Current Work: Richard Meier

Recorded: January 23, 2014
Richard Meier founded his New York City-based firm in 1963. His practice has completed commissions worldwide that range from civic structures, museums, and corporate headquarters, to housing and private residences. From early projects through today, Meier and his partners continue to embody the accolades of the Pritzker Prize citation given to him almost thirty years ago: that in his “single-minded pursuit of the essence of modern architecture … he has broadened its range of forms to make it responsive to the expectations of our time.”
On the occasion of his 50th anniversary in practice, Meier gave a special lecture as part of the League’s Current Work program. The Current Work series invites significant international figures who powerfully influence contemporary architectural practice and shape the future of the built environment to present their work and ideas to a public audience.
In his lecture, embedded above, Meier presents a survey of his first 50 years of practice, touching on the following projects: Lambert Beach House (Fire Island, NY); his offices at 56 East 53rd Street, 136 East 57th Street, and 475 10th Avenue (New York, NY); Smith House (Darien, CT); Douglas House (Harbor Springs, MI); Museum for Applied Art (Frankfurt, Germany); Grotta House (Harding Township, NJ); Museum of Contemporary Art (Barcelona, Spain); The Getty Center (Los Angeles, CA); Neugebauer House (Naples, FL); United States Courthouse (Islip, NY); 173/176 Perry Street (New York, NY); 165 Charles Street (New York, NY); Jubilee Church (Rome, Italy); Arp Museum (Remagen-Rolandseck, Germany); Weill Hall, Cornell University (Ithaca, NY); Coffee Plaza (Hamburg, Germany); OCT Shenzhen Clubhouse (Shenzhen, China); Italcementi i.lab (Bergamo, Italy); Jesolo Lido Condominium (Jesolo, Italy); City Green Court (Prague, Czech Republic); Luxembourg House (Luxembourg); Teachers Village (Newark, NJ); HH Resort & Spa (Gangneung, South Korea); Rothschild Tower (Tel Aviv, Israel); Vitrum Residential Towers (Bogota, Colombia); Taichung Condominium Tower (Taichung, Taiwan); Reforma Towers (Mexico City, Mexico); and The Surf Club (Surfside, FL).
This lecture was co-sponsored by The Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture of The Cooper Union.

[@richardrobinson9930]

I personally believe the Getty Centre is hard to beat; it's a fantastic collection of buildings, finishes and views. It's bright, light and stunning. A visit to LA is not complete without a visit to the Getty Centre.

[@garundip.mcgrundy8311]

"Restrictions are only made to be interpreted." Pretty good!

[@greggriffin3998]

Terrific presentation. One project not shown that is a masterpiece in my opinion is the Christ Cathedral Cultural Center (formerly the Crystal Cathedral Welcoming Center) where Meier does a masterful job tying together the works of Richard Neutra and Philip Johnson who's buildings (The Arboretum and Crystal Cathedral) are on each side of Meier's. Makes the Christ Cathedral Campus a "sumptuous buffet of architecture".

[@jasonmay589]

What a wonderful and impactful career he has had, inspires me to pursue this field!

[@mustafizrahman252]

Master of creating white cubic forms, solid-void relationships, and spell-bounding massing, the great architectural genius of our time and beyond...

[@joegotz1971]

If i remember the Douglas House faces due west. The setting sun was so strong that the house was difficult to live in. Meier said that the house was not quite right for this site. The Smith house was his best. LeCorbusier Villa Savoy was a disaster but considered a great piece of architecture. If the sun is wrong, the house leaks, these are things that make you famous. One of Wright’s clients called Wright and said the skylight is leaking over my dining room table. Wright said to move the table.

[@familiacubanaenbarcelona]

Wow que interesante

[@kitchenstrand]

I feel HUUM has it all over RM. Both very good!

[@canweng5546]

9

[@harperwelch5147]

“Current work”. Eight years old?