2ND BEST AMERICAN ARCHITECT

[RJH]

For number 2.......I would have to say......"mini Wright."

[EJ]

I know a lot of people here don't like him, but Frank Gehry is a personal favorite. A bit cliche, I know. But, like all cliches, there is a strong resonance of truth behind it. Gehry is someone who thinks outside the box, is a true original and, having been in several Gehry spaces, I can say that they are breathtaking. Not exactly form following function, but great nonetheless.



I like the work of Ken Dahlin as well, a versatile architect who can do it many different ways. His "new prairie house" was breathtaking when I was in it.



I am also an advocate of the Not So Big House school of thought, and I hope the rest of the US eventually dumps the McMansion mentality. Yeah, right.

[SDmason]

frank gehry has some crazy stuff, but i like ludwig mies and especially Le Corbusier.

[jrdet10]

Albert Kahn, more for his industrial work, but I'd hire him to design me a house, too

[MRW]

E. Fay Jones' Thorncrown chapel packs as much spiritual power into a few hundred square feet as the best medeval cathedrals. I feel that his best work could challange FLW's in terms of beauty, discipline and organic wholeness, though not in breadth of concept or creativity.

[SDmason]

wow, i do like Fay Jones' work, i love his chandaliers. he was definetely Wright inspired, but took that and built on it to form his own style, with wrightian elements.

[pharding]

Tie: Louis Kahn and HH Richardson.

[Roderick Grant]

Americans of the past: Bertram Grovesner Goodhue, Eliel Saarinen and Benjamin Thompson; Current: Will Bruder, Lorcan O'Herlihy and Steven Badanes; Outside USA of the past: Alvar Aalto, Frei Otto and Pierre Chareau; Current: Sverre Fehn, J

[karnut]

Bart Prince And Rudoplh Michael Schindler no one else comes close!!!!!!

[DRN]

American 1st runner up to FLLW: Bruce Goff for his creativity, range, and the free-thinking he inspired in his students and architects like me who knew him only through his buildings and writings.



Closely following Goff are E. Fay Jones, Barry Byrne, and Frank Furness.



Foreign Architects (living): Santiago Calatrava



Foreign Architects (not living): CR Mackintosh, CFA Voysey, Borromini

[Eric Hughes]

E. Fay Jones is by far my next favorite. Followed by Alden B. Dow, Marion Mahony. Also see E. Fay Jones old partner web-site below http://www.mauricejennings.com/

[flwright]

I have always had a fondness for Canadian architect Arthur Erickson, although it is a shame he went bankrupt in the 1980's architecture bust. His output has never been the same but is now making a come back in his mid-eighties. E. Fay Jones and Aaron Green also top my list.

[RJH]

I am surprised no one said

[Wrightgeek]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the following two architects, who after FLW, are a couple of my very favorites (along with Fay Jones):



John Lautner



Richard Neutra



I would also like to throw another name into the discussion, as I think the conversation would be incomplete without his inclusion:



Richard Meier



That's my two cents. Thanks.

[KevinW]

Aaron Green was my LieberMeister, perhaps he never created a Fallingwater, but some of his buildings, especially some of his early homes were near perfection. He had deep understanding of organic principles that resulted in buildings that you can feel deep in your soul. Right now, thats the best I can describe Aarons work.

Another Architect who I greatly admire is Art Dyson. His work is not derivative, it is truely his own. I believe his work continues to evolve and mature. He is very user oriented, and involved in his community.

Tadeo Andos' museums are impressive.

Louis Kahns' work reflects his passion.

more later