Gaudi - by Shaun Osher

I know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but when it comes to architecture, I believe that there is a guideline of common sensibility that is universal. Beyond interpretation and individual artistic license,  there is fundamental good design and bad design. If you are a modernist and love the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, you

can still appreciate the integrity of the Pantheon. Much in the same way that scholars of Gaudi can appreciate the beauty of Phillip Johnson’s body of work.

But, over the past decade, in New York City, and from some of the pipeline of buildings being designed,  it seems to me that we have lost the barometer of common sense(ibility). We are witnessing some of the worlds ugliest buildings being built. Yes, there have been some gems, but in large part, our social artistic cultural conscience seems to have disappeared.

We have the landmarks preservation commission which oversees the design of new buildings being built, but this is reserved for the select neighborhoods that have historical significance. (There also seem to be some political loopholes when it comes to certain “situations”).  Where is the zoning board that oversees the design of the new skyscrapers (and low rise buildings)? Where is our social conscience? Where is the inspiration? The driving force behind most of these buildings seem to be driven by value engineering and one goal of achieving the highest dollar return on investment.

It is high time that we start to acknowledge that what we build today will become a reflection of our culture and create a fingerprint for future generations to be inspired by.

Shaun Osher is the CEO and Founder of CORE.

Shaun Osher and Herbie Hancock

Regardless of the field of business one is in, I believe it is critical to draw on inspiration from “other people and places”.

We see this all the time, and though it isn’t always obvious, I believe that exceptional people and exceptional companies draw influences from other fields and interpret them in their own way.

This approach frees the artisan from “industry standards” and encourages innovative thought.

It’s a process that facilitates the ultimate “out of the box” ideology that we all (or most of us, anyway) strive for.

The box we work in has limitations, and once we broaden our scope beyond this box, remarkable things can happen.

The non-generic!

I find myself influenced every day by someone or something in one way or another. Our DNA and CORE values are synonymous with many of these different influences. Here are a few:

• Herbie Hancock for being REMARKABLE AND IRRATIONAL with his dedication and artistry for more than six decades.
• Herb Ritts for his INNOVATIVE expression with his lens.
• Nelson Mandela for his INTEGRITY and strength of an ideology.
• Tony Hsieh for raising the bar in CUSTOMER SERVICE.
  
• Marcus Agrippa for his ATTENTION TO DETAIL in architecture’s greatest achievement.
• Ayn Rand for her TRANSPARENCY in The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged.
• Chris Carmichael for his humble TEAM support of Lance Armstrong.
• Eminem for being RESPONSIVE and NIMBLE.
  
• Frank Lloyd Wright for his mutual RESPECT of history and innovation.
• Dr. Barnard for his KNOWLEDGE and foresight.

What better gift to give than something inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright, one of America’s most respected and celebrated architects and designers? We thank DesignCrave for compiling this list of top ten FLW-based gift ideas (LINK?). Our favorite is the Midway Gardens Chess Set which has pieces that are based on the sculptures Wright created for Midway Gardens! These are the perfect gifts for friends who are architecture fans or for those who simply like to collect cool items!