70

JosephBedford 3 InFrontofLivesThatLeaveNothingBehind

JesúsVassallo 19 Doll’sHouses

AndrewLeach 24 LetterfromtheGoldCoast

Jean-LouisCohen 28 Protezione

SusanHolden 33 PossiblePompidous

EnriqueWalker 46 InConversationwithRenzoPiano&RichardRogers

DietrichNeumann&JuergenSchulz 60 Johnson’sGrid

GoswinSchwendinger 70 ParadiseRegained

GavinStamp 76 Anti-UglyAction

SamJacob 89 BodyBuilding

DavidJenkins 92 Kaplický’sCoexistence

PaulVermeulen&DiegoInglezdeSouza 98 BabelBrasileira

IrinaDavidovici 103 TheDepthoftheStreet

MarkSwenarton&ThomasWeaver 124 InConversationwithJohnMiller

WillMcLean 138 AtmosphericIndustries

AndrewHiggott 144 EricdeMaréinSearchoftheFunctionalTradition

NicolasGrospierre 152 TheOvalOffices

DianeGhirardo 159 TheBlueofAldoRossi’sSky

PaulMason 173 AReturntotheIdealCity

176 Contributors

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aaFilesArchitecturalAssociation36BedfordSquareLondonwc1b3est+44(0)2078874000f+44(0)2074140782aaschool.ac.uk

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EditorialBoardMarkCousinsGeorgeLLegendreJoannaMerwood-SalisburyIrénéeScalbertBrettSteeleMartinoStierli

EditorThomasWeaver

aaPublicationsEditorPamelaJohnston

EditorialAssistantsClareBarrettSarahHandelman

DesignJohnMorganstudio

No70,2015Contents©ArchitecturalAssociationandtheAuthors

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ANoteontheDisplayInitialsThedisplayfontinthisissue,drawnbyAdrienVasquezfromtheJohnMorganstudioandfeaturedintheessaybySamJacob,isanadaptationofaletterfacecreatedbythesixteenth-centuryFrenchhumanistandengraverGeoffroyTory.Perhapsmostfamousforhis1525versionofTheBookofHours,whichchampionedtheuseoftypographyasdistinctfromhandwrittenprint,Tory’sfaithintheFrenchlanguageandinarationalsystemofsettingwordsonapageinmanywaysestablishedthemodelofpublishingasadisciplineofmeticulouseditorshipanddesign.Twooftheby-productsofhisinfluencewerehisintroductionintoFrenchoftheapostrophe,theaccentandthecedilla,andhismentoringofClaudeGaramond,wholatersucceededhimasPrintertotheKing.OurownTorydisplaylettersderivefromhisbookChampFleury(1529),thesubtitleofwhichgivesanindicationofitsfocus–TheArtandScienceoftheProportionoftheAtticorAncientRomanLetters,AccordingtotheHumanBodyandFace–althoughthespecificfaceandbodyfeaturedinourlettersisnotTory’sbutSamJacob’s;abodywhoseproportionschangedasSamtrainedfortheLondonmarathon.

60 aafiles70

Inthemid-1960sPhilipJohnsonfoundhimselfinadeep,existentialcrisis.Hisfirmhadrecentlycompletedthreemajorprojects–theNewYorkStateTheatreattheLincolnCentre(1964),theNewYorkStatePavilionattheWorld’sFair(1964)andtheextensionoftheMuseumofModernArt(1964)–alltomixedreviews.Nootherprojectswereforthcoming.Johnson’sleadarchitectandbusinessmanager,RichardFoster,hadleftwhentheseprojectsnearedcompletiontostartapracticeofhisown.Severalpotentialcommissions–anAmericanheadquartersforMercedes-BenzinManhattan,ashoppingcentreinBrooklyn(‘BroadwayJunction’)andahigh-riseapartmentbuilding,‘ChelseaWalk’,inManhattan–hadcometonothing.1Theofficehadsuddenlygone‘frombeingverybusytonotbusyatall’.2JohnsonreducedhisstafftofivearchitectsandconsideredmovingoutoftheSeagramBuildingintocheaperaccommodation.3

DuringthistimeJohnsonwasstillseenmostlyasanacolyteofMiesvanderRohe.HehadgainedthereputationofanaptinterpreterofMiesianideas,thankstohisGlassHouseinNewCanaan,ConnecticutandhisdesignfortheFourSeasonsRestaurantinsidetheSeagramBuilding.4Buthisattemptstomovebeyondtheshadowofhismentortoamellowerkindofmodernism,characterisedbysoftlycurvedstructuralframesinconcreteorcladinmarble,metwithlittlecriticalacclaim.5Johnsonwouldonedaydescribethesebuildings–whichincludedtheAmonCarterMuseuminFortWorth,Texas(1961),theSheldonArtGalleryinLincoln,Nebraska(1963)andtheBeckHouseinDallas(1964)–ashis‘television-windowsperiod’andthe‘lowpoint’ofhiscareer.ForthecriticRobinMiddleton,Johnson’spost-Miesian

offeringswere‘style-mongering…imbuedwiththedullcomplacencyofwealth’.6Alreadyin1960Johnsonhadconfessedtobeing‘ashamedoftheterriblyscatteredworkthatIdo,anditslackofdirection’.7Bythemid-1960s,accordingtoRobertAMStern,‘studentsatYalewereincreasinglydisenchantedwithJohnson’sworkandwiththemanhimself’,andhewas‘outoffavourwithcriticsandyoungerarchitectsandexperiencingconsiderableself-doubt’.8Hisformerheaddesigner,JohnManley,confirmedthatJohnsonwasindeed‘atabitofaloss’inthoseyears.9Hehadtoprovehisrelevanceandfightforthesurvivalofhisoffice.Itisfromthisparticularphase,atimeofintrospectionandreorientation,thataremarkableandalmostentirelyforgottenbuildinginPhilipJohnson’soeuvreemerged.10

Inthesummerof1963PresidentBarnabyKeeneyofBrownUniversityaskedJohnsonforameeting.TothestrugglingarchitectKeeneymusthaveappearedlikeadeusexmachina,holdingout

Johnson’s GridThe List Art Centre at Brown University

Dietrich Neumann & Juergen Schulz

PhilipJohnsoninhisofficeintheSeagramBuilding,1957

©ArnoldNewmanCollection,GettyImages

aafiles70 61

thepossibilityofacommissionandanewdeparture.JohnsonknewandgotalongwellwiththeenergeticandwittyKeeney,whohadrisenswiftlythroughtheranksatBrown,joiningthehistorydepartmentin1946asanassistantprofessorwithaHarvardPhDandbecominga–veryyoung–deanofthegraduateschoolthreeyearslater,fullprofessorin1951,deanofthecollegein1953andpresidentin1955.Hewouldgreatlyincreasetheuniversityendowment,substantiallyraisethenumberofundergradu-ates,doublethenumberofthefacultyandtriplethenumberofgraduatestudents.KeeneyhadpreviouslycommissionedJohnsontodesigntheuniversity’sfirstcomputercentre–ahandsomestructureinred-colouredconcrete,withanexoskeletonofthinpiersconnectedatthetopviacrossbraces–adevicethatemergedsimulta-neouslyinsketchesfortheLincolnCentre.11JohnsonwassofondofthebuildingthatheplacedamodelofitprominentlyonhisdeskwhenthephotographerArnoldNewmancametotakeaseriesofportraitsforLifeMagazinein1957.

Likemanyotherinstitutionsofhigherlearningduringthe1960sand1970s,BrownUniversityembarkedonamajorbuildingcampaign.Givenanextraboostbytheinstitu-tion’s200thanniversary,ambitionsranparticu-larlyhigh:‘WehaveawonderfulopportunityatBrownUniversitytocreateamuseumoftheworksofthemostimportantmid-twentiethcenturyarchitects’,SamuelLerner,engineeringprofessoranddirectorofconstructionplanning,wrotetopresidentKeeneyinthespringof1964.Hisshortlistofpotentialarchitectsincluded,apartfromJohnson,AlvarAalto,LeCorbusier,LouisKahn,IMPei,Miesandothers.12Theeventualproductsofthebuildingcampaignwereconsiderablymoremodest.TwonewlibrariesbyWarner,Burns,Toan&Lunde–theJohnDRockefellerJrLibraryandtheSciencesLibrary–werecompletedin1964and1971,thenewGraduateCentreandBiomedicalCentre,bothbyShepley,Bulfinch,Richardson&Abbott,werefinishedin1969and1971,andanewdormitorycomplexbyDonlynLyndonwasaddedin1976.ProjectswithIMPei(foranearthsciencesandmathematicsbuilding)andFelixCandela(athleticscomplex)maturedasfarasthedesignstagein1965and1966,butthendiedforwantoffunds.Againstsuchdiminishedcompetition,Johnson’snewbuildingfortheartdepartmentendedupbeingthemostprominentresultoftheuniversity’sengagementwithcontemporaryarchitecture.

