Introduction

American architect Thom Mayne was born on January 19, 1944, and his avant-garde style has revolutionized modern architecture. Mayne is the principal of Morphosis Architects, a Los Angeles-based business he founded in 1972. His unconventional architectural shapes have won him praise from all around the world. His art goes beyond conventional forms, emphasizing original designs that capture Southern California’s dynamic, changing culture. The Caltrans District 7 Headquarters, Emerson College in Los Angeles, and the Cooper Union building in New York are a few notable projects.

Among the many notable honors bestowed on Mayne during his illustrious career are the AIA Gold Medal in 2013 and the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2005. His architectural philosophy rejects both traditional American predecessors and European modernism and attempts to produce an architecture that is true to the vibrant and sometimes nomadic culture of Los Angeles. “Mayne’s approach toward architecture and his philosophy is not derived from European modernism, Asian influences, or even from American precedents of the last century,” the Pritzker Jury declared. His statement, “We will hold to that which is difficult because it is difficult… and by its difficulty is worthwhile,” perfectly captures his dedication to pushing the boundaries of architecture. This way of thinking highlights his desire for uniqueness and creativity in the industry, placing him in the legacy of other architectural visionaries like the Eameses, Neutra, Schindler, and Gehry.

His Starting Point

Thom Mayne was born in 1944, in Waterbury, Connecticut. When he was ten, his mother moved the family to a remote location south of Whittier, California, following his parents’ divorce. Previously, the family had lived in Gary, Indiana, when he was born. Mayne characterized their new surroundings as “the middle of nowhere with avocado trees and orange groves,” as stated by Thom Mayne himself while talking about his life when he won the prestigious Pritzker Prize (statement available on the official website). His family too encountered severe financial difficulties. Mayne navigated his Whittier high school years, but when he first went to Cal Poly Pomona for college, his path took an unexpected detour. Upon seeing students riding horses, he was so taken aback that he returned to Los Angeles and enrolled at USC. He was surrounded by well-known architects at USC, such as Craig Ellwood and Ray Kappe. Inspired by a high school competition win for a house design, Mayne was drawn to architecture, though he initially lacked a clear understanding of the profession. It was at USC that he discovered a world that truly resonated with him, setting the stage for his future in architecture.

The Work Experience 

Thom Mayne worked with Victor Gruen as a planner for two years following his USC graduation before taking a teaching position at Cal Poly Pomona. He founded the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) to challenge traditional architectural education after he and six other colleagues were sacked. Mayne, who was having financial difficulties, lived in modest quarters and put in long hours as a teacher and consultant. He took a leave of absence in 1978 to attend Harvard, where he reevaluated his course in life. Realizing that he was more passionate about architecture than planning, he moved back to Los Angeles in 1979 and started getting residential commissions after learning that the city was welcoming to experimental buildings.

Morphosis and More…

Morphosis was founded in 1972, during SCI-Arc’s inaugural year. As Thom Mayne recalls, “It really wasn’t an office, it was an idea. We had no work. We didn’t think of having work, it had to do with an interdisciplinary collective practice … of starting a group of people who would work with graphics, interior design objects, furniture, architecture, and urban design. We had a studio downtown. We sat around and talked. We’d do a little graphic thing here and there to make some money. We couldn’t get architecture. It was all very counterculture.” as stated once he won the Pritzker Prize(the statement is available on their official website) Morphosis is renowned for its bold designs, which balance sculptural forms with monolithic structures.

The Architectural Projects

1. Cooper Union in NYC

Considering his function as a practitioner as well as an educator, especially in the process of building the Cooper Union in New York City. He felt that a structure for an institution known for graduating architects ought to stimulate the imaginations of the next generations by presenting cutting-edge possibilities and encouraging original thought. Rather than referring to the school’s historic 19th-century Foundation Building, the new Cooper Union building embraces the distinctive character of the East Village, which is in line with his ideology. It conveys the dynamic movement and variety of the current location.

2. Diamond Ranch High School, Pomona, California 

The Diamond Ranch High School in Pomona, California, was Thom Mayne’s game-changing project that signaled his shift from an architectural theorist to one of the most influential architects of the twenty-first century. When it was finished in 2000, this innovative design questioned the idea that public education has to be dull. Rather, it showed that educational structures can be progressive, egalitarian, and deliberate. The steel-framed, low-budget building provided Mayne with his first significant stage on which to demonstrate the transformative power of architecture. Key components of Mayne’s architectural signature are established by the dynamic, socially positive design of the Diamond Ranch High School, which blends architecture with landscape and promotes user interaction.

3. Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA)

Thom Mayne’s most recent project, the Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA), which won the design competition in 2007, was finally unveiled in 2022. The museum’s broad, flowing front invites the neighborhood into its embrace by harmoniously fusing indoor and outdoor areas. For the first ten years, the entrance was free to improve accessibility. Mayne used digital fabrication to reinvent the native white terracotta tile covering for the structure, which shimmers in the California light and blends perfectly with the surrounding nature. The tile is unique to Southern California. The museum’s large outdoor stairs, which are reminiscent of Rome’s Spanish Steps, are a modern icon of public space that invites people to sit, stay, and take in the surroundings.

Several noteworthy projects from Thom Mayne’s architectural portfolio demonstrate his creative approach. The 2004 Caltrans District 7 Headquarters in Los Angeles is well known for its sustainable design and sculptural shapes. The 2004 Emerson College project in Los Angeles is renowned for both its unique design and urban impact. The Hypo-Alpe-Adria Center in Klagenfurt, Austria (2001) features a futuristic design, while the Gehry Tower (2001) is a remarkable residential and office complex. The John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design at the University of Toronto (2006) combines imaginative design with practical space. By skillfully fusing form, function, and context, Mayne pushes the boundaries of architecture and demonstrates his commitment to reinventing the roles that architecture plays in defining environments and experiences.

References

1. https://designmiami.com/article/thom-mayne
2. https://www.pritzkerprize.com/biography-thom-mayne
3. https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/know-your-architects/a292-20-projects-by-thom-mayne-that-will-take-you-into-a-sci-fi-universe/#google_vignette
4. https://www.artforum.com/features/thom-mayne-217162/
5. https://www.archdaily.com/468207/happy-birthday-thom-mayne.