Moshe Safdie
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Moshe Safdie | |
---|---|
Born | Haifa,Mandatory Palestine(now Israel) | July 14, 1938
Nationality | Israeli, Canadian, American[1] |
Alma mater | McGill School of Architecture |
Occupation(s) | Architect, urban planner, educator, theorist, author |
Spouses | Nina Nusynowicz
(m.1959;div.1981)Michal Ronnen (m.1981) |
Children | 4, includingOren |
Awards | See list:
|
Practice | Safdie Architects (est. 1964) |
Projects | |
Website | safdiearchitects |
Moshe SafdieCCFRAICOAAFAIA(Hebrew:משה ספדיה;born July 14, 1938) is an architect,urban planner,educator,theorist,and author. He is known for incorporating principles of socially responsible design throughout his six-decade career. His projects include cultural, educational, and civic institutions; neighborhoods and public parks; housing; mixed-use urban centers; airports; and master plans for existing communities and entirely new cities in theAmericas,theMiddle East,andAsia.[2]Safdie is most identified with designingMarina Bay SandsandJewel Changi Airport,as well as his debut projectHabitat 67,which was originally conceived as his thesis atMcGill University.[3]He holds legal citizenship inIsrael,Canada,and theUnited States.[4]
Early life and education
[edit]Safdie was born in the city ofHaifa,Mandatory Palestine(now Israel) to a family ofSyrian Jews.His father was fromAleppo,and his mother, whose family had its origins in Aleppo, was fromManchester.[5][6][7]He was nine years old and living in Haifa when theIsraeli Declaration of Independencewas issued byDavid Ben-Gurion.[5]After the1948 Arab–Israeli War,he lived on akibbutz,working in the countryside,[8]where he tended goats andkept bees.In 1953, the Israeli government restricted imports in response toan economic and currency crisis,severely affecting Safdie's father's textile business.[9]Consequently, when Safdie was 15, his family emigrated fromIsraeltoCanadaand settled down in the city ofMontreal,where he attendedWestmount High School.[10]: 13
In September 1955, he registered for the six-year architectural degree program at theMcGill University Faculty of Engineering.In his fifth year, Safdie was named University Scholar. The following summer, he was awarded theCanada Mortgage and Housing Corporation(CMHC) scholarship. He traveled acrossNorth Americato observe housing developments in the continent's major cities.[10]: 13 In his final year, Safdie developed his thesis, entitled "A Case for City Living," and described as "A Three-Dimensional Modular Building System."[11]He received his degree in 1961.[10]: 14 Two years later, while apprenticing with Estonian-American architectLouis Kahn,Safdie was invited by his thesis advisor, Dutch-Canadian architectSandy van Ginkel,to submit his modular project for theWorld Exposition of 1967,which was to be held in Montreal.[11]Constructed permanently there, it became known asHabitat 67.
Career
[edit]In 1964, Safdie established Safdie Architects inMontrealto undertake work onHabitat 67,an adaptation of his thesis atMcGill University.[12][13]Habitat 67was selected by Canada as a central feature ofExpo 67.The project pioneered[peacock prose]the design and implementation ofthree-dimensional,prefabricatedunits for living. Safdie designed the complex as a neighborhood with open spaces, garden terraces, and many other amenities typically reserved for the single-family home and adapted to a high-density urban environment.[14]
In 1970, Safdie established a branch office of his practice inJerusalem.[12]During this period, Safdie combined his interests in social activism and advanced technologies with respect for historical and regional context.[15]He worked on the restoration of the Old City and the construction ofMamilla Mall,linking old and new cities. Other significant works in Israel include theNew City of Modi’in,theYad VashemHolocaust History Museum,Yitzhak Rabin Centerfor Israel Studies,Ben Gurion International Airport,National Campus for the Archeology of Israel,multiple projects forHebrew Union College,and others. During this period, Safdie also worked with leaders inSenegalandIran.[12]Safdie was consulted during the development of theMerkavatank byIsrael Tal.[16][undue weight?–discuss]
Later, Safdie received commissions for public buildings in Canada: theNational Gallery of Canada,[17]theQuebec Museum of Civilization,andVancouver Library Square.Other notable cultural works include theKhalsa Heritage Memorial Complex,the national museum of theSikhpeople inPunjab, India;theUnited States Institute of Peace Headquarterson the Mall in Washington, DC; theKauffman Center for the Performing ArtsinKansas City, Missouri;and theCrystal Bridges Museum of American ArtinBentonville, Arkansas.
