Philip Johnson

[H-Town Man]

He was gay. I'm not but I would welcome them to move into my neighborhood. I'm sure within a short time the esplanades would be planted and yards blooming. Am I steroetyping here to say that many have an "artistic flair" and love to keep their properties nice? Is there some biochemical connection between homosexuality and right-brain artsy-ness?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It may have something to do with feeling alienated from conventional forms of religion and spiritualism. The arts offer kind of an "alternative" spirituality. People who create things artistically are usually people who feel "different" and want to discover something new. I find that not only gays, but people who feel excluded from society for almost any reason, are more likely to have interest in the arts (this is why artists are more liberal, and liberals are more artistic).

[editor]

I think it might also be person-to-person. When I was alone I was less creative and artistic than after I got married. Of course, I married an artist, so that might have something to do with it.

[ssullivan]

It may have something to do with feeling alienated from conventional forms of religion and spiritualism.  The arts offer kind of an "alternative" spirituality.  People who create things artistically are usually people who feel "different" and want to discover something new.  I find that not only gays, but people who feel excluded from society for almost any reason, are more likely to have interest in the arts (this is why artists are more liberal, and liberals are more artistic).

There's actually been some psychological research that supports this statement. It's also theorized that the alienation from peers as children and teenagers that many, not all, gay youth experience may be a contributing factor here as well. Some research has indicated that some gay youth who feel this alienation turn to creative endeavors as a way of coping. However, this is not universal by any means. And trust me, I have some gay friends who definitely don't have the artistic streak in any form or fashion and will readily admit so.

Of course being highly artistic and creative is not really directly related to sexual orientation. Yes gay men have the stereotype of being highly developed in these areas; however, we don't have a monopoly here. For every Philip Johnson that's gay there's probably two equally admired architects that are heterosexual. And I can assure you that not having a wife or kids has NOTHING to do with it. Same sex relationships can be just as intense, serious, and committed as heterosexual marriages, and many gay singles and couples have children. The stresses of relationships, raising a family, paying a mortgage, managing a career, and living life in general are not the exclusive domain of heterosexuals.

[HeightsGuy]

What happened to this thread?

[Astro]

The Chronicle had a pretty good set of articles about Johnson yeserday including a very nice front page photo.

I never realized though that he designed the AT&T headquarters in NYC... I really don't like that building at all...

So that got me to thinking that while I really appreciate and love his early modern/international work, IMHO he took a turn for the worse in his postmodern period... just based on the AT&T tower and the BofA tower which is another one I don't care for too much. (I know that opinion is probably pretty unpopular here on this forum though based on what I've seen on th thread devoted to that tower )

St. Basil isn't too bad but not a favorite of mine.

I do love the Transco Tower though and I would probably agree that it's his "finest skyscraper"... I don't think that one would be classified as postmodern, correct?

[Guest danax]

IMHO he took a turn for the worse in his postmodern period... just based on the AT&T tower and the BofA tower which is another one I don't care for too much.  (I know that opinion is probably pretty unpopular here on this forum though based on what I've seen on th thread devoted to that tower )

I do love the Transco Tower though and I would probably agree that it's his "finest skyscraper"... I don't think that one would be classified as postmodern, correct?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree. The BofA makes for an interesting skyline but it maybe just seems too severe. Transco is a beauty. Either consciously or unconciously he went Art Deco and with the dark glass it just looks so smooth and flowing.

[Astro]

I agree. The BofA makes for an interesting skyline but it maybe just seems too severe. Transco is a beauty. Either consciously or unconciously he went Art Deco and with the dark glass it just looks so smooth and flowing.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You're right, I see the art deco influence, a little bit of the Empire State and Chrysler buildings... so I guess it could be classified as postmodern in that sense? But the fact it's entirely glass makes it more international?

I forgot to mention Penzoil Place... that's another big favorite of mine. Th eonly one thing about it that bugs me is that when driving toward downtown from 45-N the two buildings actually look joined into one huge too short and fat squatty looking building. It looks great from other angles though, especially close up.

That UH College of Architecture Building pictured above does nothing for me at all.

[Guest danax]

That UH College of Architecture Building pictured above does nothing for me at all.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree again. He said he copied that from, what was it, some French building, but anyway it looks bad, just like he had no inspiration at all. The Greek deal on top, what was that all about? I know, it had some classic meaning I'm sure but it looks like something a kid would do, you know, stack one toy building on top of the other.

