John Portman

“Architecture is not a private affair; even a house must serve a whole family and its friends, and most buildings are used by everybody, people of all walks of life. If a building is to meet the needs of all the people, the architect must look for some common ground of understanding and experience.”



The open lobby of the Grand Hyatt Hotel, in Atlanta, Georgia.

Louis Kahn

“Architecture is the reaching out for the truth.”



Considered Kahn’s finest residential project, the Korman House in Pennsylvania was recently restored.

The Burj, Dubai

The Burj, Dubai will be the world's tallest building when it opens in 2009.

Its shape is inspired by the indigenous desert flowers that often appear as decorative patterns in Islamic architecture, but it also has an engineering purpose: The swirl shape ensures that the mass of the structure lessens as it reaches the top, making the structure steadier.

A mixed-use building developed by Dubai's Emaar Properties, the Burj Dubai will house shops, offices, residences, and entertainment venues.