KOOLHAAS VS MAYNE

Two great Architects that embody the energy of modernism. 

Remment Lucas Koolhaas, popularly known as "Rem Koolhaas", is a Dutch architect, architectural theorist and urbanist but then once worked as a journalist. He co-founded the architecture firm, OMA, in 1975.  

                                                                Rem Koolhaas 

His notable works are: 

 

Casa da Música

Seattle Central Library 

CCTV Headquarters 

One thing that you can evidently observe from his designs is how he explores and experiments with different forms. His playful approach empowers creativity in the field of architecture. Maybe it is real difficulty to define a Koolhaas structure, for you to understand him you need to look further through him and see the world of models, processes, exploration and a whole lot of ideas. I like his research-based design process that creates original ideas and innovative forms and manufactures buildings that defines the today and of what could be in the future. 

He said that his goal with his practice is... 

 “to keep thinking about what architecture could be. What I could be.”

Personally, I like Rem Koolhaas and his style. But I can't deny that there is this certain flaw of Koolhaas, he can't perfectly maximize the use of space. He is this kind of an architect that needs enormous working space to design.

Having said that, I still believe that Rem Koolhaas deserves to be on top of his profession and to be someone you can look up to in terms of design and planning. 

“Maybe, architecture doesn’t have to be stupid after all. Liberated from the obligation to construct, it can become a way of thinking about anything – a discipline that represents relationships, proportions, connections, effects, the diagram of everything.”

Thom Mayne is an American Architect and founder of Morphosis, an architecture firm in California. Morphosis is significantly recognized to the style of being free from traditional deductions and meticulous design that deals with the evolution of cultural, political, social and technological conditions of modern life. 

Thom Mayne 

 "Architecture is a discipline that takes time and patience. If one spends enough years writing complex novels one might be able, someday, to construct a respectable haiku. "

His notable works are.. 

41 Cooper Square 

University of Toronto Graduate Housing, Toronto, Canada

Hypo Alpe-Adria Center, Klagenfurt, Austria

"Look around at day-to-day life for ideas, and it finds its way into your work." 

His design philosophy is a reflection of physical and mental context in architecture. He seems to work beyond the limits and he is very practical in doing his designs. He maximizes the use of his space but not compromising the aesthetics or the beauty of his buildings. With his pragmatic sense of materiality and impressive sectioning, he complements the surroundings and gives interest and delight in spaces. Maybe Thom Mayne's design philosophy has that depth.

"My buildings don't speak in words but by means of their own spaciousness. "

On the other hand, it is very visible to see the similarities of Koolhaas and Mayne in terms of building materials such as glass, concrete and steel. These two architects give importance to cost and function of their works, I believe. 

You can't really easily choose between Koolhaas and Mayne for they both have remarkable and fascinating designs.