Aproposalforanewartcentrewasconsid-eredbytheuniversity’sbuildingcommitteeinearly1963.Itschairman,JohnNicholasBrownii,broughtupJohnson’snameearlyon.13Thescionofthefamilythathadliberallyendowedtheuniversityduringthenineteenthcentury,BrownhadknownJohnsonwhenthetwowereunder-graduatesatHarvard.Brownhaddevelopedan

interestinmodernarchitecture,whichledJohnson,thencuratorofarchitectureattheMuseumofModernArt,toinvitehimtojointhemuseum’sJuniorAdvisoryCommittee.InalllikelihooditwasBrownwhowasresponsibleforhiringJohnsonfortheuniversity’scomputercentre.Financialsupportforanewartbuildingwasfoundthatsummer,intheformofaleadgiftfromtheartcollectorsandphilanthropistsAlbertandVeraList,andsmallergiftsfromMrsJohnDRockefeller,Jr,theFordFoundationandtheestateofEdithKnight.AccordingtoKeeney,theexploratorymeetingwithJohnsoninthesummerof1963wentexceedinglywell:Johnson,hereportedtoJohnNicholasBrown,‘knowsandlikes[the]Lists’,andwas‘anxioustodoartbuilding’.Brownimmediatelyinformedhiscommitteemembers,adding‘thePresidentandIrecommendPhilipJohnsonasarchitect’andsolicitingtheirapprovalofthisrecommen-dation,whichwaspromptlygiven.14

Thefacultyoftheartdepartmentnowbegandevelopmentofaprogrammeforthebuilding’sdesigninconsultationwithSamuelLerner.Johnsonstartedtodrawproposalsandthedepartmentchair,WilliamHJordy,aspecialistinmodernarchitecture,closelyfollowedhisprogress.Johnsonclearlystruggled.InMarch1964JordywenttoNewYorktoexamineJohn-son’sseconddesignfortheproject.Helikeditlessthanthefirst,whichhedescribedas‘awindowedblockonstiltswithsolidlyenclosedfreeformsorganisedinakindofarchitectonicsculptureofspaces,plazasandrampsamongthestilts’.Theseconddesign,instead,seemedtohimbut‘afortress-likevariantofyourgeologybuildingatYale’.Inaddition,Johnsonhadintroducedthe‘communalidea’ofanarcadeinthecentreofthebuilding.UrgingJohnsontoreturntothefirstversionwithacolonnadeinthefront,Jordysubmittedhisownsketchofabuildingwithgreaterdepthandaverticalpatterninthefacadereminiscentofthatearliercolonnade.15TheeffectofJordy’scriticismisunrecorded,inanyevent,Johnson’snextattemptwasrejectedbythebuildingcommittee,whichobservedthat‘theplanssubmittedbyMrJohnsonwereontoograndascaletomeetthebudget’.Atthesamemeetingthebudgetwasfixedat$1.5million.16InAugust,JordyreturnedtoJohnson’sofficeaccompaniedbyLernerandthethreemenagreedtoreducethebuilding’sareaby25percentandtogiveofficesandstudiosmore‘realistic’proportions.17Johnsonkeptworkingonthedesign,writinggoodhumouredlytoJohnNicholasBrowninOctober1964:‘DearJohn,Iammakingsomestudies,asyoucanseebytheenclosed,andatleastatfirstblushitlooksprettybad.Ishallbringthemodelupwithmeonthe23rdwithsomeredpapersowecanplay.’18Unfortunately,noneoftheseearlymodelsordrawings(exceptthatbyWilliamHJordy)seemtohavesurvived.19Thedesignerin

Fromtop:BrownUniversityComputerCentre,1961©HassanBagheri;AmonCarterMuseum

ofWesternArt,1961;SheldonArtGallery,1963;KreegerHouse,1967;ArtMuseumofSouthTexas,1972

©EzraStoller/Esto

62 aafiles70

chargeoftheprojectinJohnson’sofficewasJohnManley,whohadworkedtheresince1955.HedescribedthedesignprocessasaclosecollaborationwithJohnson,who,since‘hewasnotaverygooddraughtsman’wouldexplainverballywhathehadinmind(inaremarkableshiftofallegiances,apparently‘hewantedsomethingCorbusian’),andManleywouldthenproceedtoproducesketchesandeventuallyworkingdrawings.20(JohnsonconsideredManleyhisamanuensis,‘theonlymanwhocandesignwithme…thekeymanintheoffice’.)21

Twolongyearspassedbeforetheintendedsiteforthenewbuildingbecameavailable,inJanuary1966:anarrowstripofgroundrunningnorth–southbetweenWatermanandCollegeStreets,andbetweentheJohnHayLibrary(builtin1910bytheBostonfirmofShepley,Rutan&Coolidge)ontheeastandaformerprivateresidenceonthewest.22Johnson’splanningnowprogressedfromhypothesestoreality,andhedeliveredfinaldrawingsin1967.ThelettersfromJohnson’sofficetotheuniversityinthisfinaldesignphaseweremostlysignedbyJohnHBurgee,whohadjustjoinedtheofficeasapartnerandtookoverthecorrespondence.ItwasputouttobidinSeptember1967.23

Nothinginthebuilding’sfinalformrevealsthecomplicatedanddrawn-outdesignprocess;noristhereanytraceofJohnson’srecentboutofstylisticinsecurityandself-doubt.Itisasself-assured,courageousandhard-edgedasanythinginJohnson’soeuvre.Anditssiting–oneofJohnson’smostsensibleurbangestures–changedthefacethatthehill-topuniversitypresentstothecitybelow.Since1910theHayLibrary,facingwesttowardsthecentreofcampus,hadturneditsbackondowntownProvidence,showingitsunadornedrearsidewithnarrow,verticalbook-stackwindows.Nexttoit,asmallutilitarianlibraryannexeofthe1930sandaclapboardhousecompletedthemotleycollectionofratherunremarkablebuildingbacks.Johnsonerasedthisimpression.HemadethenewbuildingthesameheightastheHayLibraryandaligneditsfacadewiththecarefullyarticulatedbackofthethennewlycompletedRockefellerLibraryacrossCollegeStreet,socombiningthetwointoonecontinu-ous,monumentalfronttowardsthecity.AndhegavetheListbuildingafacadethatisanexerciseinwelcomingopennessandreadability.

Johnsonenvisionedanentirebuildingofreinforcedconcretecastonsite–ashockingcontrasttoBrown’slargelyneo-colonialcampus,andafirstandsingularoccurrenceinJohnson’scareer.AccordingtoJohnNicholasBrown,‘lateonenight,thebrilliantideaofanupside-downbuildingsuddenlycametohim’.24Indeed,thebuildinghasatrulyunusualsection.Itvariesgreatlyindepth,withthegreatestexpansereservedforthetopfloor,whichhousesalargestudiospaceforinstructionaswellas

office-studiosfortheteachers.JuttingoutfromthewesternwindowsofthisfloorareCorbusianbrises-soleil,crookedlikeanelbowtoshadetheroomsagainstthelateafternoonsun.Abovetheroofrisenorth-facingskylights,triangularinsectionbutofdifferentheights(twotallonesforthepaintingstudio,foursmallonesforadrawingstudioandthestudio-offices),creatingajaggedskyline.Thisflooriscarriedbyagrandcolonnadeofnineslender,rectangularpiers,fourstoreyshigh,whichdrawsvisitorsinperpendicularlyfromthesidewalkonCollegeStreet,providingprotectionfromtheelementsandguidingthemslightlyuphilltowardsthemainentranceatthecentreofthestructure.Thethirdfloor,setbackbehindthepiersandshadedbytheparapetofthestudios,containsofficesforthearthistorians–expressedexternallybyindividualbaywindows–andstorageandworkrooms.Thesecondfloorhasfewerwindows;itcontainsaprintmakingstudioatthenorthend,aphotographystudioanddarkroomsinthecentreandageneralstudioatthesouthend.Thefirstfloorhousesthedepartment’sadministra-tiveofficesatitscentre,withthechairman’sofficeprojectedoutwardtomeetthegreatpiers.Atthesouthendliesanotherstudiospace;atthenorthend,twowindowlessseminarrooms.Alargelobbyoffersviewsoverthecitythroughextensivefenestrationandaccesstoavastterraceatoptheground-floorlecturehall.Anotherlobbyonthegroundfloorleadstoanexhibitiongalleryandtwolecturerooms,thesmalleronewithinthebuilding’sfootprint,thelargeronejuttingoutwestward,breakingtherhythmicsequenceofthearcade’sthinpiers.Inthebasementalargesculpturestudiooccupiesthenorthernhalf,astoragespacethesouthernhalf.Thebuildingisresolutelymono-directional:theslimnorthandsouthfacadesareentirelywindowless,whiletheeasternsidetowardstheHayLibraryhasonlyafewsmallwindowsonthethirdfloor,theloadingdockandemergencystairexits.Theschemeisreminiscentofachestofdrawers,withdifferentsectionshavingbeenpulledforward.

