Minoru Yamasaki - wikipedia Minoru Yamasaki Minoru Yamasaki ( 1912 - 12 - 01 ) December 1, 1912 Seattle, Washington, U.S. February 6, 1986 ( 1986 - 02 - 06 ) ( aged 73 ) Detroit, Michigan, U.S. Nationality American Alma mater University of Washington, New York University Occupation Architect Projects Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Rainier Tower, IBM Building, World Trade Center Design Inspiration by Gothic architecture and usage of narrow vertical windows Minoru Yamasaki ( December 1, 1912 -- February 6, 1986 ) was an American architect, best known for designing the original World Trade Center in New York City and several other large - scale projects. Yamasaki was one of the most prominent architects of the 20th century. He and fellow architect Edward Durell Stone are generally considered to be the two master practitioners of `` New Formalism ''. Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Gallery 5 Honors 6 See also 7 Notes 8 References 9 External links Early life and education Yamasaki was born in Seattle, Washington, the son of John Tsunejiro Yamasaki and Hana Yamasaki. The family later moved to Auburn, Washington and he graduated from Garfield Senior High School in Seattle. He enrolled in the University of Washington program in architecture in 1929, and graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture ( B. Arch. ) in 1934. During his college years, he was strongly encouraged by faculty member Lionel Pries. He earned money to pay for his tuition by working at an Alaskan salmon cannery. After moving to New York City in the 1930s, he enrolled at New York University for a master 's degree in architecture and got a job with the architecture firm Shreve, Lamb & Harmon, designers of the Empire State Building. In 1945, Yamasaki moved to Detroit, where he was hired by Smith, Hinchman & Grylls. The firm helped Yamasaki avoid internment as a Japanese - American during World War II, and he himself sheltered his parents in New York City. Yamasaki left the firm in 1949, and started his own partnership. One of the first projects he designed at his own firm was Ruhl 's Bakery at 7 Mile Road and Monica Street in Detroit. In 1964, Yamasaki received a D.F.A. from Bates College. His firm, Yamasaki & Associates, closed on December 31, 2009. Career Main article : List of works by Minoru Yamasaki His first internationally recognized design, the Pacific Science Center with its iconic arches, was constructed by the City of Seattle for the 1962 Seattle World 's Fair. His first significant project was the Pruitt -- Igoe housing project in St. Louis, Missouri, 1955. Despite his love of Japanese traditional design, this was a stark, modernist concrete structure. The housing project experienced so many problems that it was demolished in 1972, less than twenty years after its completion. Its destruction is considered by some to be the beginning of postmodern architecture. In 1955, he also designed the `` sleek '' terminal at Lambert -- St. Louis International Airport which led to his 1959 commission to design the Dhahran International Airport in Saudi Arabia. In the 1950s, Yamasaki was commissioned by the Reynolds Company to design an aluminum - wrapped building in Southfield, Michigan, which would `` symbolize the auto industry 's past and future progress with aluminum. '' The three - story glass building wrapped in aluminum, known as the Reynolds Metals Company 's Great Lakes Sales Headquarters Building, was also supposed to reinforce the company 's main product and showcase its admirable characteristics of strength and beauty. During this period, he created a number of office buildings which led to his innovative design of the 1,360 ft ( 410 m ) towers of the World Trade Center in 1964, which began construction March 21, 1966. The first of the towers was finished in 1970. Many of his buildings feature superficial details inspired by the pointed arches of Gothic architecture, and make use of extremely narrow vertical windows. This narrow - windowed style arose from his own personal fear of heights. One particular design challenge of the World Trade Center 's design related to the efficacy of the elevator system, which was unique in the world. Yamasaki integrated the fastest elevators at the time, running at 1,700 feet per minute. Instead of placing a large traditional elevator shaft in the core of each tower, Yamasaki created the Twin Towers ' `` Skylobby '' system. The Skylobby design created three separate, connected elevator systems which would serve