Born On This day- July 8th.. Phillip Johnson

Architecture is one of my passions & 20th century American architecture is my focus. I say that as I realize that my favorite structure is the Duomo in Sienna. Not all that long ago, a young man who was gay & loved design was expected to become a decorator. Brick & concrete were for straight guys; homos were supposed to stick to furniture & fabrics. But for most of the 20th century, there was a glorious exception. Philip Cortely Johnson built skyscrapers in nearly every major USA city, mentored 3 generations of mostly straight male architects, & lived with a man he met when Dwight D. Eisenhower occupied the White House.

Photograph by Irving Penn

Today marks the birthday of Phillip Johnson, my favorite American Architect. Distinctive in his thick round glasses, Johnson caught my interest when I lived in NYC & fell in love with the Seagram's building (which has a mention in the musical Company, making me curious about the reference). After graduating from Harvard, Johnson founded the Department of Architecture & Design at the MOMA. He didn't actually practice architecture for another 10 years. His most iconic work is his Glass House, which I want to see in my lifetime. His other important works include the New York State Theatre at Lincoln Center, JFK Memorial Plaza in Dallas, 101 California Street in San Francisco, 191 Peachtree Tower in Atalanta, the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove California, the Tata Theatre in Mombai,  & the unfinished GLBT Cathedral Of Hope in Dallas. Throughout his career he was as well-known for his quips as he was for his buildings. He once famously called Frank Lloyd Wright whose career lasted from the 1880s to the 1950s, "the greatest architect of the 19th century." 

The Seagram Building, built in 1958

Johnson lived with his partner- curator David Whitney from 1960 until his death in January 2005. He died at his Glass House in New Canaan, Connecticut. Johnson was 98. Whitney died less than 6 months later.

Born On This Day- April 15th...Renaissance Man, Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci

In his childhood, the Husband was so entranced by a book on the life of Leonardo da Vinci that he taught himself to write in "mirror", that can only be read by holding it up to a reflection, a skill practiced by the often secretive Leonardo. The Husband can still do the mirror writing to this day & is himself, a bit of a Renaissance man.

Self Portrait

Leonardo da Vinci was denied an education & a profession because he was born out of wedlock in 1452. One of the few professions for the son of a middle class notary & a peasant girl was art. Despite the stigma of being a bastard Leonardo mastered anatomy, architecture, botany, cartography, engineering, mathematics, music, poetry, science, sculpture, sketching, &… painting. He used to sleep 2 hours every day. A left-handed dyslexic, he tried to paint with both of his hands. He was a loner, but also adopted a child which he raised with extra care. He destroyed most of his work.

When he was 24, Leonardo & 3 young companions were arrested on the charge of sodomy. No witnesses appeared against them & eventually the charges were dropped. Although he was not convicted, the accusation may have tormented Leonardo throughout his life. It seems clear to me that Leonardo was homosexual. He kept his private life very private, but throughout his entire life, Leonardo surrounded himself with attractive men. His relationship with the beautiful curly haired Gian Giacomo de' Caprotti lasted 20 years. In the last 10 years of Leonardo's life, his companion was the much younger Francesco Melzi, who would later serve as the executor of Leonardo’s estate.


Leonardo possessed the greatest mind of the Italian Renaissance. He wanted to know the workings of what he saw in nature. his inventions & scientific studies were centuries ahead of his time. He was the first person to ingunuity, & intellectual inquiringness show him to be the epitome of the Renaissance spirit. 6 centuries later, the world is still in awe.

My Second Favorite Man Made Structure In The World

Remember that crazy period in the aughts when Americans were required to be anti-French. Freedom Fries? Well, I never bought it. I am an unabashed Francofile. I took the stairs to level 3, & I stood on the observation deck, & tried to sneak a view of it every chance that I could find. I have only been to Paris once, but I can't ever get tired of looking at The Eiffel Tower in photos & in films. The landmark turns 122 today.

People Who Live In Glass Houses Shouldn't Get Stoned...

Architecture is one of my passions & 20th century American architecture is my focus. I say that as I realize that my favorite structure is the Duomo in Sienna. Not all that long ago, a young man who was gay & loved design was expected to become a decorator. Brick & concrete were for straight guys; homos were supposed to stick to furniture & fabrics. But for most of the 20th century, there was a glorious exception. Philip CortelyJohnson built skyscrapers in nearly every major U.S. city, mentored 3 generations of mostly straight male architects, & lived with a man he met when Dwight D. Eisenhower occupied the White House.

Today is the birthday of Phillip Johnson, my favorite American Architect. Distinctive in his thick round glasses, Johnson caught my interest when I lived in NYC & fell in love with the Seagram's building (which has a mention in the musical Company, making me curious about the reference). After graduating from Harvard, Johnson founded the Department of Architecture & Design at the MOMA. He didn't actually practice architecture for another 10 years. His most iconic work is his Glass House, which I want to see in my lifetime. His other important works include the New York State Theatre at Lincoln Center, JFK Memorial Plaza in Dallas, 101 California Street in San Francisco, 191 Peachtree Tower in Atalanta, the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove California, the Tata Theatre in Mombai,  & the unfinished GLBT Cathedral Of Hope in Dallas. Throughout his career he was as well-known for his quips as he was for his buildings. He once famously called Frank Lloyd Wright whose career lasted from the 1880s to the 1950s, "the greatest architect of the 19th century."  
 