Atsomepointduringthefinaldesignphaseanew,unusualelementemerged–adensegridofverticalandhorizontalgroovescoveringallsidesofthebuilding,achievedbyfasteningthin,triangularlathstotheinsidesoftheconcrete’scastingforms.25Whiletheintervalsbetweentheverticallinesremainconstant,thedistancebetweenthehorizontallinesvariesbetween3ftand4ft,indicatingfloorandwindowlevels.Unlikemoretypicalexamplesincontemporarybrutalistconcretearchitec-ture,whichshowtheseamsbetweenpiecesofformworkandsuccessivelevelsofcasting,orbetweenprecastelements,thelinesoftheListArtCentreframesmoothsurfacesanddonotrevealanywoodpattern.Theirgridcontinuesrelentlesslyoverthehorizontalceilingsurfaces

SketchbyWilliamHJordyoftheListArtCentre(top);

followedbyanelevationsignedbyJohnson,andthenelevationsoftheinitialdesign

asadaptedbyGlaser&Partners©BrownUniversityArchive

PlastermodeloftheListArtCentre,1967

©BrownUniversityArchive

AgnesMartin,TheCity,1966©TheClevelandMuseumofArt

aafiles70 65

underneathoverhangs–thusdemonstratingitsindependencefromthecastingprocess.Thetall,verticalpiersonthewestsideofthebuilding–thefacade’smoststrikingelement–arefittedpreciselyintothisoverallpattern.Everyfieldofthematrixcontainstworoundholes–resultsofthecastingprocess,inwhichbothsidesofthewoodenformworkareconnectedandheldinplacebymetalanchors.Entombedinthehardenedconcrete,theirremainingendscaneitherbecoveredupbyconcreteorpressedintoserviceasanornamen-talsystem,withplasticstoppersprotectingthemetalfromcorrosion.Here,eachofthematrix’sfieldscontainstwosuchholes.26TheentiresystemofgroovesandholesappearsonallofthefinaldrawingsfortheprojectsignedbyJohnsoninthesummerof1967.Giventhattheywerenotexplicitlyvisibleinthesitemodel,andthesingleexistingpresentationdrawingshowsinsteadadensegridofverticallinesinthestyleofPaulRudolph,wecanassumethatthedecisiontoincludethegridwasmadelateinthedesignprocessin1967.ItsexecutionhadtobeplannedwithaspecialconcreteconsultantinJohnson’sofficeandrequiredahighdegreeofcareandexperienceonsiteinplacingtheformworkandsettlingthefreshlypouredconcrete.TheapplicationofsuchamatrixcoveringthesurfaceofanentirebuildingisuniquenotonlyinJohnson’soeuvre,butinAmericanarchitectureofitstime.27

Wheredidthisgridcomefrom?OnecannothelpbutthinkofSaulSteinberg’sendearingreflectionontheinternationalstylewithhistransformationofasheetofgraphpaperintotheelevationofaParkAvenue-styleapartmentblock,publishedinFleurCowles’sshort-livedFlairmagazinein1950.NodoubtmoreappositeforJohnsonwasthecontemporarydiscussionaboutgridsinabstractart,whichhad‘becomeimportantmodesoforganisationforrecentart’,JohnElderfieldwrotein1972.28ThereweregriddrawingsbyAgnesMartinalongsideworksbyThomasDowning,SolLeWitt,RobertRymanandDonaldJuddin‘SystemicPainting’,theGuggenheimMuseum’s1966exhibitiononminimalistartasanalterna-tivetoabstractexpressionism.Inparticular,Martin’slarge(181×183cm)paintingTheCitydisplayedaverticaloblonggridpatternsimilartothatonthesurfaceoftheListArtCentre.MartinhadbeenaconstantpresenceontheNewYorkartsceneforanumberofyears,thankstoannualsoloexhibitionsattheRobertElkonGallerysince1962,andherworkwasknowntoJohnson,anavidcollectorofcontemporaryart,whohadpurchasedherdrawing,TheRedBirdin1964,justasdesignworkfortheListArtCentre

gotunderway.29Lookingback,wecanseeapotentialhintatJohnson’smotivationtoapplyagridinthedefinitionfromKrauss’sseminalessay,‘Grids’:

Logicallyspeaking,thegridextends,inalldirections,toinfinity…Byvirtueofthegrid,thegivenworkofartispresentedasamerefragment,atinypiecearbitrarilycroppedfromaninfinitelylargerfabric.Thusthegridoperatesfromtheworkofartoutward,compellingouracknowledg-mentofaworldbeyondtheframe.30

WhileJohnsonneverexplicitlymentionedaconnectionbetweentheListArtCentre’sgridandAgnesMartin’sdrawings,theideaoftreatingthesurfaceofanartcentreasagiganticcanvasmusthaveseemedcompelling.

AstheListArtCentre’sdesignwasevolving,JohnsonmusthavebeenacutelyawarethathisprojectwouldinvitecomparisonwithtworecentbuildingswithsimilarprogrammesandsizesontwoIvyLeaguecampusesnearby:

PaulRudolph’sArtandArchitectureBuildingatYale(completedin1963)andLeCorbusier’sCarpenterCentreatHarvard,completedayearearlier,in1962.31Bothwereofreinforcedconcreteandbothmadesurfacetreatmentamajordesignfeature–inthecaseofRudolph’sbuilding,thefamous‘corduroy’patternofaroughlyhammered,corrugatedsurface,inthecaseofLeCorbusiertheexactopposite:arefinedsmoothness,painstakinglyexecutedunderJLSert’ssupervision,usingspeciallytrainedcraftsmenandcustom-manufacturedformwork.TheurbansitingofRudolph’sandLeCorbusier’sbuildingsisalsodiametricallyopposed:whileLeCorbusierclearlynegotiatedandchallengedtheexistingstreetgridonHarvard’scampuswithhisdiagonalcrosswalk,Rudolphdesignedasolitaryfortressthatavoidedcontextualreferences.AttheListArtCentre,theintegrativeresponsetotheurbancontextwasacentralfactorofthedesign.

TheimportanceofLeCorbusierandRudolphbuildingsatthismomentbecomesapparentfromatextthatJohnsonwrotewhileworkingontheListArtCentre.‘WhenceandWhither:TheProcessionalElementinArchitec-ture’appearedinYale’sarchitecturejournalPerspectaintheautumnof1965.32Johnsoncomparedthe‘shifting,rising,decliningpath’oftheCarpenterCentretothe‘offaxis’approachand‘baffling’mannerismofthe‘explosionintospace’inYale’sArtandArchitectureBuilding.HethenproceededtodescribetheimaginedapproachtotheKlineBiologyTowerinNewHaventhathewasplanningatthetime.ItcouldeasilybemistakenforadescriptionoftheapproachtotheListArtCentre,alsoonhisdrawingboards:‘WhatIintendthereisspaceseeninmotion.Awalkwithchangeindirectionwithchangingobjectives…Walkingupthehill…youenterthroughapropylaeum,acovered,columnedportico.’33Itseemssafetoassume

thattheListArtCentrewasindeedmeantasananswerto,evenasynthesisof,LeCorbusier’sthesisandRudolph’santithesis.34HowmuchthechoiceofmaterialattheListArtCentrewasinfluencedbyitstwopredecessorsisconfirmedbythefactthatnootherbuildingbyJohnsonatthetimeemployedrawconcrete.Allotherswerecladinstone,brickorstucco.35ForJohnsonthismeantanengagementwiththebroaddiscourseonbrutalism,whichuntilthenhehadstudiouslyavoided(ReynerBanham’sTheNewBrutalismappearedin1966)andwithitareturntoessentialmodernist

principlesofhonestlyexposedandreadable,load-bearingstructure,materialandprocess,whichheseemedtohaveabandonedlongbefore.