Safdie has worked on projects inemerging markets,and brought projects to completion in shorter periods, at larger scales.[15]including:Marina Bay Sands,a mixed-use resort integrated with Singapore's iconic Skypark;Jewel Changi Airport,a new community-centric airport typology combining marketplace and garden; andRaffles City Chongqing,a mixed-use development featuring over one million square meters of housing, office, retail, transportation, and hotel programs. To connect four towers inChongqing, China,he designed a sky bridge that has been referred to as the world's longest "Horizontal Skyscraper."[18]Safdie and his team have used sky bridges and multi-level connectivity in other projects to make skyscrapers more accessible.[19][20]
Practice
[edit]Today, Safdie Architects is headquartered inSomerville, Massachusetts,near Harvard University, with additional offices inJerusalem,Toronto, Shanghai, and Singapore.[21]The business is organized as a partnership.[22]
Safdie formed a research program within his office to pursue the advanced investigation of design topics. The practice-orientedfellowshipexplores speculative ideas outside normal business practice constraints. Fellows work independently with Safdie and firm principals to formulate specific proposals and research plans. The salaried position is in-residence, with full access to project teams and outside consultants. Past fellowships include Habitat of the Future, Mobility on Demand, and Tall Buildings in the City.[23]
In December 2023, Safdie Architects announced it was suspending its involvement in controversial hotel development in Jerusalem's Armenian quarter, citing "controversy surrounding the land lease agreement".[24]This followed an attack by some 30 armed masked individuals on Armenian community members holding a vigil at the site. The Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem accused Danny Rothman, Safdie Architects' client for the project, of organizing the attack.[25]
Academia
[edit]In 1978, after teaching atMcGill,Ben Gurion,andYaleuniversities, Safdie was appointed Director of theUrban DesignProgram atHarvard University'sGraduate School of Design (GSD)and moved toBoston,Massachusetts. He served as Director until 1984. From 1984 to 1989, he was the Ian Woodner Professor of Architecture and Urban Design at Harvard.[26]Safdie continues to work closely with the GSD, frequently teaching design studio; Notably, Rethinking the Humanist High-Rise (2019) and Rethinking Hudson Yards (2017).[27][28]
Personal life
[edit]In 1959, Safdie married Nina Nusynowicz, a Polish-IsraeliHolocaustsurvivor. Safdie and Nusynowicz have two children, a daughter and a son. Both were born during the inception and erection ofHabitat 67.Just before its opening, Safdie and his young family moved into the development. Safdie and Nusynowicz divorced in 1981. His daughter Taal is an architect in San Diego, a partner of the firmSafdie Rabines Architects;His sonOrenis a playwright who has written several plays about architecture. Safdie's great-nephews are independent filmmakers,Josh and Benny.
In 1981, Safdie married Michal Ronnen, a Jerusalem-born photographer and daughter of artist Vera Ronnen. Safdie and Ronnen have two daughters, Carmelle and Yasmin. Carmelle is an artist, and Yasmin is a social worker.
