Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Michael Graves

St. Coletta School, Washington D.C.
Humana Building, Louisville, KY
If the animators responsible for The Incredibles, Wall-e, and Meet the Robinsons, had a patron saint, it would be Michael Graves. Born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1934, Graves eventually became one of the New York Five and is a household name thanks to his collaboration with Target on domestic products. His buildings and products are futuristic and strong, but not entirely cold like some other modern designs.

Graves uses glass, marble, and metal to paint a picture with his architecture. His work takes chances and liberties with the skyline that stay pleasing in spite of their age. Some may push the envelope with modernism as Graves does, but their work never manages to break out of the current trends, resulting in a heavily dated look as the years pass.

In his product design, Graves uses a great deal of glossy metal and a signature grey blue. His pieces are almost always easy to identify and, like his architecture, lend artistic whimsy to a home no matter the interior scheme.

With hundreds of architectural triumphs to his name and his products revered in homes everywhere, Graves has quite the legacy. His bold style pushes boundaries without becoming garish, cultivating an inspiration of confidence and fine attention to detail.

Louwman Museum, the Netherlands

Sources: Wikipedia, Michael Graves & Associates