AnotherofJohnson’sessaysfromthistimeisequallyinstructive.InareviewofRobinBoyd’sThePuzzleofArchitecture(1965)hefollowstheauthor’sdivisionofcontemporaryarchitectureintothreephasesordegreesofdevelopmentoftheinternationalstyle.Thesecondphaseaftertheclassicbeginningshad,accordingtoBoyleseena‘monolithicism’ofbuildings,wherethefunctionswere‘stuffed…intopreconceivedgeometricvolumes’.Johnsonseeshimselfaspartofthatstageand,indeed,hisBielefeldArtMuseum,KlineBiologyTowerorBobstLibraryallfalleasilyintothiscategory.ButheismoreexcitedaboutBoyle’s‘thirdstage’,whichseemstoprovideablueprintfortheListArtCentre,withits‘synthesisofunityanddiversity,clarityandcomplexity’andthe‘playofexternalspacesemi-enclosedbyfunctionalelementsstronglyexpressed’.Thisphaseisalso‘contemptuousofcarefulfinishes’,favouringthe‘toughness’ofrawconcrete.Fromhisexamples–Rudolph’s

ListArtCentre,1971©BrownUniversityArchive

aafiles70 67

attheMetropolitanOperainNewYork.Whenhetoldthemofthisdevelopmenttheyexpressedastonishmentandindignation.Inalllikelihood,however,theywereinformedandperhapsevencomplicitinthedecision,MrsListespeciallyso,because–assheevenvolunteeredtoPhilipJohnsonthatnight–SamuelGlaserwasherbrother.43

Needlesstosay,JohnsonwasdeeplyoffendedandrelationsbetweenhimandBrownUniversitycrumbled.InearlyNovemberhewrotetopresidentHeffner,askingthatJohnson&Burgeebereleasedfromtheircontract.‘Sinceitisimpossibleforustobe“semi-responsible”forabuilding’,heconcluded,theuniversityshouldnow‘continuewiththeotherfirm’andstopusingthenamesofJohnson&Burgee‘onanydrawingsorpublicity,andsimilarlythatthenamesofourengineersshouldbedeletedfromtheplansandnotusedasareferenceinanyway’.SincetheuniversitycontinuedtorefertotherisingbuildingasdesignedbyJohnson,hewroteanother,morestronglywordedletterin1970,insisting‘thatmynameisonthesignontheconstructionsiteandIwouldlikeverymuchtohavethatremoved.’44

Andsoitwastobe:finalchangesweremadebyGlaser&Partners,andsupervisionofactualconstructionfelltothem.WhatwereGlaser’schangestoJohnson’splans?Ontheexteriorandinthelayoutofthemainfloorstherewerenoneatall,exceptfortheaggregatefromwhichitwouldbeformed.Johnsonhadspecifiedaredgraniteaggregate,similartowhathehadusedatBrown’scomputercentretenyearsearlier,whichwouldhavegiventheexterioraslightlypinkishhue.However,thataggregatehadtobetruckedinfromtheMidwest.Tosavetheuniversity$120,000,GlasersubstitutedalocalaggregatethatproducedaneutralgreyconcretecloserincolourtotheVermontmarbleontheneighbouringHayLibrary.45Nochangesweremadeinthedesignoftheexterior,exceptfortheomissionoftheCorbusianlightcannonsonthegroundfloorofthenorthsideofthebuilding.Intheinterioranexpensivesystemofheavyraftersoverthebasementwasreplacedbyasystemofcolumnsandthebasement’sheightwasreduced,savingsome$20,000onmakingthesewerconnection.AgiantHVacmechanicalplantinthebasementwasreplacedbysmallmechanicalroomsoneachfloor.(Aspartofthis,airconditioningwasaddedforthepaintinganddrawingstudiosandtheartists’studio-officesonthetopfloor.)AccordingtoSamuelLerner,‘Glaser&Partner’suseofnewengineeringprinciplessavedusasmallfortune’.46Putouttobid,therevisedplanscameinatjustshortof$2.1million;thewinningtendercamefromtheDimeoConstructionCompanyofProvidence.47

Constructionbeganin1968andcontinuedforalmostthreeyears,withaone-yearhiatuscausedfirstbystudentprotestsinfavourofminorityhiringbytheDimeoConstructionCompanyandthenbystrikingironworkersandcarpenters.48Asthebuildingnearedcomple-tion,inJanuary1971,JohnsonreachedouttoJohnCarterBrowninagestureofreconcilia-tion:‘JuststoppedoffinProvidencetoseeTheBuilding.MyCongratulations!Itisbeautifulandexactlylikethedrawings.Iamimpressedandverypleased.’49AccordingtoBurgee,itwasatthatmomentthatJohnsondecidedto‘puthisnamebackonthebuilding’.50Delighted,JohnNicholasBrownaskedPhilipJohnsontodesignasteleforitssouthernfrontcarryingthenameofthebuilding.Addinginsulttoinjury,however,thebuildingcommitteeviewedamock-upinAugustandpromptlyrejectedit.Brown’snewpresidentDonaldHornig,evenmorebentonsavingsthanhispredecessor,steppedinandsuggestedasimpleslatesigndetachedfromthebuilding,whichwassubsequentlyinstalled.51Thoughrebuffedonceagain,Johnsonremainedunfailinglygenerous.HeacceptedaninvitationtoattendtheopeninginOctober1971andmadeafewremarks–includingacharacteristi-callyteasingreferencetoAlbertList’sgenerosity–givingnosignofrancour.52

Thebuildingreceivedalmostnocriticalreceptionwhenitwascompleted.53Probablytheuniversitywasunsureofhowtohandlethecomplicatedquestionofitsgenesis,andtwoadministrationsandmanydelayslater,thebuildingwasleftwithfewenthusiasticsupport-ersoncampuswhocouldhavestartedapublicrelationscampaign.AtleastJohnNicholasBrownwasdelighted:‘Iftheartdepartmentcouldn’thaveatastefulbuilding,whocouldexpectone?’54TheArtJournalreportedontheopeningandthebuilding’scomplicatedauthorship:‘OriginallydesignedbyPhilipJohnson,thestunningbuilding,besetbymorethanusualproblemsofbudgetarywoes,constructiondifficultiesandlocalstrikes,waserectedbytheBostonfirm,SamuelGlaser&Partners,whoperhapsdeservemorecreditthantheyofficiallyreceivedatthededicationfestivi-ties.StaroftheceremonywasPhilipJohnson.’55In1973a22-year-oldPaulGoldberger,recentlygraduatedfromYale,producedaratherfawningarticleinArchitecturalForumontwo‘newmuseumsandtwocollegeartcentres’byPhilipJohnson,declaring‘atleastthree…worthyofanextendedlook’:theArtMuseumofSouthTexasatCorpusChristi,theNeubergerMuseumoftheVisualArtsattheStateUniversityofNewYorkatPurchase,andtheFineArtsCentreforMuhlenbergCollege.FourthwastheListArtCentre,representedbyaphotographandplanbutreferredtonowhereinthetext.56Johnsonhimselfnevermentionedthebuildingagainanddidnothingtopromoteit.HedidnotgiveEzra

GovernmentServiceCentreinBoston,Kahn’sRichardsMedicalResearchLaboratoriesattheUniversityofPennsylvania,orJohansen’sproposedlibraryforClarkUniversity,which‘expressesseparatelyalmosteveryvaryingfunctioninthebuilding’–itisclearthatheseestheListArtCentreasbelongingtothiscategory.36

Certainformalfeaturesweresharedwithotherrecentbuildings.TheprotrudingtopfloorwasacurrentfashionembracedbyKevinRoche’sFordFoundationBuilding,Kallmann,McKinnell&KnowlesBostonCityHall,MinoruYamasaki’sRoberstonHallatPrinceton,andShapiroHallatWayneStateUniversitybyPaulsen,Gardner&Associates,amongothers.‘Architravebuildings’,aGermanarchitecturemagazinecalledthem.Foralloftheseworks,LeCorbusier’sLaTouretteMonasteryhadbeenadecisiveinfluence.37

Johnson’sdesignwasputouttotenderinSeptember1967.Thereafter,aseriesofunfortu-nateeventsunfoldedthatwouldsealthefateofthebuilding’sreception,ensuringitscompleteobliterationfromthecriticaldiscourse.Thebidsallcameintoohigh,sothedepartment’sfacultyandtheOfficeofConstructionPlanningwereaskedtofindwaystocutcosts.ThemostimportantchangesweretheeliminationontheWatermanStreetsideofanoutdoorsculpturecourtandlightcannonstobringdaylightintothebasementsculpturestudio.38Sorevised,theplanswereputoutfornewbidsinSeptember1968,whichwereoncemorejudgedexcessive.39Tocomplicatethingsevenmore,anewdepart-mentchair,JuergenSchulz,arrivedfromBerkeley,andrequestedchangesinthelayoutofthefourthfloortocreatemoreindividualofficespacefortheplannedgrowthofthedepartmentthefollowingyear.40Exasperated,JohnsonandBurgeecomplainedthatbetweenthem,thewished-forsavingsandthenewchangesmadea‘completeredesign’ofthebuildingnecessary.41

