Top 5
A client recently had some great questions in one of their RFQs — questions we couldn't believe we hadn't considered before. They asked for our top 5 songs to listen to on a deadline and the top 5 buildings we wish we had designed.
What were folks listening to while chair-dancing with such “subtle” fervor at their desks? For which buildings were they harboring deep, fiery achitect love? So, we took it to the streets (virtually speaking). We sent out an all-staff email asking people to cast their votes and left out a voting sheet. People had a lot to say.
Surprisingly, music selections got the most votes and the most impassioned lobbying. Plenty of conversations like this one ensued. Unlikely alliances were formed: “Brian picked Primus? AWESOME.” Needless to say, we learned a lot about each other, and we created an Rdio account (RIP) to share our selections within the office and hopefully with a few other designers out there looking for inspiration while on their own deadlines. There may be musical factions, but there are more headphones bobbing around the studio than ever.
Our top 5:
- The Beatles – White Album
- Radiohead – OK Computer
- The Rolling Stones – Let it Bleed
- The Gotan Project – La Revancha de Tango
- Jagwar Ma – Howlin
The “buildings we wish we had designed” question had less variability, but there were two clear camps: people with a list of 5 projects they loved and people who wished WRNS had designed their house or apartment. We created a Pinterest Board to share the projects we love. It’s no surprise that they all exemplify site-specific, modern, sustainable design. We couldn’t keep this list to just 5, so we expanded it to 10.
Our top 10:
- Peter Zumthor – Vals Thermal Baths
- Salk Institute – Louis Kahn
- Walsh House – Glenn Mercutt
- Sidwell Friends School – Kieran Timberlake
- Ronchamp – Corbusier
- Villa Mairea – Alvar Aalto
- American Folk Art Museum – Tod Williams + Billie Tsien
- Romane Museum in Merida, Spain – Rafael Moneo
- Church on the Water – Tadao Ando
- Walker Art Center Expansion – Herzog & de Meuron
What are your top 5? Tell us on our FB.