Ada Louise Huxtable
Ada Louise Huxtable: A Pioneering Architectural Critic
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Full Name and Common Aliases
Ada Louise Huxtable's full name was Ada Louise Huxtable Sussman. She is commonly known by her married name, Ada Louise Huxtable.
Birth and Death Dates
Ada Louise Huxtable was born on January 14, 1921, and passed away on January 7, 2013.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Huxtable was an American architectural critic, journalist, and educator. Her nationality was American, and she made significant contributions to the field of architecture through her writing and advocacy.
Early Life and Background
Ada Louise Huxtable grew up in a family that valued education and the arts. She developed an interest in architecture during her childhood, which was influenced by her father's work as a builder and contractor. After completing high school, she attended Wellesley College, where she studied history of art. However, due to financial constraints, she had to discontinue her studies.
Major Accomplishments
Huxtable began her career in journalism in the 1940s, working for various publications, including _The New York Times_ and _Architectural Record_. She became a prominent architectural critic, known for her insightful and provocative writings. Her work focused on the relationship between architecture and society, highlighting the importance of design in shaping urban environments.
In addition to her writing, Huxtable was an advocate for historic preservation and urban renewal. She served as a member of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission from 1966 to 1970 and later became a fellow of the American Academy in Rome.
Notable Works or Actions
Huxtable's notable works include:
"The Unreal America: Architecture and Illusion" (1988): A collection of essays that explored the relationship between architecture, society, and culture.
"On Architecture: Collected Reflections on aCentury of Change" (2008): A compilation of her writings on architecture, covering topics from modernism to sustainability.
As an advocate for historic preservation, Huxtable played a significant role in saving New York City's Penn Station from demolition. Her efforts led to the development of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.
Impact and Legacy
Ada Louise Huxtable's impact on architecture and urban planning is immeasurable. She was one of the first critics to address the relationship between design and social issues, paving the way for future generations of architects and planners.
Her writing has had a lasting influence on architectural theory and criticism. Many notable architects, including Frank Gehry and Robert Venturi, have cited her work as an inspiration. Huxtable's legacy extends beyond her writings; she remains a pioneering figure in the field of architecture, and her contributions continue to shape the way we think about design and its impact on society.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Ada Louise Huxtable is widely quoted and remembered due to her:
Influential writings: Her insightful critiques of architecture have had a lasting impact on the field, shaping the way architects, planners, and policymakers think about design.
Pioneering spirit: Huxtable's advocacy for historic preservation and urban renewal has inspired generations of architects and planners to prioritize social responsibility in their work.
* Unwavering commitment: Her dedication to her craft and her passion for making architecture more accessible have earned her a reputation as one of the most respected voices in the field.
Quotes by Ada Louise Huxtable
An excellent job with a dubious undertaking, which is like saying it would be great if it wasn’t awful.
Those who change the course of art use any means to convince the world that it needs something it neither anticipates nor understands and rarely wants. Artistic achievement is in large part a function of will; it is rarely a function of character.
Some people wait constructively; they read or knit. I have watched some truly appalling pieces of needlework take form. Others – I am one of them – abandon all thought and purpose to an uneasy vegetative states.
There are two kinds of people in the world – those who have a horror of a vacuum and those with a horror of the things that fill it. Translated into domestic interiors, this means people who live with, and without, clutter.
Surrogate experience and surrogate environments have become the American way of life. Distinctions are no longer made, or deemed necessary, between the real and the false; the edge usually goes to the latter, as an improved version with defects corrected – accessible and user-friendly...
Every creative act draws on the past whether it pretends to or not. It draws on what it knows. There’s no such thing, really, as a creative act in a vacuum.
The building is a national tragedy – a cross between a concrete candy box and a marble sarcophagus in which the art of architecture lies buried.
Summer is the time when one sheds one’s tensions with one’s clothes, and the right kind of day is jeweled balm for the battered spirit. A few of those days and you can become drunk with the belief that all’s right with the world.
Surrogate experience and surrogate environments have become the American way of life. Distinctions are no longer made, or deemed necessary, between the real and the false; the edge usually goes to the latter, as an improved version with defects corrected - accessible and user-friendly.
