Philip Johnson

American architect Philip Cortelyou Johnson (July 8, 1906 – January 25, 2005) is most recognized for his examples of modern and postmodern design. His modernist Glass House in New Canaan, Connecticut, the AT&T-designed postmodern 550 Madison Avenue in New York, 190 South La Salle Street in Chicago, the Sculpture Garden of the Museum of Modern Art, and the Pre-Columbian Pavilion at Dumbarton Oaks are some of his most well-known creations. The "New York Times" stated in its obituary of him from 2005 that his creations "were universally regarded as among the architectural wonders of the 20th century."

Johnson had a significant influence on the industry as the Department of Architect at MoMA's initial director, acting as a gatekeeper and influencing architectural trends starting in 1935. Although it's fair to argue that he was more of a refiner of other people's ideas than he was an innovator, he was nonetheless a designer in his own right.

Nevertheless, his designs became recognizable in a few instances, most notably in the house he constructed for himself in 1949. The home is a condensed version of Mies Van der Rohe's philosophy; Johnson even said it was "more Mies than Mies." The Glass House is a translucent box placed amid beautifully landscaped gardens that blurs the lines between inside and out and public and private. Undoubtedly, a large portion of the architects for today's high-rise luxury developments were influenced by its extensive use of plate glass. Johnson's "Chippendale" skyscraper for AT&T (now privately owned), so named for its broken-pediment crown mimicking the top of a typical 18th-century high-boy, also rode the postmodern wave.

Date of birth: July 8, 1906

Accomplishments: Glass House, Seagram Building's 2 restaurants, 550 Madison Avenue, IDS Tower, PPG Place, Crystal Cathedral

Awards: Pritzker Architecture Prize, Twenty-five Year Award, AIA Gold Medal