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[Klaus] Philipsen FAIA
Archplan Inc. Philipsen Architects
Baltimore MD
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In August, 1966 after High School and I was going to Ball State College of Architecture in the next month.  I went with 50 other kids on a Church sponsored tour of 7 countries in Western Europe.  We must have seen 15 of the most famous Cathedrals.  When I saw Ronchamp Cathedral I was drawn to it in a very meaningful way.  Our Design education later was a lot about Corbusier and Modernism.  I have always enjoyed Ronchamp.  Thank you.

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Nelson B. Nave AIA
Owner
Nelson Breech Nave, AIA Architect
Kalamazoo MI
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-20-2020 16:26
From: Nikolaus Philipsen
Subject: Buildings that give architects comfort: #3 - Dan Williams FAIA

Architects name the buildings that give them comfort: #3 

 

About this series:

Emergencies sharpen our senses for what we usually take for granted. We are rubbing our eyes and begin to look at the world like a newborn: in wonder. 

Playing with light: The interior of the chapel of Ronchamp by LeCorbusier

Naturally, architects have a special relationship to buildings. So now, when architects struggle alongside so many fellow citizens to keep some of their projects or jobs going, working from make-shift home offices while also worrying about family and health, I assume that the beauty of architecture can be comfort when a colleague shares the experience of friendship with a building. Such introspection can help the reset of values that is certain to come, even when the outcomes remain highly uncertain.

 

So I sent to my architect friends a fundamental question: Which building is your best friend? Which piece of architecture do you like most, which influenced you? other arts and sciences, and passed from a savage state of life to one of civilization.

The responses will be published here on this blog as they trickle in.

Ronchamp setting

 

Today's contribution comes from Dan Williams, FAIA, a Seattle architect. He picked two works of the Swiss French architect LeCorbusier, Ronchamp and the Habitat Highrise Housing in Marseille.

 

Daniel Williams, FAIA

In 1971, I took a 5-month sabbatical to Europe...

My travel/study/research was in two directions 1) researching learning environments for pre-school children and 2) housing for the elderly. After 2 months of intense research and needing a break, I took a study detour to visit two of le Corbusier's projects in France.

Ronchamp and Unite d' Habitation are two completely different architectural challenges that I had studied in under graduate school....

READ ALL

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[Klaus] Philipsen FAIA
Archplan Inc. Philipsen Architects
Baltimore MD
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Original Message------

In August, 1966 after High School and I was going to Ball State College of Architecture in the next month.  I went with 50 other kids on a Church sponsored tour of 7 countries in Western Europe.  We must have seen 15 of the most famous Cathedrals.  When I saw Ronchamp Cathedral I was drawn to it in a very meaningful way.  Our Design education later was a lot about Corbusier and Modernism.  I have always enjoyed Ronchamp.  Thank you.

------------------------------
Nelson B. Nave AIA
Owner
Nelson Breech Nave, AIA Architect
Kalamazoo MI
------------------------------