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Peter Eisenman | |
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 Eisenman at GSAPP | |
| Born | (1932-08-11)August 11, 1932 (age 93) Newark, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Cornell University Columbia University University of Cambridge |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Buildings | House VI Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe City of Culture of Galicia |
Peter David Eisenman (born August 11, 1932) is an American architect, writer, and professor. Considered one of theNew York Five, Eisenman is known for his high modernist and deconstructive designs, as well as for his authorship of several architectural books. His work has won him several awards, including theWolf Prize in Arts.[1]
Peter Eisenman was born toJewish parents on August 11, 1932, inNewark,New Jersey.[2][3] As a child, he attendedColumbia High School located inMaplewood, New Jersey. He transferred into the architecture school as an undergraduate atCornell University and gave up his position on the swimming team in order to commit full-time to his studies. He received aBachelor of Architecture degree from Cornell, aMaster of Architecture degree fromColumbia University'sGraduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, andMA andPhD degrees from theUniversity of Cambridge. He received an honorary degree fromSyracuse University School of Architecture in 2007.[citation needed]
He first rose to prominence as a member of theNew York Five (also known as "the Whites"), along with fellow architectsCharles Gwathmey,John Hejduk,Richard Meier, andMichael Graves.[4] Some of their work was presented at a CASE Studies conference in 1969, catapulting their respective careers. Eisenman received a number of grants from the Graham Foundation for work done in this period[when?]. The New York Five began their careers by iterating onLe Corbusier's distinctive style, but they all subsequently developed unique styles and ideologies. Over time, the expansive, fragmentary, and disjointed aspects of Eisenman's work led to him being considered an earlyDeconstructivist, though he wished to distance himself from that label.[4]
Eisenman currently teaches theory seminars and advanced design studios at theYale School of Architecture, and is Professor Emeritus at theCooper Union School of Architecture.[5][6] Previously, he taught at theUniversity of Cambridge,Harvard University, theUniversity of Pennsylvania,Princeton University School of Architecture, and theOhio State University. He founded theInstitute for Architecture and Urban Studies in 1967 and served as its Executive Director until 1981.[citation needed]
His professional work is often referred to as formalist, deconstructive, late avant-garde, late and high modernist.[citation needed] The fragmenting of forms visible in some of his projects has been identified as characteristic ofdeconstructivism, and he has become one of the movement's flagbearers. In 1988, he was featured in the "Deconstructivists" exhibit at theMuseum of Modern Art in New York.[7]
While well known for his single-family residences, particularly his "House" series, he has also worked on several large-scale non-residential projects as well. Some examples include theMemorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe inBerlin[8] and theState Farm Stadium for theArizona Cardinals inGlendale, Arizona.[4] His largest project to date is theCity of Culture of Galicia in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. In his practice, Eisenman was an early advocate of computer-aided design, employing fledgling innovators such asGreg Lynn andIngeborg Rocker as early as 1989.[citation needed]
His writings have pursued topics including comparative formal analyses; the emancipation and autonomization of architecture; and histories of Architects. Architects he has written about includeGiuseppe Terragni,Andrea Palladio,Le Corbusier andJames Stirling. Additionally, he is featured in wide print and many films, including the 2008 filmPeter Eisenman: University of Phoenix Stadium for the Arizona Cardinals in which he provides a tour of his recent construction.[citation needed]
Eisenman has won several awards, including theNational Design Award for Architecture in 2001, and theWolf Prize in Arts in 2010.[9][1]
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Several criticisms have been waged against Eisenman over his designs, style, and perspective on the field of architecture. In 1972,Colin Rowe wrote that he pursued a physique form of European modernism rather than utopian social agendas.[10] And, more recently, accusations have been made that Eisenman's work is "post-humanist". His apathy towards the recent "green" movement, too has been considered polarizing or "out-of-touch". Despite these claims of polarity and divisiveness, Eisenman has famously pursued dialogues with important cultural figures internationally. These include his English mentorColin Rowe, the Italian historianManfredo Tafuri,George Baird,Fredric Jameson, Laurie Olin,Rosalind Krauss andJacques Derrida.[11]
Another point of criticism over his work has been the state of some of his deconstructivist buildings. TheWexner Center, the first major public deconstructivist building, has required extensive and expensive retrofitting due to major design flaws, such as leaks, incompetent material specifications, and fine art exhibition space exposed to direct sunlight.[4] It was frequently repeated that the Wexner's colliding planes tended to make its users disoriented to the point of physical nausea; in 1997 researcherMichael Pollan tracked the source of this rumor back to Eisenman himself. In architectural historian Andrew Ballantyne's opinion, "By some scale of values, he was actually enhancing the reputation of his building by letting it be known that it was hostile to humanity." Eisenman'sHouse VI, designed for clients Richard and Suzanne Frank in the mid-1970s, also required several costly fixes resulting in the couple turning against Eisenman.
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