Architecture is an amazing field of study. Some study it for its aesthetics, others for its practicality. Nowadays, there are many ways to apply the knowledge of architecture. If we look back in time, the most famous architects are famous because they designed some of the world’s most iconic historic and cultural landmarks.
There are many architects whose work we should study and know, but only a couple of them can be considered the greatest of all time.
Michelangelo
There aren’t many unfamiliar with the work of Michelangelo, known for his painting of the Sistine Chapel ceiling. However, he was also an architect, a master architect at that. Michelangelo designed many buildings during his life, but his most important work is the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. It was not finished during his lifetime, which led scholars to debate whether it deviates from his plans and how much.
He was known for challenging traditional building and using structural elements for decorative purposes.
Antoni Gaudi
Antoni Gaudi was an architect who combined different periods and styles to make one of the most iconic cathedrals to have ever been created, still under construction, sadly, the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. There are elements of Baroque, Gothic, Surrealism, and more, in his approach to architecture, particularly the cathedral. The cathedral’s construction was started in 1882, and it might be finished in 2026, though we never know with such an iconic and detailed building.
Frank Gehry
Even though the two architects mentioned above are among the greatest, Frank Gehry is a living example of an architect who can apply his majestic style to various purposes. His creations include the Dancing House in Prague, not to mention the awe-inducing Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.
His buildings are anything but regular and symmetric. They twist and turn and seem to have no real shape, but are still very easy on the eyes. This approach puts him in the category of one of the most inventive architects of all time.
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright is another amazing architect, and another to design a Guggenheim Museum, but this one is in New York City. This museum is interesting because it doesn’t have stairs, but rather gradually rising walkways. They are spiral and have been seen in popular movies, where they are usually used for chase scenes.
Frank Lloyd Wright was also the designer of the Frederick C. Robie house, a national landmark in Chicago.
Ieoh Ming Pei
I.M. Pei was a Chinese-born architect, known for his geometric approach to designing buildings. He was the one who designed the Glass Pyramid for the Louvre. Pei was also using brutalist architecture, which can be seen in many of his designs, like the Dallas City Hall and the National Center for Atmospheric Research.
The world is full of great architects, but these are the ones that can be considered the greatest of all time. There are others who could easily make the list but these ones will have to do for this one.
