50 Architects 50 Buildings

Book excerpt: The most inspirational buildings in the world, as chosen by well-known contemporary architects. In this book, published in conjunction with the Twentieth Century Society, 50 contemporary architects choose the buildings from around the world that have inspired them and made an impact on their own work. Architectural journalist Pamela Buxton interviewed each of the architects to create these outstanding portraits of the buildings that have influenced modern architecture. The diverse selection is introduced by Twentieth Century Society director Catherine Croft, and illustrated throughout with photographs by Gareth Gardner and Edward Tyler. The book features a diverse range of inspirational buildings, from housing estates to castles, coal mines to cathedrals. Work by the giants of twentieth-century architecture including Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe and Alvar Aalto are featured, as well as lesser-known gems. Examples include Richard Rogers (of RHSP) on Maison de Verre (Paris, France); Chris Williamson (of Weston Williamson) on the Eames House by Charles and Ray Eames (Los Angeles, USA); Takero Shimazaki (of T-SA, UK) on Hexenhaus by Alison and Peter Smithson (Bad Karlshafen, Germany); Ted Cullinan (of Cullinan Studio) on Chapel of Notre Dame Du Haut by Le Corbusier (Ronchamp, France); Michael Squire (of Squire & Partners, UK) on Grundtvig’s Church by Peder Vilhelm Jensen-Klint (Copenhagen, Denmark); and Jonathan Woolf (of Jonathan Woolf Architects) on Haus Esters and Haus Lange by Mies van der Rohe (Krefeld, Germany). This beautifully produced book offers a great insight into the power of existing architecture and its immense influence on the world we build today.