Recognition
[edit]- 2020: Genius Award,Liberty Science Center[12]`
- 2020: Lynn S. Beedle Lifetime Achievement Award,Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat(CTBUH)
- 2019: Honorary Doctorate,Technion – Israel Institute of Technology
- 2019:Wolf Prizein Architecture, InternationalWolf Foundation
- 2018: Lifetime Achievement Award,Design Futures Council
- 2017: Honorary Doctorate,Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
- 2015:Gold Medal,American Institute of Architects
- 2012: Medaille du Merite,Ordre des architectes du Québec
- 2005: CompanionOrder of Canada,Governor General-in-Council of Canada
- 2003: Lifetime Achievement Award,YIVOInstitute for Jewish Research
- 2002: Honorary Fellow,Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland
- 2001: Honorary Doctorate,Hebrew College
- 1997: Jewish Cultural Achievement Award in the Visual Arts,National Foundation for Jewish Culture
- 1996: Honorary Doctorate in Engineering,Technical University of Nova Scotia
- 1996: Academy Member,American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- 1995: Gold Medal,Royal Architectural Institute of Canada
- 1995:College of Fellows,American Institute of Architects
- 1993:Richard NeutraAward for Professional Excellence,California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
- 1989: Honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts,University of Victoria
- 1988: Honorary Doctorate in Sciences,Laval University
- 1987: Mt. Scopus Award for Humanitarianism,Hebrew University of Jerusalem
- 1986: TheOrder of Canada,Governor General-in-Council of Canada
- 1982: Honorary Doctor of Law,McGill University
- 1982: Tau Sigma Delta Gold Medal for Distinction in Design,Tau Sigma DeltaGrand Chapter
- 1961: Lieutenant Governor's Gold Medal for Exceptional Merit,Lieutenant Governor of Québec
Exhibitions
[edit]- 2017:Habitat 67 vers l’avenir: The Shape of Things to Come,Université du Québec à Montréal
- 2010–2014:Global Citizen: The Architecture of Moshe Safdie,National Gallery of Canada,Ottawa, Ontario, Canada /Skirball Cultural Center,Los Angeles, California /Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art,Bentonville, Arkansas, USA
- 2012–2013:Moshe Safdie: The Path to Crystal Bridges,Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art,Bentonville, Arkansas, USA
- 2004:An Architect's Vision: Moshe Safdie’s Jepson Center for the Arts,Telfair Museum of Art,Savannah, Georgia, USA
- 2003–2004:Building a New Museum,Peabody Essex Museum,Salem, Massachusetts, USA
- 1998:Moshe Safdie, Museum Architecture 1971–1998,Tel Aviv University,Tel Aviv, Israel
- 1989:Moshe Safdie, Projects: 1979–1989,Harvard University Graduate School of Design,Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- 1985:The National Gallery of Canada,Harvard University Graduate School of Design,Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA /National Gallery of Canada,Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- 1982:Context,Traveling exhibit sponsored byNew York Institute for the Humanities
- 1973–1974:For Everyone A Garden,Baltimore Museum of Art,Baltimore, Maryland, USA /National Gallery of Canada,Ottawa, Ontario, Canada /San Francisco MoMA,San Francisco, California, USA
Films
[edit]- 2020: "Moshe Safdie: Another Dimension of Architecture,"I-Talk Productions
- 2018: "Time Space Existence,"Plane-Site
- 2004: "Moshe Safdie: The Power of Architecture,"Dir. Donald Winkler
- 2003: "My Architect:A Son’s Journey, "Dir. Nathaniel Kahn
- 1997: "The Sound of the Carceri withYo-Yo Ma,"Dir. Francois Girard
- 1973: "The Innocent Door" / "Coldspring New Town,"National Film Board of Canada
Archives
[edit]The Moshe Safdie Archive, donated toMcGill Universityby the architect in 1990, is one of the most extensive individual collections of architectural documentation in Canada.[8]Comprising material from 235 projects, the Moshe Safdie Archive records the progression of Safdie's career from his first unpublished university papers to Safdie Architects' current projects. The collection includes over 140,000 drawings, over 200 architectural models, extensive project files, audiovisual and digital material, as well as over 100,000 project photos and travel slides, 215 personal sketchbooks, and 2,250 large sketches.[8]Administered by theMcGill UniversityLibrary, a list of physical holdings are available to researchers.
