Massimo Vignelli (born January 1931 in Milan) is the renowned graphic/industrial designer and architect who hit the nail perfectly on the head when he famously said, “If you can design one thing, you can design everything.” A staunch modernist, Vignelli is very close friends with famed American modernist architect Richard Meier (born October 12, 1934), designer of the stunning Getty Center in Los Angeles, and a long list of other remarkable buildings.
Recently the two were featured in a short film directed by Johnnie Shand Kydd for NOWNESS, where the pair reflect on their life’s work and respective trades, their thoughts on city life, and their long and extraordinary friendship. NOWNESS writes: “Shot at the minimalist offices of Richard Meier & Partners on 10th Avenue and West 36th Street, the two powerhouses discuss their collaboration on the firm’s forthcoming monograph, ‘Richard Meier Architect: Volume 6’, chronicling the stark, white, rationalist buildings that define the firm’s aesthetic. ‘Architects need to have a certain arrogance, a sense of self-belief,’ posits Shand Kydd. ‘A designer, however, has to be more collaborative. Consequently, Meier and Vignelli have very different natures, but like all very talented people, they both look forward and not back.’ Here Meier nonetheless looks to his present city, and beyond, to reveal his select few architectural necessities.”
You can read more by visiting NOWNESS.com where Richard shares his Top 5 favorite buildings in the world, his Top 5 favorite spaces in New York, and the Top 5 things every architect should own. The forthcoming monograph Richard Meier Architect: Volume 6 will be released soon, and to browse the previous volumes #1-5, as well as all of Richard Meier’s books, simply head over to Amazon. I’ve also included another terrific profile of Massimo Vignelli below as well, directed by New York photographer and filmmaker John Madere.
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