC (with Philip Johnson), and in 1957 he finished the twin towers in Chicago-- two of his most well-known works. He was granted the AIA Gold Medal and the Royal Gold Medal for his architectural work.
Michael Graves.
Born in Indianapolis, Ind., he had an enduring interest in drawing and painting, which influenced his architecture later in life. Some of his most significant works are the Portland Building in Oregon, the Steigenberger Hotel in Egypt, and the Walt Disney World Swan at Walt Disney World.
Le Corbusier.
A pioneer of contemporary architecture, Le Corbusier's career spanned five years and many continents. Corbusier theorized five points that supported his modernist style of architecture: pilotis, complimentary façade, open layout, unencumbered views, and roof garden. A number of Corbusier's styles were open and airy, linking the visitor to nature and creating a bridge in between the structure and the outdoors world. A couple of that embody his design are the Esprit Nouveau Pavilion in Paris, chapel of Notre Dame du Haut in Ronchamp, and Villa Savoye near Paris. He was honored as an AIA Gold Medalist in 1961.
SOM.
SOM, established by Louis Skidmore, Nathaniel Owings, and John O. Merill, opened their NYC workplace in 1937. SOM is one of the biggest architectural firms on the planet, using services in architecture, engineering, graphic design, interior design, and urban design, to name a few. The company's main proficiency is in high-end business high-rises. The company has actually developed a few of the most well-known (and tallest) structures worldwide, such as 7 World Trade Center, the Sears Tower, and Lever House. Skidmore and Owings both won the AIA Gold Medal for their architectural achievements.
Alvar Aalto.
Alvar Aalto was a Finnish architect and designer working in furnishings, fabrics, and glasses. Aalto liked to take control of all aspects of a style job, not just creating the building, but the furnishings, fabrics, and home furnishings. Throughout his career, Aalto developed a broad variety of work from civic planning to painting-- designing over 500 buildings (consisting of Finlandia Hall and the Paimio Sanatorium, both in Finland) spanning five countries, and won the AIA Gold Medal for architecture.
Louis Sullivan.
Born in Boston in 1856, Sullivan studied architecture for a year at MIT prior to leaving for the École des Beaux-Arts. Sullivan's most famous architects works were the National Farmers Bank of Owatonna, Merchants National Bank, and Peoples Federal Savings and Loan.
Charles & Ray Eames.
In partnership with his better half Ray, Eames developed an innovative cumulative, working on furniture, industrial design, manufacturing, photography, and movie in addition to architecture. Their most well-known architectural work is their house in Pacific Palisades, Calif., developed as part of the Case Study House program, sponsored by Art & Architecture publication.
Ieoh Ming Pei.
Ieoh Ming (or IM) Pei is often called the master of contemporary architecture. In 1935, Pei moved to the U.S. to go to school at Pennsylvania University School of Architecture, ended up moving to MIT. After graduating, he began studying at Harvard School of Design, where he ended up being good friends with Walter Gropius and Marcel Breuer.
Philip Johnson.
Born in Cleveland in 1906, Philip Johnson was among the most notable and impact, modernist designers of his period, developing a few of America's greatest modern landmarks. In 1943, he graduated Harvard Graduate School of Design, after which he dealt with Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Prior to becoming an architect, Philip Johnson was the founding director of MoMA's department of architecture, where he produced his landmark exhibit, "The International Style," in 1932. In 1978, Johnson won the AIA Gold Medal for his architectural work. In addition to his most significant work, his private residence in New Canaan, Conn., The Glass House, Johnson likewise created the Lipstick Building and the Seagram Suilding, both in New York City.
Oscar Niemeyer.
Oscar Niemeyer is a Brazilian designer specializing in modern architecture. He was critical in improving Brazil's identity in popular culture and in the field of architecture.
Robert Venturi & Denise Scott Brown.
Best understood for his contributions to post-modern architecture, Robert Venturi, in cooperation with his better half Denise Scott Brown, has worked on a number of significant projects, including the Seattle Museum of Art and the Sainsbury addition to the National Gallery in London. In addition to his architectural work, Venturi is likewise understood for his theoretical work, including his 1966 book, Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture, and has won the Pritzker Prize.
Buckminster Fuller.
Fuller taught at Black Mountain Collage in North Carolina, where he transformed his most noteworthy contribution to architecture, the Geodesic Dome. In 1970, Fuller won the AIA Gold Medal for architecture.
Jean Nouvel.
French designer Jean Nouvel went to the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. At 25, Novel started a firm with François Seigneur. In addition to his physical contributions to architecture, Nouvel also added to the intellectual advancement of the discipline, he co-founded Mars 1976 and the Syndicat de l'Architecture. He also organized the competition to invigorate the Les Halles district and founded the very first Paris architecture biennale in 1980. In 2008, he received the Pritzker Prize for his work on over 200 tasks, including Doha Office Tower in Qatar and the new 53 East 53rd in New York City.
Frank Gehry.
Pritzker Prize and AIA Gold Medal-winning Canadian-American designer Frank Gehry is among the most well-known contemporary architects practicing today. The Simpson's fans may acknowledge his name from different episodes-- the creators seem to be huge fans of his architect, and not without benefit. Gehry is among the couple of architects to be called a "Starchitect." Gehry opened his architectural firm in L.A. in 1962. The company now utilizes 120 architects, consisting of 9 partners in addition to Gehry. A few of the designer's most notable works include the Guggenheim in Bilbao, the Louis Vuitton Foundation, and Biomuseo Panama.





Manchester, England-born Sir Norman Foster was both a graduate of Manchester University School of Architecture and Yale University's Masters in Architecture program. He studied architecture at the University of Tucmán, before a scholarship led him to the University of Illinois School of Architecture. Throughout his career, Aalto created a large range of work from civic preparation to painting-- designing over 500 structures (consisting of Finlandia Hall and the Paimio Sanatorium, both in Finland) covering five countries, and won the AIA Gold Medal for architecture.
In partnership with his better half Ray, Eames developed a creative collective, working on furniture, commercial design, manufacturing, photography, and film in addition to architecture. In addition to his architectural work, Venturi is likewise known for his theoretical work, including his 1966 book, Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture, and has actually won the Pritzker Prize.