Select projects
[edit]- 1967:Habitat 67atExpo 67World's Fair, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- 1987:Musée de la Civilisation,Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
- 1988:National Gallery of Canada,Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- 1989:New City of Modi'in,Israel
- 1989: Esplanade Condominiums, Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.
- 1991:Montreal Museum of Fine Arts,Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- 1992:The Class of 1959 Chapel,Harvard Business School,Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
- 1994:John G. Diefenbaker Building,Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- 1994:RosovskyHall,Harvard University,Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.
- 1995: Yad VashemChildren'sand Deportees Memorials, Jerusalem
- 1995:Vancouver Library Square,Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- 1998:David Citadel HotelandDavid's Village,Jerusalem
- 1998:Hebrew Union College,Jerusalem
- 1999:Yitzhak Rabin Centerfor Israel Studies and Rabin Tomb, Tel Aviv, Israel
- 2000:Exploration PlaceScience Museum, Wichita, Kansas, U.Sm
- 2003:Peabody Essex Museum,Salem, Massachusetts, U.S. [12]
- 2003:Salt Lake City Public Library,Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
- 2003: Cairnhill Road Condominiums, Singapore
- 2003:Eleanor Roosevelt College,University of California, San Diego,California, U.S.
- 2004: Airside Building of Terminal 3,Ben Gurion International Airport,Tel Aviv, Israel
- 2005:Yad VashemHolocaust History Museum, Jerusalem
- 2006:Jepson Center for the Artsat Telfair Museum of Art, Savannah, Georgia, U.S.
- 2007: Terminal 1,Toronto Pearson International Airport,Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- 2008: United States Federal Courthouse, District of Massachusetts,Springfield, Massachusetts,U.S.
- 2008:Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Headquarters,Washington, D.C., U.S.
- 2009:MamillaCenter, Jerusalem
- 2009:MamillaHotel, Jerusalem
- 2010:Marina Bay SandsIntegrated Resort, Singapore
- 2010:ArtScience Museum,Marina Bay Sands,Singapore
- 2011:United States Institute of Peace Headquarters,Washington, D.C., U.S.
- 2011:Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts,Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
- 2011:Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art,Bentonville, Arkansas, U.S.
- 2011:Khalsa Heritage Memorial Complex (Virasat-e-Khalsa),Anandpur Sahib, Punjab, India
- 2013:Skirball Cultural Center,Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- 2012:Sky Habitat,Singapore
- 2017: Eling Residences,Chongqing,PRC
- 2017: Habitat Qinhuangdao,Qinhuangdao,PRC
- 2019:National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel,Jerusalem
- 2019: Monde Residential Development,Toronto,Ontario, Canada
- 2019:Jewel Changi Airport,Singapore
- 2020:Raffles City Chongqing,Chongqing, PRC
- 2021:Serena del Mar,Cartagena, Colombia
- 2021:Altair,Colombo, Sri Lanka
Works
[edit]- With Intention to Build: The Unrealized Concepts, Ideas, and Dreams of Moshe Safdie. Ed. Michael Crosbie. Melbourne, Victoria: Images Publishing Group, 2020.
- "The Story of Israeli Architecture in Singapore" in Beating the Odds Together: 50 Years of Singapore-Israel Ties. Ed. Mattia Tomba. Singapore:World Scientific Book,2019.ISBN978-981-121-468-4OCLC1122747159
- Megascale, Order & Complexity. Ed. Michael Jemtrud. Montreal: McGill University School of Architecture, 2009.
- The City After the Automobile: An Architect's Vision. With Wendy Kohn. New York: Basic Books; Toronto: Stoddart Publishing Co., 1997.
- The Language and Medium of Architecture (lecture at Harvard University Graduate School of Design delivered November 15, 1989)
- Jerusalem: The Future of the Past. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1989.
- Beyond Habitat by 20 Years. Ed. John Kettle. Montreal and Plattsburgh, NY: Tundra Books, 1987.