Inthemeantime,theuniversityhadhiredanewpresident,theratherhaplessRayLorenzoHeffner(whowouldsuddenlyresignthreeyearslater,frustratedwithinternalpolitics).HesettheinstitutiononastrictcourseoffinancialthriftandhadlittlepatiencewithJohnsonandBurgee’sobjections.HehadnevermetJohnson,andasascholarofElizabethanpoetry,hehadnoexperiencewitharchitecturaldesignprocesses.Heauthorisedtheuniversitytoentrusttheprojecttoanotherarchitect,andapparentlynooneonthebuildingcommitteehadthegutstotellJohnson,whoonlyfoundoutwhenhegotamessagefromthefirmofSamuelGlaser&PartnersofBostoninearlyOctober1968informinghimthattheyhadbeenretainedbyBrownUniversitytomake‘architectural,structural,electricalandplumbingchanges…redesigntheheating,ventilationandairconditioningsystems…andadministertheconstruction’ofthebuilding.42Shortlyafter-wardsJohnsonencounteredAlbertandVeraList

Opposite:ListArtCentre,seenovertherooftopsandspiresofProvidence,1971

©BrownUniversityArchive

68 aafiles70

thirdandfourthfloorshavebeenrebuilttoaccommodatechangesinfunction,andin2009theuniversitysafetyofficerorderedthecharacteristicallythinMiesiansteelhandrailsrunningalongtheinteriorstairstobereplacedwiththick,clumsytubes.Therehavebeennochangestotheexterior,whichattheageof40remainsthefinestandmoststrikingmonumentofthemodernmovementinProvidence.

Ifthebuildinghadreceivedattentionatthetime,chancesareitwouldhaveaffordedJohnsonthecriticalrecognitionhewaslongingfor.Instead,itremainedapivotalsolitaire.Withnoformalsuccessorsoranythingelsethatachievedasimilarlyconvincingconnectiontoitsurbansetting,theListArtCentrewasoneofJohnson’sleastderivativeandmostcourageousschemes,andonehewouldnevercompletelyrevisit.UpondisbandingfromtheprojectJohnsonreturnedtosaferstylisticterritory,designingtheplayfulKreegerMuseuminWashingtonDc(1967),theKlineBiologyToweratYale(1966–69)andthestern,windowlessElmerBobstLibraryforNewYorkUniversity(1972).Butevenwhenthecommissionspickedupagain,hissubsequentworksdisplayedneitherthetoughnessnorthestructuralandprogrammatichonestyoftheListArtCentre.TheBielefeldArtMuseum,builtin1968,hasavagueformalresemblancethankstoitsprotrudingupperfloor.60Acloserrelative

mightbetheabovementioned,little-knownproject,theSouthTexasInstitutefortheArtsinCorpusChristi,designedatroughlythesametime,alsowithJohnManleyasleaddesigner,andfinishedoneyearaftertheListArtCentreopened,in1972.Juttingoutfromtheroofofthebay-facingwingarethreeslantingskylights,whosescaleneformshintatthoseinProvidence.Yetthisiswheretheresemblanceends.Infact,thestarkwhiteplasterandshellcreteskin,wasperhapsforJohnsonanexerciseinlettinggo.LudwigMiesvanderRohediedin1969,justasconstructionontheListArtCentrewasfinallyunderway.ApartfromapossiblenodtoAgnesMartin,theimprintofthegridonitsfacademightbereadasafarewelltoJohnson’smentor.61Itsnarrow,oblongelementsechothefacadeofMies’sSeagramBuilding,whoseinteriorsJohnsonnotonlydesignedbutworkedoutofformuchofhiscareer.WhileitmightnothavebeenthesolereasonforJohnson’sexistentialcrisis,itwouldhavecastquiteashadow.Asifinreaction,afewmonthsbeforetheListArtCentrewascompleted,JohnsondonatedhisMartindrawingtotheMuseumofModernArt.62Hissenseofreliefwaspalpable.‘Thedaysofideologyarethankfullyover’,hetoldstudentsatColumbiaUniversityin1975.‘Letuscelebratetheendoftheidéefixe…Therearenoimperatives,onlychoice…“Freeatlast”,Isaytomyself.’63

Stollertheusualcommissiontophotographthefinishedproject,andinallofthevastliteratureonJohnson’swork,PeterBlake’smonographistheonlyonetoillustrateit.57Twentyyearson,inaseriesofinterviewswithRobertAMStern,JohnsonacknowledgedhisdifficultiesduringthetimeofdesignbutnevertheListbuilding.Thirtyyearson,whenviewingphotographsofthebuilding,hestillremembereditscompli-catedgenesis:‘Yousee,itwasn’tallthatbad,afterall,wasit?’58

Likeallinhabitedstructures,theListArtCentrehassufferedchangesovertheyears,notallofthemfelicitous.TheentrancelobbyretainsJohnson’sceiling,withlightinghousedinagridofwoodenslats,forinstance,buttherawconcretewallsthatonceexhibitedthesamelinesandstopped-upholesseenontheexteriorhavenowbeenresurfacedwithwhiteplaster-board.In2002SignerHarrisArchitectsreno-vatedtheadjacentlecturehall,eliminatingtheslopingfloorinthefrontrowofseating.Inthe1980sthenorthsideofthesecondfloor,whichdog-leggedtoleaduptoarooftopterracecoveringthelargelecturehall,waswalledofftocreateanewoffice.Useoftheterraceitselfwasinitiallyproscribedbytheuniversity’ssafetyofficerduetoitslowparapet,andimmediatelyafterthebuildingopeneditreceivedanaddedrailing.59Morerecently,portionsofthesecond,

JuergenSchulzpassedawayon23November2014.Heisdearlymissedasagreatscholar,teacher,mentorandfriend.

1. FranzSchulze,PhilipJohnsonLifeandWork(NewYork,nY:Knopf,1994),p320.

2. InterviewwithJohnManley,27August2012.

3. FranzSchulze,opcit. 4. MonographsaboutJohnsoninclude:

CharlesNobleandYukioFutagawa,PhilipJohnson(NewYork,nY:Thames&Hudson,1972);NoryMiller,Johnson/Burgee:Architecture,theBuildingsandProjectsofPhilipJohnsonandJohnBurgee(London:ArchitecturalPress,1980);HilaryLewisandJohnTO’Connor,PhilipJohnson:theArchitectinhisownWords(NewYork,nY:Rizzoli,1994);FranzSchulzePhilipJohnson:LifeandWork(NewYork,nY:Knopf,1994);AlbaCappellieri,PhilipJohnson:dall’InternationalStylealDecostruttiv-ismo(Naples:Clean,1996);PeterBlake,PhilipJohnson(Basel:BirkhauserVerlag,1996);StephenFox,HilaryLewisandPhilipJohnson,TheArchitectureofPhilipJohnson(Boston,Ma:Bullfinch,2002);RobertAMStern,PhilipJohnsonandKazysVarnelis,ThePhilipJohnsonTapes(NewYork,nY:MonacelliPress,2008);EmmanuelPetitetal,PhilipJohnson:TheConstancyofChange(NewHaven,ct:YaleUniversityPress,2009).

5. PhilipJohnsononhisworkofthatperiod:RobertAMStern,opcit,p176.

6. OpenLetter,RobinMiddletontoJohnson,ArchitecturalDesign,March1967,p107.

7. PhilipJohnson,lectureattheaa,28November1960.SeePhilipJohnson,

Writings(NewYork,nY:OxfordUniversityPress,1979),pp104–16.

8. RobertAMStern,opcit,pp11–12.Sternlinksthesetwoquotestoeventsintheyears1963and1967,coincidentallytheyearsduringwhichtheListArtCentrewasdesigned.

9. Interview,JohnManley,opcit.10. Mostofthedetailsofthebuilding’s

historythatfollowhavebeenextractedfromfilesintheBrownUniversityArchiveandinclude:theJohnNicholasBrownPapers,herecitedasJnbpapers;theDavisfile;DeanoftheCollegefiles;andPresidentHornigfiles.AfewarememoriesofJuergenSchulz.Thecomplete,departmentalfilesofpapersanddrawingsconcerningthedesignandrealisationofthebuilding,whichwerekeptinmetalfilecasesinthebuilding’sbasement,weremindlesslydestroyedin1984whentheyweredeclaredahazardbytheUniversity’sSafetyOfficer.

