Todays architect: Ieoh Ming Pei. Known as I.M. Pei. Born in China he set up his practice in Chicago: a great American city for architecture. He just seems like a delightful man. Must be the round glasses!

Of late he is most known for the glass pyramid at the Louvre. Thought initially controversial it provides a much needed proper entrance to the museum. He is also known for the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston. The East Building of the National Gallery of Art (US). And the Museum of Islamic Arts Qatar. Now, at 99, he has retired from the firm he created and does some consulting work for his son’s firm.

No good comes from restricting a dragon’s path from the mountain to the water. And so the Chinese make sure to incorporate a hole in tall buildings which otherwise could block the way.

I do follow certain feng shui principles in my life. Some can be difficult to follow but some can easily be incorporated into your life. But incorporating a hole in a building that’s pretty serious! Of course upsetting a dragon can as well.

Another day we can talk about spirit houses in Thailand.

I have to start this weeks architect post with a disclaimer: The architects have been presented in random order. Or perhaps in alphabetical order (close I think). Because today one of my favourites if not my favourite and one of the greatest: Frank Lloyd Wright. I suppose I must start with Fallingwater. My hesitation is not for it’s lack of beauty but become it has become such a obvious choice. But an obvious choice for a reason.

Wright was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator, born in 1867 and died in 1959. He was the leader of the Prairie School. In 1991 the American Institute of Architects recognized Wright as the “greatest American architect of all time”. At the start of this career he worked with Adler and Sullivan (Louis Sullivan can be the topic of another post – which may have me a bit upset).

Chicago has so many Wright buildings. Robie House is great. Then of course there is Oak Park where his actual home was. Oak Park has a very high concentration of Wright homes.



The dining room table designed by Wright had very high backs so that when seated you would feel enveloped in a room within a room.



I’m embarassed to say I have yet to visit the Solomon R. Guggenheim in New York. Typically when in NYC all I want to do is wannder around and appreciate the cityscape and feel the energy – that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it. But I will make my way there, well perhaps not in the next 4 years.



And my favourite property of my favourite architect is Hollyhock House – love, love, love, this property. I visited it in Los Angeles, in East Hollywood. This is a great property. The stylized hollyhocks (one of my preferred flowers) are the main decorative feature. Very similar to Ennis House – which regularly gets featured in movies or tv shows.



Recently saw this chair at a house in New Edinburgh one of his classic designs.



This post would not be complete without mentioning his beautiful stained glass.



Finally there’s the retired teacher who did not realize she owned a Frank Lloyd Wright home – I suspect that realization can really appreciate the value of your home.

I think by now I have confirmed that he is my favourite and I probably could go on more but I wont. Over and out for this architect.

If I’ve peaked your interest in architecture and architects visit my previous posts: Frank Gehry, Antoni Gaudi, Le Corbusier, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.