Johnson lived with his partner- curator David Whitney from 1960 until his death in January 2005. He died at his Glass House in New Canaan, Connecticut. Johnson was 98. Whitney died less than 6 months later.

The Chrysler Building Turns 80 Years Old Today

I am zany about architecture & design, & certain buildings & structures really grab my attention & move me, among them (these are structures that I have actually visted): the Woolworth's Building (NYC), the Duomo in Sienna, the Space Needle, the Hollywood Sign, the Boston Public Library, the Brooklyn Bridge, Chateau de Versailles, Church of San Spirito (Florence) The Cliff Dwellings of Mesa Verde, the Eiffel Tower, the Empire State Building, The Flatiron Building, Freeway Park (Seattle), The Golden Gate Bridge, the Customs House (Portland), Leaning Tower of Pisa, Lovejoy Fountain Plaza (Portland), Lovell House (L.A.), Mount Vernon (Virginia), MOMA (NYC), Paris Metro Entrances, Piazza del Campo(Sienna), Piazza of San Marco (Venice), Rockefeller Center, Santa Maria Novella (Florence), San Simeon (California), San Stefano (Venice), Sears Tower (Chicago), Seattle Public Library, Seagram Building (NYC), Saint Mark’s (Venice), Statue of Liberty, Stonehenge, the Louvre, the White House, Transamerica Pyramid (SF), the Custom House (Venice,), Washington Monument, Watts Towers (L.A.), Capitol Records Building (Hollywood), Shaker Barns, Covered Brudges, Tuscan Farmhouses, Yurts, Fairie Structures at Collin’s Beach- Sauvie Isalnd, & St. Johns Bridge (Portland).

My favorite man-made structure in the world is The Chrysler Buliding in NYC. At the beginning of the 20th century, the race for the tallest building in the world was on & the Chrysler Building was the first building to top the then tallest structure, the Eiffel Tower.

The Chrysler Building was in a race with the Bank of Manhattan (40 Wall Street) for the distinction of being tallest building in the world. It seemed certain that the Bank of Manhattan would win the race, with an expected height of 927ft against 755ft for the Chrysler building, but the spire of the Chrysler building was constructed in secret inside the tower.

Just a week after the Bank of Manhattan had reached its top, the spire of the Chrysler Building was put in place, making it 318 meter (1045ft) high, thus beating the Bank of Manhattan as the tallest building in the world. It would not keep this title for long, a year later the Empire State Building was erected.

The Art Deco Chrysler Building features gargoyles that depict Chrysler car ornaments & the spire is modeled on a radiator grille. The building's Art Deco interior is even more magnificent than its exterior. The marble floors & the Art Deco patterns on the stylish elevator doors make the Chrysler Building one of New York's most beautiful towers.

Annie Leibovitz attempting to get that perfect shot

When I lived in Manhattan in the mid-1970s, I never grew tired of looking up & I never was less then thrilled when I caught a glimse of this stunning tower. Like most of the structures on my list, viewing them was made more special by watching the Husband’s reaction to expereincing these wonders of design.

Fun With Architecture

I really enjoy this apartment in a drawer in Denmark. I think the design is first rate & the pull-out function is zany, but I think I would enjoy living there. I wish my house could be pulled-out for easy cleaning. What a great way to get rid of dog hair; with 2 terriers, I sweep & vacuum enough hair each day, to make an entire new dog.

WOW!

I came across the plans for the new MoMA Tower in NYC. The plans are slowly going through the City's land-use review process & there is some real controversy, as one would suspect. It is designed by Jean Nouvel for the New York City based Axis Mundi Design firm. I am crazy about it. What say you?

Born On This Day- July 8th... Architect Phillip Johnson

Architecture is one of my passions & 20th century American architecture is my focus. I say that as I realize that my favorite structure is the Duomo in Sienna. Today is the birthday of Phillip Johnson, my favorite American Architect. Distinctive in his thick round glasses, Johnson caught my interest when I lived in NYC & fell in love with the Seagram's building (which has a mention in Company, making me curious about the reference). After graduating from Harvard, Johnson founded the Department of Architecture & Design at the MOMA. He didn't actually practice architecture for another 10 years. His most iconic work is his Glass House, which I very much want to see in my lifetime. His other important works include the New York State Theatre at Lincoln Center, JFK Memorial Plaza in Dallas, 101 California Street in San Francisco, 191 Peachtree Tower in Atalanta, the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove California, the Tata Theatre in Mombai, the new wing at the Boston Public Library & the unfinished GLBT Cathedral Of Hope in Dallas. Johnson lived with his partner- curator David Whitney from 1960 until his death in January 2005. Whitney died less than 6 months later.