11. See‘RecentWorkofPhilipJohnson:ComputingLaboratoryBrownUniversity,Providence,Ri’,Architec-turalRecord132,1962,pp124–25.Johnsondescribeditas‘neoclassicalinconcept’but‘thematerialsanddesignsofthecolumnsareoftoday.OnlyprecaststonecouldhavebeenusedtoformtheXsoftheentablature,onlyplate-glasscouldrendertheporchuseableintheNewEnglandclimate.Redgranitechipswereusedasexposedaggregateinordertoharmonisethenewcentrewiththenineteenthcenturywhichsurroundsit.’

12. LetterfromSLernertoBCKeeney,presidentofBrownUniversity,2March

1964(Jnb6/18).Lerner’sfirstlist(AlvarAalto,LeCorbusier,PierreJeanneret,LouisKahn,PierLuigiNervi,IMPei,PaulRudolphandMiesvanderRohe)wasfollowedbyasecondlistincludingArchitects’Collaborative(Gropius),BunshaftofSkidmore,Owings&Merrill,RalphRapson,SaarinenAssociates,EdwardDurrellStone,HughStubbinsandMinoruYamasaki.

13. MinutesoftheCommitteeonNewBuildings,BrownUniversity,February13,1963(Jnb6/21).AtthismeetingcommitteememberEmilEFachonsuggestedBritisharchitectBasilSpence,whohadjustfinishedworkonCoventryCathedralonthesiteoftheoldchurch,destroyedbyGermanbombardmentinNovember1940.InJuly1964FachonenthusiasticallysupportedJohnNicholasBrown’sselectionofPhilipJohnson.SeeLetterfromJNBrowntoEmilFachon,17July1963(Jnb6/36).

14. Notedated16July1963fromPresidentBCKeeneytoJNBrown(Jnb6/19).

15. LetterfromWHJordytoJohnson,19March1964(Jnb6/36).

16. BuildingCommitteeMinutes,4August1964(Jnb6/15).

17. LetterfromSLernertoJNBrown,12August1964(Jnb6/36).

18. LetterfromJohnsontoJNBrown,8October1964(Jnb6/36).

19. ThePhilipJohnsonPapersattheGettyResearchInstituteinLosAngelescontainafewphotographs,slidesandcorrespondenceabouttheexecutedbuildingbutnodrawings.ThebulkoftheJohnson-BurgeearchiveisstillinthehandsofformerassociateRaj

Ahuja,whohasbeentryingtofindabuyersince2010.Itcontainssome25,000officedrawingsmadebetween1967–91andremainsinaccessibletoscholars.Ina2010interviewJohnBurgeeplayeddowntheimportanceofthematerial:‘Wedidnotkeepoursketches–PhilipandIdidnotfeeltheywerethatgood.Thesketcheswereonlyquickdashes,andPhilipwantedthemdestroyed.Mostwerenotdatedorsigned.’ThereisallegedlynomaterialontheListArtCentreinAhuja’sholdingofthearchive.CorrespondencebetweenRajAhujaandDietrichNeumann,4September2012.SeealsoRobinPogrebin,‘TheHandofaMasterArchitect’,TheNewYorkTimes,8August2010;KarenCilento,‘PhilipJohnson’sCollectionforSale’,ArchDaily,17Aug2010;AsadSyrkettandSuzanneStephens,‘PhilipJohnsonArchiveNowforSale’,ArchitecturalRecord,28July2010.

20. Interview,JohnManleyopcit.ManleytravelledtoProvidencetoinspectthesiteinthesummerof1964anddiscussedalterationsofthepro-grammeandlayoutthroughoutthefallof1964.HeworkedonthedetailedconstructiondrawingsinSeptember1964.SeelettersfromSLernertoJNBrown,1July1964(Jnb6/36)andtoManley,14September1964(Jnb6/35).

21. RobertAMStern,opcit,p179.22. InalettertoJohnsondated6May1964,

Lernerindicatedthatthelandwouldonlybecomeavailableinthefallof1965,andurgedJohnsontoallowtheuniversity’sartdepartmentenoughtimetoreviewthedrawingsandarrive

aafiles70 69

atanagreementonageneralscheme.Moredetaileddrawingswouldonlybedevelopedoncethelandbecameavailable(Jnb6/36);seealsoUniversityArchive(Of-1w-D1/DavisFile/35).Twoformerresidencesonsite,JudsonHouseandOldStoneHouse,weredemolishedthatsummer.ThehomeofHPLovecrafthadalsostoodonthesite,butwasmovedin1959.

23. Itscostindesignandengineeringfees,equipmentandfurniturewasestimatedat$593,000.Constructionitselfwasprojectedat$1.5million.BrownDailyHerald,8October1971.FortheestimateseeletterfromSLernertothethennewPresidentRaymondLHeffner,12August1966(Jnb44).

24. SteveRattner,‘JNBrown:StrivingForExcellenceinArchitecture’,BrownDailyHerald,26April1972,pp1,3.

25. Similar45-degreebevelscanbefoundinthemarblecladdingonthebaseoftheadjacentJohnHayLibrary.

26. Theresultingpatternwouldsuggestanunnecessarilyhighdensityofanchors.Itcanbediscernedthatnotalloftheholeshaveanchorsbehindthem.Framingplanshavenotsurvived.

27. Thegridcontinuesinthecustom-made,earth-coloured,squareBelgianpavingbricks(9.21cmoneachside),whichcoverthepavementinfrontofthebuildingonCollegeStreetandleadunderthecolonnadetotheentranceatthecentreofthebuildingandintothelobby.Thesamebrickwasusedtocovertheterracesurfaceabovethemainlecturehall.Onthelobby’sceilingisasquaregridofwoodenslatswithlightbulbssetintothecentreofeachsquare.Slatsmaskthebulbswhileevenlyreflectinglightthroughoutthespace.ThefeaturestemsfromJohnson’sfrequentcollaborationwithlightingdesignerRichardKelly,especiallyonDavisHouseinWayzata,Minnesota(1954).Atnight,theareaoutsideofthemainentranceislitfromabovebyfive‘lightcans’–adevicethatKellypioneered,whichsent‘poolsoflight’ontothefloor,butrenderedthelightsourceitselfinvisible.AboutthecollaborationseeDietrichNeumann(ed),TheStructureofLight:RichardKellyandtheIlluminationofModernArchitecture(NewHaven,ct:YaleUniversityPress,2010).

28. JohnElderfield,‘Grids’,ArtForum,May1972,p53.

29. LawrenceAlloway,introductionto‘SystemicPainting’exhibitioncatalogue(NewYork,nY:GuggenheimMuseum,1966),www.guggenheim.org/guggenheim-foundation/annual-reports/category/3-archives.

30. RosalindKrauss,‘Grids’,October,summer1979,pp50–64,60.

31. Interview,JohnManley,opcit.ManleyconfirmedhavingaconversationwithJohnsonaboutLeCorbusier’sCarpenterCentrewhenhestarteddesigning.

32. PhilipJohnson,‘WhenceandWhither:TheProcessionalElementinArchitecture’,Perspecta,9/10,1965,pp167–78.

33. Ibid.34. Worthmentioningisanother

architecturalconversationthatfounditsfinalwordinProvidenceatthesametime:PaulRudolph’sBeneficent

House,aretirementhomefinishedin1968seemstobeaconscioussynthesisofRobertVenturi’sGuildHouseinPhiladelphia(1964)andRudolph’sCrawfordManor(1966).

35. ExposedconcretesurfacesarerareinJohnson’soeuvre.ThenuclearreactorinRehovot,Israel(1960)isoneofthefewexamples.

36. PhilipJohnson,‘ThePuzzleofArchitecture’,ArchitecturalForum,June1966,pp72–73,93.

37. ‘Ford’sFeinesFoyer:Outside-In’,DerBaumeister,May1968,pp514–22.

38. SoJuergenSchulzwastoldbyfacultymembersofthedepartmentwhenhe

visitedProvidencelaterin1967.ThelightcannonsarevisibleontheplanpublishedbyPaulGoldberger,whichdatesthedrawingsto1967orbefore.

39. BrownDailyHerald,8October1971,opcit.

40. Healsoobjectedtothelackofnaturallightintheroomsthathousedthedepartment’sslidecollectionandslidemakers,andaskedtoinstallwindowsfacingtheneighbouringHayLibrary.

