Kevin Roche: The Quiet Architect is a revelatory documentary about the enigmatic Pritzker Prize-winning Irish-American architect Kevin Roche. He reached the top of his profession, but had little interest in celebrity and eschewed the label of “Starchitect.” Despite a lifetime of acclaimed work that includes 40 years designing new galleries for The Met in New York, he had no intention of ever retiring. He graduated from University College Dublin in 1945, and after more than 60 years in the USA, his first Irish project, the Convention Centre Dublin, opened in 2010. Roche’s architectural philosophy focused on creating “a community for a modern society” and he has been credited with creating green buildings before they became part of the public consciousness. He has won awards for his designs of over 300 major buildings around the world, among them the Pritzker Prize in 1982 — the highest honor given to a living architect.
M**A
Great architect, a long life dedicated to architecture
Very good documentary. Kevin Roche was a great architect. Always wanting to find a solution that makes sense for the client and for the users of the building, instead of giving emphasis to the looks, style or appearance of a building. He had a long career. The documentary says that when he was 94 years old he was still going to the office. I loved what he said at the beginning of the video. Something like "Retiring is the worst idea. What are you going to do if you retire? Just stay home and do nothing?. You are not alive if your brain is not active. You would be just a vegetal".In this video, as a bonus, I had the opportunity to see for the first time Cesar Pelli in a video. I understand that Cesar Pelli and Kevin Roche worked together for some time at Eero Saarinen's office. After Saarinen's death, Kevin Roche and John Dinkeloo were in charge of completing all the projects that Saarinen's death left unfinished.I also enjoyed seeing Kevin Roche's family. His wife, three daughters and one son.I enjoyed seeing the art museum in Oakland, California, and the Ford Foundation in New York. The only project that I did not see covered in the documentary the Knights of Columbus Building, in New Haven, CT, which is a weird building, but one of its kind. Well, but I have that building well documented in two books.Very good video. Thanks!
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