Philip Cortelyou Johnson Essay

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Philip Cortelyou Johnson (July 8, 1906-January 25, 2005) was an influential American architect who played a significant role in both understanding and creating recognizable landmarks and buildings internationally and throughout the country. With his influence as a historical architect, he has had a tremendous effect on today’s generations of architects and his legacy will live on through his inspirational buildings and works. Johnson was born in Cleveland, Ohio to a well known Dutch family who is recognized for laying out the first town plan of the Dutch settlement, known as New Amsterdam. Born in New York, Johnson often took time off of school for extended trips to Europe, causing his love and fascination with architecture. In 1928, he met Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, who at the time was designing the German Pavilion, and had also joined forces with the architectural historian Henry Russell Hitchcock, forming a lifelong competitive and collaborative relationship that inspired Johnson to discover his new profound love for architecture. Johnson was an influential individual within pop culture, not only with his modern buildings, but also was mentioned in David Bowie’s, “Thru These Architect’s Eyes” and appeared in Nathaniel Kahn’s 2003 documentary, “My Architect”, which highlighted Louis Kahn’s legacy of being one of the most influential architects of the 20th century. “Johnson the hedonist had little truck with the view that architecture could be a force for social good but viewed it as an aesthetic experience, a triumph of style that would dominate the skylines of corporate America. Not surprisingly, he was viewed as morally suspect by many of the austerely ascetic founders of Modernism” (The Times). Philip Johnson played a signific...

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...d by Sony Corp. That tower features 90-foot-high classical arches at the base and an ornate peak that earned it the nickname of the Chippendale building. The palatial tower marked a break not only with the boxy corporate architecture of the preceding 25 years, but of Johnson's own architectural past” (King). 101 California Street was the center of a mass shooting in 1993, killing 8 and injuring 6.
Philip Johnson’s ideas and charisma allowed him to bring magnificent and influential buildings to life. Both causing controversy and awe, but he managed to put his visions to reality and changed views of art in architecture, making them. The three buildings describe early were only some of his contributions that have impacted skylines within Southern California, but they held a special meaning to Johnson and his message will be spread to all through his fantastic works.

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