41. BrownDailyHerald,8October1971,opcit.

42. LetterfromAntonioPdeCastroofSamuelGlaserandPartnersto

Johnson,11October1968(Jnb34).GlaserhadbeenoneofthefirstmodernistarchitectsontheEastCoast,designingtheGibbsHouseinBrookline,Massachusettsat6ChiltonStreet(1936–37).TheChiltonStreethousewascreatedforDrFrederickandErnaGibbs.FrederickGibbswasachildhoodfriendofJNBrown’swife,Anne.AboutGlaser,see:GeorgeMGoodwin,‘Woonsocket’sB’naiIsraelSynagogue’,RhodeIslandHistory58,February2000,pp3–21;andfortheGibbsHouseinBrookline,MarkFavermann,‘Brookline’sGibbsHouse:AModernistArchetype’,

www.berkshirefinearts.com/03-16-2009_brookline-s-gibbs-house-a-modernist-archetype.html.

43. LetterfromJohnsontoSLerner,18October1968(Jnb6/34).

44. LetterfromJohnsontoRLHeffner,4November1968(Jnb6/34).Correspondencemakesnomentionoftheuniversity’sfinancialsettlementwithJohnsonandBurgee.Totalarchitects’feeswere$300,000accordingtocoverageofthebuilding’sinaugurationintheBrownDailyHerald,8October1971.‘Ofthat,Johnsongotthebulk’,Lernerwrote.

45. BrownDailyHerald,8October1971,opcit.

46. Ibid.47. Threebidswerereceived:Dimeo’s

wasfor$2,067,000.Acontractwiththecompanywassignedon28March1969.BrownUniversityArchive(Of-1w-D1/Davisfile,35).

48. SeeBrownDailyHerald:‘HeffnertoAnswerChargesofInadequateHiringClause’,24March1969,pp1,3;‘DimeoAnswersClauseCharges’,27March1969,p1;‘ApprenticeshipIssueSettled.DimeoSigns,BuildingStarts’,8April1969;‘OpeningEnds8-YearStruggle’,opcit.

49. JohnsontoJohnNicholasBrown,6January1971(Jnb6/32).

50. In‘OpeningEnds8-YearStruggle’,Glaser’snamewasmentionedafterJohnson’sas‘coordinatingarchitect’.

51. MinutesofthePlanningandBuildingCommitteemeeting,10August1971(JnbPapers6/10).

52. ‘ThankGod,you’rerich,Al,’Johnsonproclaimed,bendingforwardtolookstraightatasmilingAlbertList,seatedinthefrontrow.OtherspeakersincludedPresidentHornig,JohnCarterBrown,JuergenSchulzandKennethClark.‘ListDedicationFriday’,BrownDailyHerald,6October1971,3.AprogrammeoffestivitiesispreservedintheUniversityArchive(Of-1c-14,Hornig7;1-41-1-46).

53. ThereareseveralarticlesintheBrownDailyHeraldandtheProvidenceJournal,forexampleStephenGlassman,‘Johnson’sImagesDominate’,BrownDailyHerald,8October1971,ps-2.

54. SteveRattner,‘JNBrown:StrivingForExcellenceinArchitecture’,BrownDailyHerald,26April1972,pp1,3.

55. EugeniaSRobbins,‘ArtNewsfromCollegesandElsewhere’,ArtJournal31,1971–72,p204.

56. PaulGoldberger,‘FormandProces-sion’,ArchitecturalForum,January/February1973,33ff.GoldbergerconfirmedthattheessayevolvedfromconversationswithJohnson,butdidnotrecallanyparticularcommentsabouttheListArtCentre(PaulGoldberger,emailtotheauthor,20April2015).

57. PeterBlake,opcit,pp121–22.58. ConversationwithJohnson,June1998.59. AtSchulz’srequesttherailingwas

designedbyJohnson’soffice.Yetforreasonsunknownthedesigndidnotcoordinateplacementoftherailing’ssupportswiththegroovesontheconcretewalltowhichtheyareaffixed.

60. PeterBlake,opcit,pp114–15.61. VictoriaWatsonhasdiscussedthe

essentialroleofthegridinMiesvanderRohe’sworkandexaminedRosalindKrauss’‘tantalising’suggestionin1992that‘therewassomethingtobelearnedaboutthearchitectureofMiesvanderRohethroughattendingtothepaintingsofAgnesMartin’.SeeVictoriaWatson,‘PictorialGrids:ReadingtheBuildingsofMiesvanderRoheThroughthePaintingsofAgnesMartin’,TheJournalofArchitecture,vol14,no3(2009),pp421–38.

62. LawrenceAlloway,opcit.63. PhilipJohnson,‘WhatMakesMeTick’,

lectureatColumbiaUniversity,24September1975,quotedfromWritings,p261.

SaulSteinberg,graph-paperapartmentblock,1950©SaulSteinberg/Flairmagazine

JosephBedfordisadoctoralcandidateatPrincetonUniversity,thefoundingeditoroftheaudiojournalAttentionandco-foundingdirectorofTheArchitectureExchange.Hehaspractised,curatedandfilmedarchitecture,andhisarticleshaveappearedinjournalssuchasaRQandLog.

Jean-LouisCohenholdsachairinthehistoryofarchitectureatNewYorkUniversity’sInstituteofFineArtsandisaguestprofessorattheCollègedeFranceinParis.Hehaspublishedmorethan30books,includingArchitectureinUniform(2011),TheFutureofArchitectureSince1889(2012)andLeCorbusier:AnAtlasofModernLandscapes(2013),andcuratednumerousexhibitions,includingthecentennialshow‘L’aventureLeCorbusier’attheCentreGeorgesPompidou(1987);‘ScenesoftheWorldtoCome’attheCanadianCentreforArchitecture(1995);and‘ArchitectureinUniform’atRome’sMaXXi(2015).

IrinaDavidoviciisanarchitectandauthorofFormsofPractice:German–SwissArchitecture,1980–2000(2013).FormerlyseniorlecturerinthehistoryandtheoryofarchitectureatKingstonUniversity,sheiscurrentlyengagedinpostdoc-toralresearchattheGtaInstituteofetHZurich,writingonthehistoryofsocialhousinginEuropeancities.

DianeGhirardoteachesattheUniversityofSouthernCaliforniaandhasbeenvisitingprofessoratMitandtheUniversityofCapeTown.In1979sheco-foundedandeditedArchetypeandwasexecutiveeditoroftheJournalofArchitecturalEducation,1988–99.HerbooksincludeBuildingNewCommunities:NewDealAmericaandFascistItaly(1989),MarkMack(1993),OutofSite:ASocialCriticismofArchitecture(1991),ArchitectureAfterModernism(1996),Leduchesse,lebufaleel’imprenditoriafemminilenellarinascimentoferrera(2009),Italy:ModernArchitecturesinHistory(2013)andtheEnglishtranslationofAldoRossi’sArchitectureoftheCity(1982).

NicolasGrospierreisaWarsaw-basedartistwhowasawardedtheGoldenLion(togetherwithKobasLaksa)atthe2008VeniceArchitectureBiennalefortheir‘HotelPolonia’installationatthePolishpavilion.Morerecentexhibitionshaveincluded‘TheSelfFulfillingImage’,CuetoProjects,NewYork(2009),‘TheGlassTrap’,RasterGallery,Warsaw(2010),‘OneThousandDoors,NoExit’,GrahamFoundation,Chicago(2011)and‘TheOvalOffices’,StateGalleryofArt,Sopot(2013).Hismonograph,Open-Ended,waspublishedin2013.

AndrewHiggottisanarchitecturalhistorianwhotaughtattheattheaa,wherehealsoworkedonexhibitionsandpublicationsontheworkofEricdeMaré(1990)andFRYerbury(1987),andattheUniversityofEastLondon,whereheledhistoryteachingfrom1995to2011.HispublicationsincludeMediatingModernism:ArchitecturalCulturesinBritain(2007)andtheco-editedbookCameraConstructs:Photography,ArchitectureandtheModernCity(2012).Heiscurrentlyworkingonabookintroducingtheworkofkeymodernarchitects.

SusanHoldenisalecturerintheSchoolofArchitecture,UniversityofQueenslandandamemberoftheatcHResearchCentre.In2012–13shewasavisitingprofessorattheVrijeUniversity,Amsterdamaspartofthe‘MétamaticResearchInitiative’.

