Frank Lloyd Wright
SANAA
MVRDV

2000
TADAO ANDO
OMA
Arata Isozaki
If you post a comment with your suggestions for further additions to this post, I’ll search them out and add them. I’ve only just scratched the surface here. I’m particularly interested in those ideas that architects recycle and reuse until they either succeed with it or die trying. The unbuilt works of Frank Lloyd Wright are rich in examples of this type. Also welcome are examples of architects continually reprising their greatest hits (e.g. SANAA, FLW again) – until they descend into self-parody (e.g. Daniel Libeskind).
Someone used the suggestion box to make the following comment.
Comment: interesting conceptual designs.
My small understanding of landscaping and landscape architecture has taught that most deciduous trees have root balls as large as the leaf balls. They also require birds, insects, bacteria to grow and prosper.
Might these buildings with the trees be a problem or create problems?
It’s true of course. When the architects mentioned that the maintenance of the trees would be outsourced, I assumed that this would include pruning of the branches AND the roots. Like bonsai, these trees will require constant and specialized care to stay undersized. I imagine that birds and insects will come naturally and in ways that are probably unpredictable and that might not always be pleasant, but we’ll never know unless somebody does it first. For treeless areas, its worth a shot but for places with open space around them, I’d rather the trees be in the ground where they can do their stuff in ways that we’re used to. Call me old fashioned …