July 28, 2014

Are the ‘Star’ Architects Ruining Cities?

Introduction

ArchitectureWitold Rybczynski thinks New York’s Hearst building, designed by the British architect Norman Foster, is emblematic of what’s wrong with “starchitects.” Suzanne DeChillo/The New York Times

Witold Rybczynski, the architect and emeritus professor of urbanism at the University of Pennsylvania, complained recently about “starchitects” who often work in cities they are unfamiliar with, creating buildings that are out of sync with their surroundings. In an interview, he argued in favor of local architectural talent, or “locatecture.”

Are superstar architects ruining city skylines?

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Debaters