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Martin Filler

71quotes

Martin Filler: A Voice on Architecture, Design, and Culture


Full Name and Common Aliases


Martin Filler is a well-known American critic, essayist, and translator who has made significant contributions to the world of architecture, design, and culture.

Birth and Death Dates


Born in 1949, Martin Filler's life and work continue to inspire readers and architects alike. Unfortunately, no information on his passing is available as of this writing.

Nationality and Profession(s)


Filler is an American by birth and has worked primarily as a critic, essayist, and translator throughout his career.

Early Life and Background


Growing up in the United States, Filler was surrounded by the country's rich architectural heritage. He developed a deep appreciation for the built environment from a young age, which would later shape his writing and critical thinking. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, Filler began to develop his unique voice as a writer.

Major Accomplishments


Filler has made significant contributions to various fields through his work as a critic, essayist, and translator. He has written extensively on architecture, design, art, and culture for publications such as The New Republic, The Atlantic Monthly, and Architectural Digest. His critiques and reviews have provided readers with insightful perspectives on the world of architecture and design.

Notable Works or Actions


Filler's translation of Walter Benjamin's "One-Way Street" (2006) is a notable achievement, showcasing his skill as a translator and his commitment to making important cultural works accessible to English-speaking audiences. His essays and reviews have been widely read and admired for their clarity, wit, and intellectual rigor.

Impact and Legacy


Filler's work has had a lasting impact on the way people think about architecture, design, and culture. His critiques have influenced architects, designers, and policymakers alike, encouraging them to consider the broader social implications of their work. Through his writing, Filler continues to inspire readers to engage with the built environment in a more thoughtful and nuanced manner.

Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered


Filler's insightful writings on architecture and design have made him a trusted voice in his field. His ability to balance critical thinking with storytelling has endeared him to readers, making him one of the most widely read and respected critics in his profession. As a testament to his enduring influence, Filler continues to be quoted and remembered for his thoughtful commentary on the world of architecture and culture.

Filler's legacy extends beyond his written works; he has also contributed to shaping the cultural conversation around design and architecture. His commitment to making complex ideas accessible and engaging has inspired a new generation of writers, architects, and designers to think critically about their work and its impact on society. Through his writing and translation, Martin Filler continues to leave an indelible mark on the world of architecture, design, and culture.

Quotes by Martin Filler

Martin Filler's insights on:

A turning point in the public’s perception of the building art came with the publication of Frank Lloyd Wright’s ‘An Autobiography’ of 1932, a picaresque narrative that captivated many who hadn’t the slightest inkling of what architects actually did.
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A turning point in the public’s perception of the building art came with the publication of Frank Lloyd Wright’s ‘An Autobiography’ of 1932, a picaresque narrative that captivated many who hadn’t the slightest inkling of what architects actually did.
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Few developments central to the history of art have been so misrepresented or misunderstood as the brief, brave, glorious, doomed life of the Bauhaus – the epochally influential German art, architecture, crafts, and design school that was founded in Goethe’s sleepy hometown of Weimar in 1919.
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Few developments central to the history of art have been so misrepresented or misunderstood as the brief, brave, glorious, doomed life of the Bauhaus – the epochally influential German art, architecture, crafts, and design school that was founded in Goethe’s sleepy hometown of Weimar in 1919.
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From the outset, MoMA followed the Bauhaus’s strict prohibition against design that even hinted at the decorative, a prejudice that skewed the pioneering museum’s view of Modernism for decades.
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From the outset, MoMA followed the Bauhaus’s strict prohibition against design that even hinted at the decorative, a prejudice that skewed the pioneering museum’s view of Modernism for decades.
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During the modern period, the vanguard architect has usually relied on small residential jobs both to supply a steady income and to serve as ‘sketches’ for ideas that are often later translated to the larger scale of public commissions.
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During the modern period, the vanguard architect has usually relied on small residential jobs both to supply a steady income and to serve as ‘sketches’ for ideas that are often later translated to the larger scale of public commissions.
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The danger for any artist whose work is both recognizable and critically acclaimed is complacent repetition – the temptation to churn out easily identifiable, eagerly welcomed, and readily salable designs.
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The danger for any artist whose work is both recognizable and critically acclaimed is complacent repetition – the temptation to churn out easily identifiable, eagerly welcomed, and readily salable designs.
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Architecture was the last of the major professions to devise a formal ‘cursus honorum’ before its practice could be undertaken.
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Architecture was the last of the major professions to devise a formal ‘cursus honorum’ before its practice could be undertaken.
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The skyscraper style first advocated by Louis Sullivan – a tower of strongly vertical character with clear definitions among base, shaft, and crown – has remained remarkably consistent throughout the history of this building type.
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The skyscraper style first advocated by Louis Sullivan – a tower of strongly vertical character with clear definitions among base, shaft, and crown – has remained remarkably consistent throughout the history of this building type.
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The first half of the 1960s was the apogee of what might be termed the Age of Cool – as defined by that quality of being simultaneously with-it and disengaged, in control but nonchalant, knowing but ironically self-aware, and above all inscrutably undemonstrative.
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The first half of the 1960s was the apogee of what might be termed the Age of Cool – as defined by that quality of being simultaneously with-it and disengaged, in control but nonchalant, knowing but ironically self-aware, and above all inscrutably undemonstrative.
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There is no sadder tale in the annals of architecture than the virtual disappearance of the defining architectural form of the Modern Movement – publicly sponsored housing.
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There is no sadder tale in the annals of architecture than the virtual disappearance of the defining architectural form of the Modern Movement – publicly sponsored housing.
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Architectural kitsch is most common in the commercial pop vernacular – typified by the Big Duck of 1931 in Flanders, New York, a Long Island roadside poultry stand resembling a duck, which Venturi and Scott Brown made a cult object through their writings.
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Architectural kitsch is most common in the commercial pop vernacular – typified by the Big Duck of 1931 in Flanders, New York, a Long Island roadside poultry stand resembling a duck, which Venturi and Scott Brown made a cult object through their writings.
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