Farshid Moussavi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Farshid Moussavi
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| Born | 1965 (age 59–60) Shiraz, Iran
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| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | Harvard University Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London Dundee University |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Practice | Farshid Moussavi Architecture Previously Foreign Office Architects |
| Buildings | Ōsanbashi, International Passenger Terminal, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan Museum of Contemporary Art, Cleveland, Ohio |
Farshid Moussavi (born 1965) is a famous British architect who was born in Iran. She is known for designing unique and creative buildings around the world. She is the founder of her own company, Farshid Moussavi Architecture (FMA). She is also a professor at the highly respected Harvard University Graduate School of Design.
Moussavi's company, FMA, is famous for its imaginative designs. Her projects often use materials in new ways and are built to be helpful for the community. Some of her well-known works include the Museum of Contemporary Art in Cleveland and a social housing project in Montpellier, France. Before starting FMA, she co-founded another successful company called Foreign Office Architects (FOA).
For her amazing work, Moussavi has received many honors. In 2015, she was elected as a Royal Academician, a high honor for an artist or architect in the UK. In 2018, she was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by the Queen for her contributions to architecture.
Contents
Early Life and Schooling
Farshid Moussavi was born in 1965 in the city of Shiraz, Iran. When she was a teenager, she moved to London, England, in 1979 to go to school.
She studied to become an architect at several top universities. These included the University of Dundee in Scotland and the Bartlett School of Architecture in London. She later earned a master's degree in architecture from Harvard University in the United States. It was at Harvard that she met another architect, Alejandro Zaera-Polo, who would become her business partner.
Career in Architecture
Moussavi became well-known in the architecture world with her first company, Foreign Office Architects (FOA). She started it in 1993 with Alejandro Zaera-Polo.
Famous FOA Projects
With FOA, Moussavi helped design many incredible buildings. One of their most famous is the Yokohama International Ferry Terminal in Japan. They won a major competition to design this building. The terminal is known for its wave-like roofs that people can walk on.
FOA also designed a large John Lewis store in Leicester, England, and social housing in Madrid, Spain.
Starting Her Own Company
In 2011, Moussavi started her own company in London called Farshid Moussavi Architecture (FMA). With FMA, she has continued to create amazing buildings.
Some of her key projects with FMA include:
- The Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland in Ohio, which has a striking, mirror-like exterior.
- The Folie Divine, a modern apartment tower in Montpellier, France.
- A flagship store for fashion designer Victoria Beckham in London.
- The Ismaili Center in Houston, Texas, a beautiful community building.
Ideas and Teaching
Besides designing buildings, Moussavi is a dedicated teacher and researcher. She has been a professor at Harvard University since 2005. She has also taught at many other top schools in Europe and the United States.
Moussavi's research explores how buildings affect people's feelings and experiences. She believes that architecture is not just about how a building looks, but how it makes you feel when you are in it. She thinks about how to use different shapes, materials, and light to create new and interesting experiences for people.
She has written several books about her ideas. In her books, she explains that things like decoration, shape, and style are all important parts of a building's function. They all work together to create a special feeling, or "affect."
Notable Buildings and Projects
Here are some of the most important projects Moussavi has worked on with her companies.
With Farshid Moussavi Architecture (FMA)
- Ismaili Center (2019–Present) in Houston, USA
- Residential Complex (2017) in Paris, France
- Folie Divine (2017), an apartment tower in Montpellier, France
- Victoria Beckham Flagship Store (2016) in London, England
- Museum of Contemporary Art, Cleveland (2012) in Ohio, USA
With Foreign Office Architects (FOA)
- Ravensbourne College (2010) in London, UK
- Carabanchel Social Housing (2007) in Madrid, Spain
- John Lewis Department Store (2008) in Leicester, England
- Yokohama International Port Terminal (2002) in Yokohama, Japan
Awards and Recognition
Moussavi and her companies have won many awards for their creative designs.
| Year | Award name | To | By | For |
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| 2004 | Enric Miralles Prize for Architecture | Foreign Office Architects | Yokohama International Passenger Terminal | |
| 2004 | Lion Award for Topography | Foreign Office Architects | 9th Venice Architecture Biennale | |
| 2011 | RIBA Award | Foreign Office Architects | Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) | Ravensbourne campus |
| 2018 | Order of the British Empire (OBE) | Farshid Moussavi | Order of the British Empire | For her service to architecture |
| 2021 | Prix des Femmes Architectes - International Prize | Farshid Moussavi | ARVHA (a French architecture group) | For her outstanding contribution to architecture |
| 2022 | Jane Drew Prize | Farshid Moussavi | The Architects' Journal | For showing innovation and diversity in architecture |
Images for kids
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Detail of the facade of Edificio Bambú (Carabanchel Social Housing in Madrid).
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A model of the Ismaili Center in Houston.
See also
In Spanish: Farshid Moussavi para niños
