For the third successive year, Architectural Record sent out feelers to locate emerging talents whose work might illuminate the coming state of the art. Practicing at a time when there is no clear philosophical imperative, this group of young architects seems to operate in a field of ideological uncertainty, unrestricted, for example, by the logic of industrial production or any philosophical persuasion or professional methodology.

None of the architects, whether in Pasadena, Jordan, or Providence, is making a revolutionary statement, but speaking variants of a known idiom. Prominent figures like Gehry claim so much territory that the better part of originality is to steer clear of their aesthetic patents even if it means staying within the confines of a known Modernist sensibility. Invention within Modernist convention is better than a derivative signature.

Joseph Giovannini

See the December, 2002 issue of Architectural Record for complete coverage of these firms, including the full version of the essay excerpted above.

propeller z | Tolkin & Associates | Tezuka Architects | René van Zuuk | Plexus r+d | JKMM Architects | 3SIX0 | Sahel Al-Hiyari | Adjaye Associates | Predock_Frane Architects