different segments of the building, depending on which floor was chosen, saving approximately 70 % of the space used for a traditional shaft. The space saved was then used for office space. In 1978, Yamasaki designed the Federal Reserve Bank tower in Richmond, Virginia. The work was designed with a similar appearance as the World Trade Center complex, with its narrow fenestration, and now stands at 394 ft ( 120 m ). Yamasaki was a member of the Pennsylvania Avenue Commission, created in 1961 to restore the grand avenue in Washington, D.C., but resigned after disagreements and disillusionment with the design by committee approach. After partnering with Emery Roth and Sons on the design of the World Trade Center, they collaborated on other projects including new buildings at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C. Yamasaki designed two notable synagogues during this period, North Shore Congregation Israel in Glencoe, Illinois in 1964 and Temple Beth El, in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan in 1973. He designed a number of buildings on the campus of Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota between 1958 and 1968. Personal life Yamasaki was first married in 1941 and had two other marriages before remarrying his first wife in 1969. He died of stomach cancer in 1986. His son, Taro Yamasaki, is a Pulitzer Prize - winning photographer. Gallery The former Pruitt -- Igoe housing project, St. Louis 1954 ( demolished 1972 - 1976 ) The Military Personnel Records Center in St. Louis ( 1955 ) McGregor Memorial Conference Center at Wayne State University, Detroit 1958 Pacific Science Center, Seattle 1962 Irwin Library at Butler University, Indianapolis 1963 One Woodward Avenue, Detroit 1962 The Conservatory of Music at Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio 1963 One M&T Plaza, Buffalo, New York 1966 The former World Trade Center 1970 - 1971 ( destroyed in 2001 ) Horace Mann Educators Corporation, Springfield Illinois, 1972 Temple Beth El, Bloomfield Township, Michigan 1973 Rainier Tower, Seattle 1977 100 Washington Square, Minneapolis 1982 Torre Picasso, Madrid 1988 Century Plaza Hotel, Los Angeles, California, 1966 Century Plaza Towers, Los Angeles, 1975 BOK Tower, Tulsa, 1975 Federal Reserve Bank, Richmond, 1978 Honors Yamasaki was elected as a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects in 1960. Yamasaki won the American Institute of Architects ' First Honor Award three times. Featured as the cover story of TIME on 18 January 1963. See also Construction of the World Trade Center Notes Jump up ^ Rimer, Sara ( February 9, 1986 ). `` Minoru Yamasaki, Architect of World Transit Center, Dies ''. The New York Times. Retrieved November 22, 2016. Jump up ^ Murphy, Dean ( February 9, 1986 ). `` Architect Minoru Yamasaki Dies at 73 : Designs Include Century Plaza Towers, N.Y. World Trade Center ''. The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 22, 2016. ^ Jump up to : Justin Davidson ( August 27, 2011 ). `` The Encyclopedia of 9 / 11 : Yamasaki, Minoru : An architect whose legacy did n't work out as he 'd planned ''. New York. Jump up ^ `` Architecture and Design of the Music Center ''. Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County. Retrieved March 30, 2011. ; excerpting from HABS documentation : `` Los Angeles Music Center ''. Historic American Building Survey. ^ Jump up to : Crowley, Walt ( 3 March 2003 ). `` Yamasaki, Minoru ( 1912 - 1986 ), Seattle - born architect of New York 's World Trade Center ''. HistoryLink.org. Retrieved 2012 - 11 - 17. ^ Jump up to : Milton Esterow ( 21 September 1962 ). `` Architect Named for Trade Center ''. The New York Times. NYTimes.com. Jump up ^ `` Center Will Reflect Architectural Collaboration ''. The New York Times. NYTimes.com. January 19, 1964. ^ Jump up to : Huxtable, Ada Louise ( November 25, 1962 ). `` Pools, Domes, Yamasaki - Debate ''. The New York Times. ( Subscription required ( help ) ). Jump up ^ `` Minoru Yamasaki 1912 - ''. encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2012 - 03 - 15. Jump up ^ Interview with owner 's daughter. Original architectural drawings donated to the University of Michigan. Jump up ^ Gallagher, John ( 28 January 2010 ). `` A Once Eminent Firm Meets a Bitter End ''. Architectural Record. construction.com. Retrieved 2012 - 11 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Reynolds Review ''. Reynolds Review ( company magazine ). Reynolds Metals Papers, Virginia Historical Society. 