Everyone has a bucket list, right? A number of experiences that you look forward to and want to accomplish during your lifetime. If you don’t, maybe you should think about making one. However, an architectural bucket list could look a bit different. This may consist of anything from spending a day with Frank Gehry to seeing the Taj Mahal in person. In inspiration of a blog post created by Life of An Architect, we asked a few architects here at BRP to share their own.
Person
If you could spend a day with any famous architect who would it be and why?
Left: Buckminster Fuller ( photo: Flicker user Valenzuela ) Right: Biosphere Environment Museum, Montreal, Canada ( photo: George Rose/Getty Images)
Geoffrey: I think a day with Buckminster Fuller would pretty much get your creative juices flowing. He did not bother to stay “in the box”.
Left: Renzo Piano (photo: Archpaper) Right: Centre Pompidou, Paris, France (photo: Flickr user dalbera)
Chris: If I had to choose just one architect to spend the day with, it would be Renzo Piano because I believe his work embodies simplicity in form, elegance in structural expression, masterfully control daylight, and always strives to be contextual.
Left: Thomas Jefferson Right: Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, Charlottesville, Virginia (photos: Wikimedia)
Tim: I’m intrigued by Thomas Jefferson. Not everyone thinks of him as an architect, but I do. His designs for his own home, Monticello, and the University of Virginia are to this day prototypes for country homes and campuses. He was full of contradictions with respect to character and intellect.
Place
What about a place that you’ve always wanted to visit? It doesn’t necessarily have to be architectural.
Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria, Germany (photo: Wikimedia)
Geoffrey: I have to say I’ve traveled to some interesting places I never thought I would. China (north and south), Dubai, France and all over the US. I think a trip though to Bavaria would be pretty cool.
Camino de Santiago (photo: Flickr user jmgarzo)
Chris: I have always wanted to visit Spain. Specifically, I have always wanted to do the Camino de Santiago – or the Way of St. James – pilgrimage.
Frank Lloyd Wright Taliesin West, Scottsdale, Arizona (photo: Flickr user Cruse)
Tim: I still need to get to the two Taliesins, Frank Lloyd Wright’s personal homes, as well as the Salk Institute in La Jolla and the Kimbell Museum in Fort Worth.
Building
As an architect I’m sure you have many buildings that you would like to visit but choose just one.
Paolo Soleri’s ArcoSanti in Arizona (photo: Gannett/Arcosanti)
Geoffrey: Paolo Soleri’s ArcoSanti in Arizona has always intrigued me. Another one of those visionary guys who did not bother to follow but prefers to lead.
Perot Museum of Nature and Science, Dallas, Texas (photo: Dallas Arts District)
Chris: Just one?!? The Perot Museum of Nature and Science is high on my hot list of buildings to go see.
Le Corbusier’s Cabanon, France (photo: Wikimedia)
Tim: I would love to spend time at Le Corbusier’s’ cabanon on the Cote D’Azure. While there I would want to visit Eileen Gray’s Villa E1027 next door. These are on my list of sites to visit.
Thing
This could be any architectural item you’ve really been wanting, or just anything cool really.
Embraer Phenom 300 Private Jet (photo: Magellan jets)
Geoffrey: Go me there… Is an Embraer Phenom 300 Private Jet an architectural item?
Eames lounge chair and ottoman (photo: Hive Modern)
Chris: I have always wanted an Eames lounge chair and ottoman.
Eames plywood chair (photo: trespasalon) and Saarinen womb chair (photo: Design Within Reach)
Tim: Genie and I like to collect modern heirloom chairs.
Bucket List Project
Lastly, what is one dream project that you wish you could say that you designed?
AT&T Stadium (photo: HKS)
Geoffrey: AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Because it is just a monster project and also because I would have gotten to work for Jerry Jones who is one of those clients who makes you do great things….or you go away.
Chris: The next project. I am always looking to solve the next problem.
Tim: I get excited about every project I work on, but I would get especially excited about a high density project that successfully fits in to an existing neighborhood, and consists of multiple uses and shared community space.