DiegoInglezdeSouzaisanarchitect,urbanplannerandteacherattheUniversidadeCatólicadePernambuco(unicaP).Hewastheassistantcuratorofthe2013architecturebiennaleofSãoPaulo,andistheauthorofReconstruindoCajueiroSeco:Arquitetura,políticasocialeculturapopularemPernambuco,1960–64(2010)inadditiontomanyarticlesonarchitecture,socialhousingandurbanhistory.

SamJacobisprincipalofSamJacobStudioandwasoneoftheco-foundingdirectorsoffatArchitecture.Heisalsoawriter,critic,curatorandteacher,contributingeditorforIconandacolumnistforbothArtReviewandDezeen;authorofMakeItReal:ArchitectureasEnactment(2012);co-curatoroftheBritishPavilionatthe2014VeniceBiennale;andprofessorofarchitectureattheUniversityofIllinoisatChicago,visitingprofessoratYaleSchoolofArchitectureanddirectorofNightSchoolattheaa.

DavidJenkinsisanarchitecturalwriterandeditor.Intheearly1990sheworkedforPhaidonPressbeforeestablishinganindependentpublishingunitwithinFoster+Partnersin1998,whichhedirectedformorethan15years,producingnumeroustitles,includingtheFosterWorksvolumes.In2014hefoundedhisowndesignimprint,CircaPress,whichrecentlypublishedJanKaplickýDrawings,intandemwithanaaexhibitionofanumberofKaplický’sdrawings.

AndrewLeachisprofessorofarchitecturalhistoryatGriffithUniversity,Australia,wherehealsoholdsanAustralianResearchCouncilFutureFellowship.AmonghisbooksareWhatisArchitecturalHistory?(2010)andManfredoTafuri(2007).

WillMcLeanteachesattheUniversityofWestminsterandhasco-authoredfourbookswithPeteSilver,mostrecentlyAirStructures(2015).In2008heestablishedBibliothequeMcLean,anindependentpublisherofarchitecturebooks,whosefirstpublicationwasQuikBuild:AdamKalkin’saBCofContainerArchitecture(2008).MorerecenttitlesincludeBuildingWithAirbyDanteBini(2014)andareprintofExperimentsinGothicStructurebyRobertMark(2014).

PaulMasoniseconomicseditorofChannel4NewsandtheauthorofaweeklycolumnforTheGuardian.HisbooksincludeWhyIt’sKickingOffEverywhere:TheNewGlobalRevolutions(2012)andRareEarth:ANovel(2012),andhisnewbookPostcapitalism:AGuidetoourFuturewillbepublishedlaterthisyear.Heiscurrentlyproducingafeature-lengthdocumentaryfollowingthefirstmonthsoftheSyrizagovernmentinGreece,andhetweetsas@paulmasonnews.

JohnMillerwasborninLondonin1930andstudiedattheaabeforeworkingfirstforLyons,Israel&EllisandthenLeslieMartin.In1961heestablishedanofficeinpartnershipwiththearchitectandhistorianAlanColquhoun.Whileinpracticehealsotaughtattheaa,CornellandPrinceton,beforebecomingheadofthenewlyformedarchitectureschoolattheRca,whichhedirectedbetween1975–85.In1990theofficewasreformedasJohnMiller+Partnersandcontinuedtobuildanumberofprojectslargelyforhousing,artgalleriesandeducationalinstitutionsuntilMiller’sretirementin2008.

DietrichNeumanntrainedasanarchitectattheaaandinMunichandisaprofessorofthehistoryofmodernarchitectureatBrownUniversity.AmonghispublicationsareFilmArchitecture:SetDesignfromMetropolistoBladeRunner(1996),RichardNeutra’sWindshieldHouse(2002),ArchitectureoftheNight(2002),TheStructureofLight:RichardKellyandtheIlluminationofModernArchitecture(2010),VisualisingtheCity(2012)andCitiesofLight(2014).

RichardRogerswasborninFlorencein1933andmovedtoEnglandduringtheSecondWorldWar.HestudiedattheaaandatYaleUniversity,wherehemetNormanFosterandwithwhomshortlyafterwardsheestablishedthepracticeTeam4.In1967hecreatedanewofficewithhisfirstwifeSuRogers,whichthenevolvedintoapartnershipwithRenzoPiano.SoonafterthecompletionoftheirPompidouCentre,hefoundedhisownofficewithMikeDavies,JohnYoungandMarcoGoldschmied.MorerecentlythefirmhasevolvedagainandbecomeRogersStirkHarbour+Partners,andcurrentlymaintainsofficesinLondon,ShanghaiandSydney.

RenzoPianowasborninGenoain1937andstudiedarchitectureatthePolitecnicodiMilano,graduatingin1964.In1969hemovedtoLondonwherehetaughtattheaaandthePolytechnicofCentralLondon,andsoonafterwardsmetRichardRogerswithwhomhesetupacollaborativepractice.FollowingtheirsuccesswiththePompidouCentre,PianocreatedanewsharedstudiowiththeengineerPeterRice,andthenin1981foundedhisownRenzoPianoBuildingWorkshop,whichtodayemploysover150peopleinthreeseparateofficesinGenoa,ParisandNewYorkCity.

JuergenSchulz(1927–2014)wasprofessorofthehistoryofartatBrownUniversityfrom1968–95.HisresearchfocusedonmedievalandRenaissanceVenice,resultinginbooksandarticlesonRomanesquepalaces,paintedceilings,andprintedmaps,plansandviewsofVenice,suchasTheNewPalacesofMedievalVenice(2005)andLacartografiatrascienzaearte:CarteecartografinelRinascimentoitaliano(2006).

GoswinSchwendingerisaphotographerandarchitect.Hetaughtphotographyattheaabetween2000and2013andhasalsocollaboratedwithPaulMcCarthyonPaulMcCarthyatTateModern:BlockheadandDaddiesBigHead(2003).HeiscurrentlypreparingabodyofphotographicworkcalledTheSlasherSeries.

GavinStampisanarchitecturalhistorianandwriterwhotaughtthehistoryofarchitectureattheMackintoshSchoolinGlasgowbetween1990–2003andisaformerfounderandchairmanoftheTwentiethCenturySociety.HisbooksincludeTheChangingMetropolis(1984),TelephoneBoxes(1989),Alexander‘Greek’Thomson(1999),EdwinLutyens:CountryHouses(2001),TheMemorialtotheMissingoftheSomme(2006),Britain’sLostCities(2007),LostVictorianBritain(2010)andAnti-Ugly(2013).GothicfortheSteamAge,anillustratedbiographyofGeorgeGilbertScott,isforthcoming.

MarkSwenartonisemeritusprofessorofarchitectureatLiverpoolUniversity.From1977to1989hetaughtattheBartlettwherein1981,withAdrianForty,hesetupthefirstmasterscourseinarchitecturalhistoryintheuk.Hewasco-founderandeditorofArchitectureToday1989–2005,headofOxfordBrookesschoolofarchitecture2005–10andinauguralJamesStirlingprofessorofarchitectureatLiverpoolUniversity2010–15.HisfirstbookwasHomesfitforHeroes(1981)andhismostrecent(withTomAvermaeteandDirkvandenHeuvel),ArchitectureandtheWelfareState(2015).Hisnextbook,Cook’sCamden,willexaminesocialhousinginCamdeninthe1960sunderitsborougharchitectSydneyCook.

JesúsVassalloisanarchitectandwriterfromMadrid,currentlybasedinHoustonwhereheisanassistantprofessoratRiceUniversity.HestudiedarchitectureatHarvardGraduateSchoolofDesignandEscuelaTécnicaSuperiordeArquitecturadeMadrid.AftercompletinghisPhD,heisnowworkingontwobookmanuscriptsstemmingfromhisdissertation,whichfocusonaseriesofexchangesbetweenarchitectureanddocumentaryphotography.

PaulVermeulenisapartnerintheGhent-basedfirmDeSmetVermeulenarchitectenandanarchitecturalwriter.HehasbeenamemberoftheeditorialboardofArchis,aprofessorofarchitecturalcriticismattheCatholicUniversityLeuven,adesigntutoratkuLeuvenandtuDelftandavisitinglecturerinarchitectureschoolsinBelgium,theNetherlands,Sweden,theuk,IrelandandSwitzerland.Ananthologyofhistexts,ModerneTijden,co-authoredwithMaartenDelbekeandChristopheVanGerrewey,waspublishedin2007.

EnriqueWalkerisassociateprofessorattheGraduateSchoolofArchitecture,PlanningandPreservation,ColumbiaUniversity,wherehealsodirectstheAdvancedArchitecturalDesignprogramme.HispublicationsincludeTschumionArchitecture:ConversationswithEnriqueWalker(2006)andLoOrdinario(2010).

Contributors