1959. Jump up ^ Ong Yan, Grace ( 2012 ). `` Wrapping Aluminum at the Reynolds Metals Company ''. Design and Culture. 4 ( 3 ) : 299 -- 323. Jump up ^ Remarks by the Hon. Richard J. Hughes, World Trade Center Press Conference, New York Hilton Hotel, Jan. 18, 1964 Jump up ^ `` History of the Twin Towers ''. Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Retrieved 2014 - 12 - 12. Jump up ^ James, Glanz ; Lipton, Eric ( 2003 ). City in the sky : the rise and fall of the World Trade Center. Macmillan. p. 109. ISBN 978 - 0 - 8050 - 7428 - 4. Jump up ^ Remarks by Lee K. Jaffee, World Trade Center Press Conference, New York Hilton Hotel, January 18, 1964 Jump up ^ Huxtable, Ada Louise ( 2 February 1964 ). `` N.Y.C. Architectural Ups and Downs ''. The New York Times. NYTimes.com. Jump up ^ Robbins, William ( 26 March 1967 ). `` 2 Firms Are Welding Abilities to Plan World Trade Center ''. The New York Times. NYTimes.com. Retrieved 2012 - 11 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Why is my Dorm so Ugly ? ''. Carleton College. 24 February 2009. Retrieved 2012 - 11 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Minoru Yamasaki Biography ( Architect ) -- ''. Infoplease.com. Retrieved 2012 - 03 - 15. Jump up ^ `` Horace Mann corporate headquarters doubles as architectural landmark ''. The State Journal - Register. Springfield, Illinois. 5 September 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2017. Jump up ^ `` Art : The Road to Xanadu ''. Time. LXXXI ( 3 ) : cover. 18 Jan 1963. References Yamasaki, Minoru, A Life in Architecture, Weatherhill, NY 1979 ISBN 0 - 8348 - 0136 - 1 Nobel, Philip, Sixteen Acres : The rebuilding of the World Trade Center site, Granta, London 2005 ISBN 1 - 86207 - 713 - 4 External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Minoru Yamasaki. GreatBuildings.com listing The Wayne State University Yamasaki Legacy Minoru Yamasaki interview, ( ca. 1959 Aug. ) - Archives of American Art Hadley, Jane ( September 13, 2001 ), `` Seattle architect created trade center as peace symbol '', The Seattle Post-Intelligencer Images from the Minoru Yamasaki Collection Walter P. Reuther Library Architecture by Minoru Yamasaki Skyscrapers One Woodward Avenue ( 1963 ) IBM Building ( 1963 ) The Century Plaza Hotel ( 1966 ) M&T Bank Center, Buffalo ( 1967 ) World Trade Center Tower 1, Tower 2, Buildings 4, 5 and 6 ( 1970 -- 1971 ) Montgomery Ward Corporate Headquarters Tower ( 1972 ) Century Plaza Towers ( 1975 ) Bank of Oklahoma ( 1977 ) Rainier Bank Tower ( 1977 ) Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond ( 1978 ) 100 Washington Square ( 1981 ) Torre Picasso ( 1988 ) Columbia Center ( 1989 -- 2000 ) Airports St. Louis Lambert International Airport main terminal ( 1956 ) Dhahran International Airport terminal ( 1961 ) Eastern Airlines terminal at Logan Airport ( 1969 ) King Fahd International Airport master plan ( 1977 ) Houses of worship North Shore Congregation Israel ( 1964 ) Temple Beth El ( 1974 ) Shinji Shumeikai Founder 's Hall ( 1982 ) Other buildings Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Detroit Branch Building annex ( 1951 ) Pruitt -- Igoe housing project ( 1954 ) Grosse Pointe University School ( 1954 ) Military Personnel Records Center ( 1955 ) McGregor Memorial Conference Center ( 1957 ) Prentis Building and DeRoy Auditorium Complex ( 1959 ) Robertson Hall at Princeton University ( 1965 ) Pacific Science Center ( 1962 ) Irwin Library at Butler University ( 1963 ) Oberlin Conservatory of Music ( 1963 ) Quo Vadis Entertainment Center ( 1966 ) Dr. John Archer Library ( 1967 ) Japan Center ( 1968 ) Tulsa Performing Arts Center ( 1976 ) Istanbul Cevahir ( 1987 ) Landscape architecture Wascana Centre and University of Regina - Regina Campus ( 1961 -- 1967 ) List of works by Minoru Yamasaki Architects and artisans of metropolitan Detroit Resident architects Charles N. Agree Gunnar Birkerts Marcus Burrowes Henry T. Brush C. Howard Crane Peter J. Diederichs Robert O. Derrick John M. Donaldson Joseph N. French Wallace Frost Yousif Ghafari Alvin E. Harley William E. Higginbotham Eric J. Hill John C. Haro Eugene C. Hopkins Albert Kahn Julius Kahn Louis Kamper William E. Kapp William Kessler Hugh T. Keyes Gordon W. Lloyd William G. Malcomson George D. Mason S. Kenneth Neumann Mark Nickita Harry J. Rill Rogers and MacFarlane Gino Rossetti Matthew L. Rossetti Wirt C. Rowland Victor Saroki William Scott Smith, Hinchman & Grylls Spier & Rohns Leonard B. Willeke Minoru Yamasaki Visiting architects Henry Bacon John Burgee Daniel Burnham