Fun Facts and Favorites
Every day should begin with a fun fact. By learning something new every day, not only do I increase my knowledge, but I also have a reason to consider not hitting that snooze button (although, let’s be honest, I’m going to hit it anyway…multiple times). The fun fact for this post is rather unique, as it relates to our own architectural studies: the doctor Jonas Salk was born exactly one hundred years ago today. To the average person, who sadly lacks our knowledge of fun facts, this might not mean anything, when in fact it has great significance. Thanks to Mr. Salk, the very first inactivated polio vaccine was used, and now Polio has been nearly eradicated. This is certainly a reason for celebration.
However, I have a hunch that this name sounds familiar to us architecture folks for another reason. When we hear Salk’s name, it is usually accompanied by a whisper of wind and thin trickle of water flowing directly towards an ebbing ocean. At the mention of his name, we do not see needles and vaccines, but rather austere concrete rising from the ground, concealing and subsequently revealing warm wooden paneling. With Dr. Salk’s name, we picture the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California, and we think of none other than our own well-studied and frequently idealized Louis Kahn. After all, Kahn designed this non-profit research center founded by Dr. Salk, and it serves as a testament to timeless architecture.
And Kahn is one of my favorite architects. In fact, when I wrote this last sentence, I took the time to stop and compile a list of my favorite architects. Kahn appears near the top, along with Francesco Borromini, Sou Fujimoto, Bernard Tschumi (exclusively for the Parc de la Villette in Paris), and a great multitude of others. In doing this, I noticed something somewhat odd. Most of the influential designers, and certainly all of the names of my ‘top favorite’ list, are male.
There are many logical explanations for this, of course. One key reason is that women were not allowed to practice architecture until, at least in the span of human history, quite recently. As a result, it is impossible to find older architecture that can be attributed to, or even influenced by, a woman. That’s understandable. Times change, and this prohibition is no longer the case. There are certainly other reasons as well. The field is increasingly male-dominated as one moves up the age brackets, but this is largely due to the unavailability of an architectural education for women in the past. When comparing younger architects, the discrepancy between the genders is not nearly as prevalent. Of course, we must take into account the fact that many women leave the field, or reduce the amount of work they do, in order to raise a family. As a result, there are many logical reasons why my list of favorite architects has only a sparse selection of women designers.
Maybe this isn’t as bad as it seems. The fact that there are women on the list at all shows how much times have changed. Plus, I have a feeling that today’s young female designers will appear on this list before long, and with truly phenomenal work. A quick look around our own studios shows that there are fantastic designers – both men and women – who will do great things in life and appear on the Favorites Lists of future architecture students. And wouldn’t you know, that’s a bonus fun fact for today.
For more information about Jonas Salk, visit: http://www.sciography.com/jonas-salk.htm
To discover more about the Salk Institute, check out: http://www.salk.edu/
And, as architecture students, take time to look at Kahn’s design: http://www.archdaily.com/61288/ad-classics-salk-institute-louis-kahn/