AIArchitect

come to think of that , i never considered it in that way before

so informative, thanks to tell us.

so informative, thanks to tell us.

Ramesh, thanks and you are correct, architecture is universal, the problem is not that Glen Murcutt did not do worthy work, the work is very fine indeed, but rather that so many others did too, architects right here in the U,S., and they are ignored.

BIG NAMES in architecture get awards frequently where the works of unknowns are typically better but ignored. Justice and fairness are the issue here. The AIA insulted us all.

Isn't shelter a universal right?
Isn't global warming and sustainability a universal issue?
Isn't Architecture Universal?

Right on! to my Brothers and Sisters who have labored long in the American Architectural "vinyard'. Their work ( and possibly some of mine) stands out as beacons in an otherwise dismal built-scape, which passes for American design. Keep the gold at home so we can keep our aspirations alive.

Glenn Murcutt's work is not beyond equal here in the United states. We are not ignorant of Mr. Murcutt's work. We do know who wins the awards in the world of architecture, and we also know why.

Mr. Rivers, you know nothing of my work. You think that it is not good work because you have not seen it in a magazine. The problem is that you do not understand how very many and very deserving architects are unknown here in the United States. The problem is that it is way too many of us, it is most of us.

The problem in the US for architects is the problem of invisibility. if you are employed by and do the design work for a big firm, there is very little chance that your name will be associated with the work the firm does publish. Copyright law here makes the work of very brilliant employees the work of their employers under the scam of "work for hire" and creates outrageous inequities and estrangement from the truth about the identity of the true authors of the works. It takes big money to have a big marketing program and become a big name in the US.

The best work is being done by architects that are not well known. Given the scale of that problem, and the incredibly huge number of very good architects here, it is my opinion that a member of the AIA should be getting the gold medal.

The AIA needs to attenuate it's focus on the big names and on occasion celebrate and award medals to the work of others.

Glenn has done some very good work, and I love it, but the truth is that the AIA is ignoring the same quality of work, just as good or better, that is being done here in United States. The AIA is certainly due some comment from critics on this decision.

With respect to Mr. Rivers, your false assumption that others do not produce work of the same quality is an insult to most of the profession. That is a dangerously false statement.

There is no professional jealousy in the statements they are making here. Obviously you have in your mind that all the good architecture of value is being published and recognized by the press and is known to the AIA, when in fact no point of view could possibly short change the truth more. The complaint is exactly this, we have a great many architects here in the US doing work of the same quality or better who are not candidates for the prize, not because of some defect in the quality of the work but because they are simply too poor to get access to the media machine! Mr Walker and Mr Hutz are right.

AIA, as well as all the other Architects organizations, have to give awards to the excellence of Architecture...no matter where is this type of architecture!!!...and plus what Mr Murcutt does is not just excellent, amazing and remarcable...but also at the same time very simple and complex as the nature!!!....we have just to learn from him for a better world!! All my greetings to my friend Glenn

With no disrespect to any of the commentators on this site but why shouldn't his work be recognised. Don't cry poor because you don't produce such quality work, recognised by the previous prestigious awards he has been honoured with (Alvar Alto medal & the Pritzke prize). Can you explain how you can win these if you are an unknown? His work is world class, leading edge and has been since he started. How many of you can say that you have been so environmentally sensitive and connected to your clients wishes as Glenn Murcutt obviously is for your entire practicing life. No you all do it now because the proifligate ways of the past are now catching up.
If you haven't heard of him shame on you for being so insular and exenophobic in your architectural appreciation of buildings worldwide. I practice as a building designer in Australia but I appreciate the beauty of works by architects the world over. Frank Lloyd Wright along with other architects American or otherwise has a wonderful influence on me & my work. Why don't you all grow up and learn to appreciate the skill of other international architects and start doing some personal research into architects of other countries.

With no disrespect intended to Mr. Murcutt, I concur with the comments of Mr. Walker and Mr. Hutz. When we can no longer find an AMERICAN Architect worthy of the AIA Gold Medal, there is no reason to continue with the organization,AMERICAN Institute of Architects. It and we have failed the profession.

As a layman and architectural buff, I applaud the AIA Award Gold Medal 2009 to Glenn Murcutt. For those of us who have not been to Australia to experience his work, I suggest studying any of the more than nine books written by or about this architect. To my mind,
he is building unique works.
Don De Armond

What do I think of Murcutt's newest award?

I think it is a sham for the AMERICAN Institute of Architects to award someone who practices only in Australia (or ONLY in any other country) the AIA Gold Medal!

I just reviewed the Gold Medal Award Criteria, and while it is somewhat vague (probably intentionally), the last item struck me as completely unfulfilled by this individual:
"The candidate shall be widely known by the quality of his or her products: by those who practice architecture, by those who teach architecture, and by those who perhaps do neither."

Who, other than his Australian clients and fellow architects, the Gold Medal Jury, and his nominator have ever heard of Glenn Murcutt?

To add insult to injury, for those not winning the Gold Medal, the article includes a few photographs of Mr. Murcutt's work, but provides absolutely no information about any of them. It is impossible to make any assessment of his work based on these pictures and the written article.

Hopefully the Jury had more substance on which to make their selection for this once prestigious award!

My reaction is simple and directly one of disappointment; I think there are many American architects who are deserving of the gold medal who were passed over. The AIA sinply and wrongly jumped on the bandwagon.

It is not that Glenn Murcutt has not produced good architecture but rather that he produced it in Australia. The American Institute of Architects is ignoring it's own fertile domain.

Globalization is not working out to well for most American architects many of whom are doing work just as excellent or better. And it is good architecture for exactly the same reasons as any Australian architect. They are designing good innovative powerful and sustainable, practical architecture all over the United States.

The problem is that most Architect's in the US have that big invisibility problem with the BIG NAME ONLY mentality of the architectural aristocracy in the AIA. Many of whom are still pandering to BIG NAME hype of both global and local varieties and awarding gold medals to what is really just solid practical but not particularly brilliant architecture.

Mr. Murcutt is doing fine work, but the AIA Gold Medal is something of an embarrassment to him and he should refuse it. His work is not a driving vector of our discipline but rather a practical expression of mid century modernism. What's new?

There are few people in their 50's still working as employee's in the BIG NAME architectural firms in the US. After a lifetime of work to get licensed, they vanished. It was not a voluntary migration.

The best Architects in the US are people who work for or used to work for the BIG NAME architectural firms as employee's. The great architectural discovery of the AIA is among the ranks of architects whoose names rarely get puplished and therefore without opportunities commensurate with their talents.

Where did these brilliant architect's end up after they were let go from the firm? Selling real estate or working at Home Depot. There are many thousands of them all deserving a chance at success.

Please find one and give him or her your Gold Medal.

Stop the age discrimination.