- The Harvard Jerusalem Studio: Urban Designs for the Holy City]. Asst. eds. Rudy Barton and Uri Shetrit. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 1985.
- Form & Purpose. Ed. John Kettle. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1982.
- Habitat Bill of Rights WithNader Ardalan,George Candilis, Balkrishna V. Doshi, and Josep Lluís Sert. Imperial Government of Iran Ministry of Housing, 1976.
- For Everyone A Garden. Ed. Judith Wolin. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 1974.
- Beyond Habitat. Ed. John Kettle. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 1970.
- Habitat. Montreal: Tundra Books, 1967.
Works about Safdie
[edit]- Jewel Changi Airport. Melbourne, Victoria: Images Publishing Group, 2020.
- Safdie. Mulgrave, Victoria: Images Publishing Group, 2014.
- Reaching for the Sky: The Marina Bay Sands Singapore. Singapore: ORO Editions, 2013.
- Peace Building: The Mission, Work, and Architecture of the United States Institute of Peace. Dalton, MA: The Studley Press, 2011.
- Valentin, Nilda, ed. Moshe Safdie. Rome: Edizione Kappa, 2010.
- Moshe Safdie I. Mulgrave, Victoria: Images Publishing Group, 2009.
- Moshe Safdie II. Mulgrave, Victoria: Images Publishing Group, 2009.
- Global Citizen: The Architecture of Moshe Safdie. New York:Scala Publishers, Ltd., 2007.
- Yad Vashem: Moshe Safdie – The Architecture of Memory. Baden, Switzerland: Lars Müller Publishers, 2006.
- Moshe Safdie, Museum Architecture 1971–1988. Tel Aviv: Genia Schreiber University Art Gallery, Tel Aviv University, 1998.
- Kohn, Wendy, ed. Moshe Safdie. London: Academy Editions, 1996.
- Moshe Safdie: Buildings and Projects, 1967–1992. Montreal: McGill-Queens University Press, 1996.
- Rybczynski, Witold. A Place for Art: The Architecture of the National Gallery of Canada. Ottawa: National Gallery of Canada, 1993.
- Montreal Museum of Fine Arts: Jean-Noël Desmarais Pavilion. Montreal: Montreal Museum of Arts, 1991.
Gallery
[edit]-
Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts,Kansas City, Missouri
-
The Class of 1959 Chapel,Boston, Massachusetts
-
Peabody Essex Museum,Salem, Massachusetts
-
Yitzhak Rabin Center,Tel Aviv
-
Musée de la Civilisation,Quebec City
-
Ottawa City Hall,Ottawa
-
National Gallery of Canada,Ottawa
-
Salt Lake CityPublic Library, Utah
-
Vancouver Library Square,Vancouver, British Columbia
-
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art,Bentonville, Arkansas
-
Marina Bay Sands,Singapore
-
ArtScience Museum, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
-
Skirball Cultural Center,Los Angeles, California
-
United States Institute of Peace Headquarters,Washington, D.C.
-
Khalsa Heritage Memorial Complex,Anandpur Sahib, India
-
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts,Montreal
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^"Moshe Safdie".Britannica.RetrievedFebruary 12,2024.
- ^"News Release – Global Citizen: The Architecture of Moshe Safdie"(PDF).Skirball Cultural Center.
- ^"Moshe Safdie Wins 2015 AIA Gold Medal".FastCompany.
- ^"People: Moshe Safdie".Safdie Architects.
- ^abSafdie, Moshe (1970).Beyond Habitat.USA: The M.I.T. Press.ISBN0262690365.
- ^Safdie, Moshe (October 6, 2022).If Walls Could Speak: My Life in Architecture.Grove Press UK.ISBN978-1-61185-873-0.
- ^Moore, Rowan (October 23, 2022)."Architect Moshe Safdie: 'I was antagonistic to postmodernism – and I paid a price'".The Observer.ISSN0029-7712.RetrievedDecember 24,2023.
