Birkerts, Gunnar

Gunnar Birkerts is an internationally acclaimed architect of the last half of the twentieth century who has been recognized for his expressive forms, his simplification of detail, his innovative work with surface materials and his effective use of indirect daylight. With his design flexibility and commitment to "finding poetry in building technology," he has pushed beyond the boundaries of the Modern Movement. [1]

Born on January 17, 1925, in Riga, Latvia, Gunnar Birkerts' childhood was steeped in the mythology of his country, as both of his parents, Peteris and Merija Shop Birkerts, were scholars and folklorists who studied the cultural heritage of the Latvian people. Later in his career, Birkerts expressed his gratitude for the rich, architectural and literary images of his homeland which he believed continued to stimulate his creative process.

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