Steven Holl Awarded AIA Gold Medal
Steven Holl has long been one of my favorite architects. (The others are Tadao Ando, Carlo Scarpa, Peter Zumthor) Holl's architecture is rooted in humanistic ideals, and expresses a form of unique spacial poetry. For years now, he has been germinating his idea(l)s in small watercolor sketches that he makes every morning as he wakes up. I am so happy to know that his work has been recognized with this prestigious honor.
I had applied to work for him, more than 10 years ago, just out of school.. It was just an 8-person studio back then.. Where would I be now, had I gotten that job?.......
When my father passed away unexpectedly at the age of 58 in late fall of 2000, I went home to Latvia to be with my family at his burial. I had a layover in Helsinki, as usual, on my way to Rīga. And the one place I gravitated to, on this very hard trip was the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, designed by Holl. In spite of its secular function and very modern presence, it possesses purity and an ephemeral lightness that transcends its function and enters the zone of the sacred. After several quiet hours at the museum I felt strong enough to proceed, and to board the plane that then took me to my father.
Metropolis magazine has a neat gallery of Holl's watercolors, accompanied by an article.