- ^abcMoshe Safdie: Buildings and Projects, 1967-1992.McGill-Queen's University Press. 1996. p. 13.ISBN0-7735-1510-0.
- ^Valentin, Nilda (2010).Moshe Safdie.Rome: Edizioni Kappa. p. 16.ISBN978-88-6514-019-2.
- ^abcMoshe Safdie: Buildings and Projects, 1967–1992.McGill-Queen's University Press. 1996.ISBN0773515100.
- ^ab"AD Classics: Habitat 67 / Safdie Architects".ArchDaily. July 21, 2013.
- ^abcd"Biography".McGill University Library.RetrievedFebruary 19,2021.
- ^"Safdie Architects".RetrievedFebruary 18,2021.
- ^Safdie, Moshe (1974). Wolin, Judith (ed.).For Everyone a Garden.The M.I.T. Press.ISBN0262191083.
- ^abAlbrecht, Donald; Williams, Sarah;Safdie, Moshe(2010).Global Citizen: The Architecture of Moshe Safdie.Scala Arts Publishers, Inc. p. 27.ISBN9781785510281.
- ^Sadfie, Moshe (January 28, 1999)."The Architecture of Science: From D'Arcy Thompson to the SSC".In Galison, Peter; Thompson, Emily (eds.).The Architecture of Science.MIT Press. pp. 481–482.ISBN978-0-262-52645-6.
- ^Bozikovic, Alex (July 25, 2022)."A world-famous architect asks: Why did his Toronto design disappear?".The Globe and Mail.RetrievedJuly 25,2022.
- ^"World's Longest 'Horizontal Skyscraper' Topped Out".New Civil Engineering. March 4, 2019.RetrievedMarch 4,2019.
- ^"The 50 Most Influential Tall Buildings of the Last 50 Years".Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.Archived fromthe originalon October 10, 2019.RetrievedFebruary 4,2020.
- ^"10-Year Award of Excellence Winners".Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.RetrievedFebruary 5,2020.
- ^"Archinect Firms".RetrievedMarch 5,2021.
- ^"Exclusive visit: Safdie Architects".Architectural DigestChina.RetrievedFebruary 18,2021.
- ^"Safdie Architects Research Fellowship".RetrievedFebruary 18,2021.
- ^Safdie Architects respond to participation in the Armenian Quarter land lease deal[1]
- ^Jerusalem's Armenian community attacked by a mob amid land dispute, Civilnet report[2]
- ^Safdie.Australia: The Images Publishing Group Pty Ltd. 2014.ISBN9781864705591.
- ^"Re-thinking a Humanist Skyscraper City".Harvard University Graduate School of Design.RetrievedFebruary 19,2021.
- ^"The High Line as Urban Spine".Harvard University Graduate School of Design.RetrievedFebruary 19,2021.
External links
[edit]- The Moshe Safdie Archive – McGill UniversityArchivedFebruary 4, 2011, at theWayback Machine
- Safdie Architects
- TED All-Stars, Reinventing the Apartment Building Presentation, 2014
- Moshe Safdie, AIA Gold Medal Award Acceptance Speech, 2015
- The Power of Architecture, 2013
- On Ethics, Order and Complexity by Moshe Safdie, 2009
- 1938 births
- Canadian architects
- Canadian people of Syrian-Jewish descent
- Canadian people of Syrian descent
- Modernist architects
- Canadian urban planners
- Companions of the Order of Canada
- Harvard University faculty
- 20th-century Israeli architects
- Jewish architects
- Jewish Canadian artists
- Jewish Canadian writers
- Israeli emigrants to Canada
- Israeli people of Syrian-Jewish descent
- 21st-century Mizrahi Jews
- Living people
- McGill School of Architecture alumni
- Modernist architecture in Canada
- People from Haifa
- Structuralists
- Urban designers
- Urban theorists
- Fellows of the American Institute of Architects
- 20th-century Mizrahi Jews
- Architectural theoreticians
- Recipients of the AIA Gold Medal
- Safdie family