FATHER-SON ARCHITECTURAL LEGACIES THROUGHOUT HISTORY

Some families witness the passing of creativity and passions from generation to generation. From internationally acclaimed landmarks built by I.M. Pei and his two sons, to the historic works of Cesar and Rafael Pelli, these father-son legacies have left an indelible mark on the architectural world. Father’s Day is fast approaching, which offers us a prospect to reflect on the paternal bequest that has connected dynasties of noteworthy architects – Let’s travel back in time to see the ancestral threads of architectural history.

ELIEL AND EERO SAARINEN

Helsinki Railway Station, designed by Eliel Saarinen

St. Louis Gateway Arch, designed by Eero Saarinen

Probably the most celebrated father-son duos in architectural history; Eliel and Eero Saarinen share more just an eye for design. Both awarded gold medals by the AIA for their contributions to U.S. architecture, and uncannily sharing the same birth dates as well, the two worked together until Eliel’s death in 1950, when Eero subsequently opened his own firm. While Eliel was most known for his Art Deco works in Finland, such as the Helsinki Railway Station, Eero was acclaimed for his modernist approach and international style, designing numerous buildings across the United States, including the St. Louis Gateway Arch, the MIT Chapel, Dulles International Airport, David S Ingalls Skating Rink, and the Miller House.

FRANK AND JOHN LLOYD WRIGHT

The Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, designed by Frank and John Lloyd Wright

Guggenheim Museum, New York, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright

The designer of iconic buildings across the U.S., Frank Lloyd Wright is often referred to as one of the greatest architects of the 20th century for his distinctive emphasis on simplicity and beauty. The Wright buildings include masterworks, like Fallingwater, the Guggenheim Museum, and his Taliesin estates in Spring Green, Wisconsin, and Scottsdale, Arizona. John Lloyd Wright, a famed architect, he may be best known for inventing the popular toy Lincoln Logs. After taking up the profession of his father in 1912 under his wing, John Wright worked on noted projects like the Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, and various private residences in Del Mar, California. His style was characterized by the Prairie School of Architecture with international style influences.

I.M., CHIENG CHUN, AND LI CHUNG PEI

The Louvre Pyramid, Paris, designed by I.M. Pei

JFK Presidential Library, Pei Partnership Architects

Often credited as one of the world’s greatest modern architects, I. M. Pei has dotted the world with his sleek designs, including the Louvre Pyramid in Paris and the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong. His sons Chieng Chun and Li Chung continue to grow the family legacy, contributing more than 20 years to their father’s architecture firm before founding their own, the New York–based Pei Partnership Architects, in 1992. The firm designed the expansion to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C, and the JFK Presidential Library in Boston, among numerous other projects. Although I.M. Pei retired from full-time practice in 1990, both firms are still active and he often offers architectural consulting for his sons’ firm.

LEWIS AND STEVEN DAVIS

Waterside Towers, designed by Lewis Davis

National September 11 Museum, designed by Steven Davis

Best known for his bold Brutalist apartment towers and the ornate Beaux Arts landmarks in New York, architect Lewis Davis cofounded the prolific firm Davis Brody Bond, where his legacy lives on. His son Steven is currently a partner at the company, whose portfolio includes the National September 11 Memorial Museum at the World Trade Centre. Best known in the 1960’s and 70’s for powerfully expressive large-scale housing developments in New York like Waterside and Riverbend, Davis brought his career to a close with several projects at the Humanities and Social Sciences Library of the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue.

CESAR AND RAFAEL PELLI

The Petronus Towers, Kuala Lumpur, designed by Cesar Pelli

Red Building, Pacific Design Centre, designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects

Argentine-born architect César Pelli is known for some of the world’s most stunning skyscrapers, including Kuala Lumpur’s soaring Petronas Towers. His son Rafael has also made a name for himself in the field, including the reconstruction of the World Financial Center, and is a partner at his father’s New York–based firm, Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects. From the World Financial Center in New York to the Petronus Towers in Malaysia and the International Finance Centre in Hong Kong, Pelli Clarke Pelli has designed many prestigious projects. The firm has been the recipient of a number of esteemed awards, including the American Institute of Architects’ Firm Award, and the Aga Khan Award for Architecture for the Petronus Towers, to name a few.