[bruce_oneal]

i also did not realize he did the post oak central. i've often liked the redundancy in design of these towers and four leaf towers in the galleria area.

[UrbaNerd]

I agree again. He said he copied that from, what was it, some French building, but anyway it looks bad, just like he had no inspiration at all. The Greek deal on top, what was that all about? I know, it had some classic meaning I'm sure but it looks like something a kid would do, you know, stack one toy building on top of the other.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have a PJ book that says that he copied someone else because "architectural schools are usually criticized to the extreme, and this can damage the reputation of the architect". Therefore, if anytone picks on this design, they are picking on the original designer, and not him. Hehehehe....

[Guest danax]

I have a PJ book that says that he copied someone else because "architectural schools are usually criticized to the extreme, and this can damage the reputation of the architect".  Therefore, if anytone picks on this design, they are picking on the original designer, and not him.  Hehehehe....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You're kidding. He wimped out ? Did he not think that copying someone else and failing to provide an original Phillip Johnson design, which was the reason for his being chosen for the project in the first place, would bring the ultimate criticism and damage to his reputation?

I would think that U of H would've looked at several proposals before deciding on that one so I'm also surprised that they went with a non-original design. Those architectural students should have something that fills their bellies with the fire of inspiration every time they walk into the classroom.

Or maybe they figured it would make the students feel like "wow, I'll be a great architect because I know I can do better than that."

[bruce_oneal]

You're kidding. He wimped out ? Did he not think that copying someone else and failing to provide an original Phillip Johnson design, which was the reason for his being chosen for the project in the first place, would bring the ultimate criticism and damage to his reputation?

I would think that U of H would've looked at several proposals before deciding on that one so I'm also surprised that they went with a non-original design. Those architectural students should have something that fills their bellies with the fire of inspiration every time they walk into the classroom.

Or maybe they figured it would make the students feel like "wow, I'll be a great architect because I know I can do better than that."

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i always thought the UoH architecture school of design building was really wimpy too ... i mean, i am no architect, but just about ending his brilliant career with that...?

[UrbaNerd]

If anyone wants to know what my source is, it is "Phillip Johnson" by Peter Balke, published by Birkenhauser, 1996. It is a Studio paperback.

[westguy]

Here's the original, unexecuted design:

[Lowbrow]

The round parthanon thingy looks better than the square.

[bruce_oneal]

The round parthanon thingy looks better than the square.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i have to agree ... that would have been a much better design.

[Subdude]

Of course, not everyone thinks very highly of Johnson:

Lived in Glass House, Threw Stones

How Philip Johnson lost his way.

By Witold Rybczynski

Posted Friday, Jan. 28, 2005, at 1:40 PM PT

Master inventor

Many of Philip Johnson's obituaries describe him as the dean of American architects. He was undoubtedly a force in American architecture and exercised a major influence on the profession, but "dean" implies benevolent leadership. Johnson's influence was not altogether benign.

At the beginning of his involvement with architecture, he was simply a spokesman and promoter of the new Modern (at that point chiefly European) architecture. In 1932, with Henry-Russell Hitchcock, he organized an influential exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art and published The International Style. He put his money where his mouth was and built himself a house

[editor]

Of course, not everyone thinks very highly of Johnson:

Lived in Glass House, Threw Stones

How Philip Johnson lost his way.

By Witold Rybczynski

Link

A great read, but I'm not sure it's fair to criticise someone for evolving their style. I'm a much different photographer now than I was ten years ago. Actors get better and change their styles over the years. So do musicians. Though I prefer old R.E.M. songs to the 90's R.E.M. songs, I recognize that they have changed and evolved (though they seem to have come full circle recently).

Of course, it's very much like Slate to cut someone else down, espeically after they're dead. Slate expends too much effort in pointing out other people's flaws, and relatively little time celebrating victories and the more pleasant things in life. I think it stems from their roots as fledgeling internet writers trying to build cache among the surfing masses by putting on a curmugeon attitude and a fedora to cover up their lack of journalistic credentials.

[editor]

You're kidding. He wimped out ? Did he not think that copying someone else and failing to provide an original Phillip Johnson design, which was the reason for his being chosen for the project in the first place, would bring the ultimate criticism and damage to his reputation?

