Architects are sharp-tongued and often harsh in their judgments of the work of other architects. Remember the wag who called Skidmore Owings & Merrill “three blind Mies?”
Blair Kamin reports the following takes on Pappageorge Haymes:
“I don’t know what happened to them,” said retired Evanston architect John Macsai, who co-taught Haymes at the University of Illinois at Chicago. “They used to do these charming two-story townhouses. Then they got some high-rises, and they didn’t know what the hell to do.”
“They did some really nice things early on. And hopefuly they’ll live up to that potential,” added Chicago architect Laurence Booth.
Macsai, who was the architect for one of my projects, regaled his students each year with a list – “Macsai’s shit list” – of the worst projects built in Chicago that year.
Kamin neglects to mention that Pappageorge Haymes’ most recent high-rises, 600 Lake Shore Drive and One Museum Park have received mostly positive reviews.
Thank God P/H is getting the recognition they deserve!
Hacks… all of them.. cheap rip off’s of already done designs.
Want to see a true P/H design.. check out that grey shitbox bunker on the corner of Ohio and Franklin – brilliant !
What positive reviews? Most architecture critics would shoot gaping holes in both projects.
P/H is not the worst in the city by any means, but the older Museum Campus buildings are TERRIBLE. Ever firm has dog project once in a while, but those are inexcusable.
Not trying to prop-up Pappageorge Haymes, but its hard to read John Macsai being critical of ANYONE. He is personally responsible for some of the most unimaginative high-rise gulags ever constructed along Sheridan Road in Rogers Park, while he, himself resided in a charming Queen-Anne residence in Evanston. Do as I say, not as I do! On top of that, he wrote a book on hi-rise housing that is still doing harm to aspiring young architects’ minds.
And Larry Booth? He’s done some admirable work, but have you seen his proposal for Evanston? A 50-story mirrored-curtain wall penis. How progressive! If you consider architecture from 1920 progressive.
LOL, paul. I agree. Pot, meet kettle!
paul,
I’m guessing the Macsai high-rises you’re thinking of were the work of Herb Rosenthal, the developer. The sketches in John’s offices bore no relation to what cheap Herb was willing to build. In at least one case an insensitive condo board repainted the building in a different color and changed its look markedly.
P/H never designed anything at Ohio and Franklin
Joe, you can paint a pig….Insensitive condo board! Of course. No person with any sensitivity would want to live in high-priced CHA housing.
paul,
I don’t hold out my aesthetic judgment as any model for anyone, and would deserve whatever ridicule came my way if I did. I simply have a personal fondness, which I think a lot of people share, for John Macsai..
I also don’t quibble with people who have a preference for living in what some consider high-priced CHA housing. It’s their home, not mine.
There aren’t any high-rises along Sheridan in Rogers Park anyways. I recommend Macsai’s book on apartments, it’s a terrific reference and still relevant today.
He did a dog up in the North Shore along Green Bay, but his other high-rises (well, except for the hilarity of Harbor House*) are pretty nice.
*The original at Belmont and LSD. The elevators are a work of Vegas Art as are the custom knockers with the HH initials in them.
I think Jack meant the stark bunker at Grand and Orleans…
Joe, I’m sure that your fondness of John Macsai is authentic. It’s just that judged by his body of work in no way entitles him to be critical of ANYONE. Additionally, he is a constant whiney critic of anyone who wants to save wonderful historic buildings (you know, ones without concrete slabs infilled with cheap curtain walls). Incidentally, he resides in a beautiful brick and limestone low-rise. Somehow I don’t think he’ll be advocating its demolition any time soon!