Ralph Adams Cram Paul Cret Henry Engelbert Cass Gilbert Bertram Goodhue Michael Graves Victor Gruen Richard W. Jennings Jens Jensen Alfredas Kulpa - Kulpavičius Philip Johnson Charles Luckman McKim, Mead & White Frederick Olmsted Charles A. Platt John C. Portman, Jr. Henry Hobson Richardson Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Horace Trumbauer Whitney Warren Charles Wetmore Stanford White Frank Lloyd Wright Resident sculptors Marshall Fredericks Julius Melchers Carl Milles Isamu Noguchi Corrado Parducci Carlo Romanelli Edward Wagner Visiting sculptors Herbert Adams Donald De Lue Avard Fairbanks Daniel Chester French Robert Graham Lee Lawrie Giacomo Manzù J. Massey Rhind Ulysses Ricci Augusto Rivalta Randolph Rogers Raffaello Romanelli Adolph Alexander Weinman Resident ceramists Horace Caulkins Diana Pancioli Mary Chase Perry Stratton Photographers Michelle Andonian Curt Clayton Don Coles Carlos Diaz Sean Doerr Marge Beaver Roy Feldman Dale Fisher Jeff Garland Steve Hall Balthazar Korab Dave Krieger Laszlo Regos Tony Soluri William Zbaren See also Architecture of metropolitan Detroit New York City 's World Trade Center First WTC ( 1973 -- 2001 ) Construction Towers One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Windows on the World Mall The Bathtub Tenants One Two Four Five Six Seven Major events February 13, 1975 fire February 26, 1993 bombing January 14, 1998 robbery September 11, 2001 attacks Collapse Timeline Victims Aftermath Deutsche Bank Building St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Second WTC ( 2001 -- present ) Site, towers, and structures One Construction Two Three Four Five Seven Performing Arts Center Vehicular Security Center Liberty Park St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Westfield Mall Rapid transit PATH stations Transportation Hub New York City Subway stations Chambers Street -- WTC / Park Place ( 2, ​ 3 ​, A ​, ​ C ​, and ​ E trains ) Cortlandt Street ( N ​, ​ R ​, and ​ W trains ) Cortlandt Street ( 1 and ​ 2 trains ) Fulton Street ( 2, ​ 3 ​, 4, ​ 5 ​, A, ​ C ​, J ​, and ​ Z trains ) Fulton Center Corbin Building Dey Street Passageway 9 / 11 memorials 9 / 11 Tribute Center National September 11 Memorial & Museum Competition Memory Foundations Tribute in Light America 's Response Monument Empty Sky Relics from original WTC The Sphere Cross Survivors ' Staircase People Minoru Yamasaki Emery Roth & Sons Larry Silverstein Austin J. Tobin David Childs Michael Arad THINK Team Daniel Libeskind Leslie E. Robertson Other Park51 Project Rebirth Take Back The Memorial West Street pedestrian bridges In popular culture Film Music 9 / 11 - related media featuring One WTC 10048 ZIP code Former : IFC Former : Twin Towers 2 Brookfield Place Brookfield Place 200 Liberty Street 225 Liberty Street 200 Vesey Street 250 Vesey Street Winter Garden Atrium New York Mercantile Exchange VIAF : 79409150 LCCN : n86010403 GND : 11905499X SUDOC : 153442824 ULAN : 500024978 NDL : 00461561 KulturNav : 84605dc7 - cea2 - 40b3 - a24a - 08dc0787a1cc RKD : 322096 IATH : w6p275cc Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Minoru_Yamasaki&oldid=807870736 '' Categories : American architects Modernist architects Minoru Yamasaki buildings 1912 births 1986 deaths Fellows of the American Institute of Architects Architects from Michigan Architects from Seattle Artists from Detroit American people of Japanese descent Bates College alumni Harvard University people Polytechnic Institute of New York University alumni University of Washington alumni Garfield High School ( Seattle ) alumni Deaths from cancer in Michigan Deaths from stomach cancer People from Auburn, Washington 20th - century American architects Hidden categories : Pages containing links to subscription - only content Pages to import images to Wikidata Articles with hCards Pages using New York City Subway service templates Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with ULAN identifiers Wikipedia articles with RKDartists identifiers Wikipedia articles with SNAC - ID identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Ænglisc Български Čeština Dansk Deutsch Eesti Español فارسی Français Gaeilge 한국어 Italiano Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Polski Português Русский Suomi Svenska Українська 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 30 October 2017, at 15 : 43. 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Question: who was the lead architect that designed the world trade center and when was he born
Answer: Minoru Yamasaki