Maybe he was trying to get away from the stereotypical Johnson design. Maybe he was bored with it. When Ghery was commissioned for Chicago's Millennium Park he wanted to do something very very very different. The city said "no" -- it was paying for a "Ghery" and it wanted structures that looked like Ghery's. He was not able to turn his vision into reality. Of course, for a piece of a $450,000,000 contract, I'd put my visiion on hold, too.

[bruce_oneal]

Maybe he was trying to get away from the stereotypical Johnson design.  Maybe he was bored with it.  When Ghery was commissioned for Chicago's Millennium Park he wanted to do something very very very different.  The city said "no" -- it was paying for a "Ghery" and it wanted structures that looked like Ghery's.  He was not able to turn his vision into reality.  Of course, for a piece of a $450,000,000 contract, I'd put my visiion on hold, too.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yeah, there's nothing like selling out ...

[Subdude]

A great read, but I'm not sure it's fair to criticise someone for evolving their style.  I'm a much different photographer now than I was ten years ago.  Actors get better and change their styles over the years.  So do musicians.  Though I prefer old R.E.M. songs to the 90's R.E.M. songs, I recognize that they have changed and evolved (though they seem to have come full circle recently). 

Of course, it's very much like Slate to cut someone else down, espeically after they're dead.  Slate expends too much effort in pointing out other people's flaws, and relatively little time celebrating victories and the more pleasant things in life.  I think it stems from their roots as fledgeling internet writers trying to build cache among the surfing masses by putting on a curmugeon attitude and a fedora to cover up their lack of journalistic credentials.

Yes, I would agree with you. A lot of architectural criticism seems to begin and end with Mies and Saarinen, and anything else is just "historicist slapdash". A friend of mine who is a trained architect is exactly this way - anything other than high modernism just isn't worth discussing. If Johnson hadn't expanded his range and styles over the years he wouldn't have had the impact he did.

By the way, I would also agree with you on the quality of criticism in general in "Slate". They remind me of kids in high school trying to hard to be cool.

[YakuzaIce]

Los edificios de Philip Johnsons son bonitas.

[MidtownCoog]

Viva la Virgin de Guadalupe!

[editor]

Yazuka Ice wins. PM me your name and mailing address and I'll get a shirt in the mail to you.

[Zapata]

Yazuka Ice wins. PM me your name and mailing address and I'll get a shirt in the mail to you.

Hey...!!! Yo tambien quiero una playera de HAIF...!!!!

Como consigo una..???

[Willowisp]

News from the Glass House!

Preview tours begin in April 2007. A Gala Picnic on June 23, 2007 will inaugurate the Glass House's full capacity operation.

www.philipjohnsonglasshouse.org

[editor]

Each city seems to have its favorite architects. One that has repeatedly improved the built environment in Houston is Philip Johnson. Here's a sample of his and his firm's work.

Bank of America Center

Williams Tower

Chapel of Saint Basil

One Post Oak Central

Pennzoil Place

University of Houston College of Architecture

[krix]

Ah yes, he has designed almost all my favorite buildings in Houston .... But you forgot one important work of his though:

And he was also such a complex character. On the one hand, in his youth he used to be a Nazi sympathizer who event went to Nazi Germany in the 30s, but after the war he regretted his support and even worked with the Israeli government (if I understand correctly, that had to do with the Bauhaus style, which is very prominent in Tel Aviv). Also, while he is idolized by many, I have also heard the claim that he was not so much a designer than a planner (that his personal work often lacked creative spirit). Of course I cannot judge this as a layperson. So my question to more knowledgeable people than me: what do you think of this (maybe not so much about the Nazi thing, because the question of how genuine his repentance was will have to remain subjective, but more about the artistic criticism...)

[krix]

Ah yes, he has designed almost all my favorite buildings in Houston .... But you forgot one important work of his though:

I'm sorry, I seem to have overlooked the Chapel in your original post But it is a nice building so no harm in having it up here twice... (although my favorite building in Houston still is the Bank of America Building, followed by Pennzoil Place and the Williams Tower...)

[nativehou]

My husband's office is on the top floor of one of the Pennzoil towers, with the slanted ceiling. I tell him he's lucky to work in a Philip Johnson building, but he just says it's too HOT! The downside of too many windows in Houston!