Why "Starchitects" Are Ruining Skylines

Witold Rybcznski, emeritus professor of urbanism at the University of Pennsylvania, critiques buildings designed by "starchitects" - that is, star architects, who often work in cities they know nothing about, leading to buildings that don't mesh well with the surroundings, and advocates for cities to nurture more local architectural talent.

 


Norman Foster: London's Gherkin Building ("locatecture") and NYC's Hearst Building ("starchitecture")

London's Gherkin Building New York City's Hearst Building

Frank Gehry: LA's Walt Disney Concert Hall ("locatecture")

LA's Walt Disney Concert Hall

Frank Gehry: Seattle's EMP Museum ("starchitecture")

Seattle's EMP Museum

Moshe Safdi: Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem ("locatecture")

Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem

Moshe Safdi: Singapore's Marina Bay Sands Resort ("starchitecture")

Singapore's Marina Sands Casino