An architect is a person who designs buildings. They design how the building is going to look, both inside and outside, but also the infrastructure of the building and how the building will be used. To practice architecture means to engage with the spatial practices that make up our lives, and work to create buildings that serve a purpose in the best way possible.

Today, the most well known global architects are often referred to as 'starchitects'—architects who have received international renown for their style of design. They have often constructed many buildings globally, and are commissioned for new feature buildings such as National Museums, or sports stadiums.  These architects are akin to celebrities, they are often well known, rich and powerful.

What do architects do?

Architects play an active role in the creation of a building, but their everyday responsibilities constantly change depending on the type of firm they work for, location, and experience level. Architects often work with plan and elevation drawings that play an active role in the construction of a building.

What is modern architecture?

Modern architecture is the architectural movement based itself on innovative and new technologies of construction with the emphasis on materials such as glass, steel, and reinforced concrete. The architecture created during the movement enforced the idea that form should follow its function, embrace minimalism, and reject any ornamentation.

Why do architects wear black?

Architects wear black because it is a neutral color that is easy to pair with other colors and put outfits together. The color black also makes a person look refined and allows architects to be in suitable attire for different settings. Black is also worn by architects as to not distract from their work.

Architects Guides
Browse through our curated Architects Guides for additional categorizations, tips, details, variations, styles, and histories of Architects. Guides provide additional insights into the unique properties and shared relationships between elements.
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5’9” | 1.75 m (Estimated)
October 2, 1974
Bjarke Ingels
175.000
1974.00
43000
GUIDE
3D
Bjarke Ingels
5’5” | 1.65 m
July 12, 1895
Buckminster Fuller
165.000
1895.00
35000
GUIDE
3D
Buckminster Fuller
5’9” | 1.75 m (Estimated)
September 22, 1966
David Adjaye
175.000
1966.00
14000
GUIDE
3D
David Adjaye
5’7" | 1.70 m (Portrayed)
August 9, 1878
Eileen Gray
170.000
1878.00
25000
GUIDE
3D
Eileen Gray
5’10” | 1.78 m (Estimated)
April 10, 1965
Francis Kéré
178.000
1965.00
5100
GUIDE
3D
Francis Kéré
5’4” | 1.63 m (Estimated)
February 28, 1929
Frank Gehry
163.000
1929.00
106000
GUIDE
3D
Frank Gehry
5’7” | 1.70 m
June 8, 1867
Frank Lloyd Wright
170.000
1867.00
224000
GUIDE
3D
Frank Lloyd Wright
5’9” | 1.75 m
May 4, 1916
Jane Jacobs
175.000
1916.00
18000
GUIDE
3D
Jane Jacobs
5’6” | 1.68 m (Estimated)
March 19, 1964
Jeanne Gang
168.000
1964.00
6800
GUIDE
3D
Jeanne Gang
5’3” | 1.60 m (Estimated)
October 29, 1956
Kazuyo Sejima
160.000
1956.00
9400
GUIDE
3D
Kazuyo Sejima
5’8” | 1.73 m
October 6, 1887
Le Corbusier
173.000
1887.00
200000
GUIDE
3D
Le Corbusier
5’8” | 1.73 m (Estimated)
April 15, 1452
Leonardo da Vinci
173.000
1452.00
232000
GUIDE
3D
Leonardo da Vinci
5’4” | 1.63 m (Estimated)
December 5, 1914
Lina Bo Bardi
163.000
1914.00
31000
GUIDE
3D
Lina Bo Bardi
5’8” | 1.73 m (Estimated)
June 17, 1954
Liz Diller
173.000
1954.00
6600
GUIDE
3D
Liz Diller
5’8” | 1.73 m (Estimated)
March 27, 1886
Mies van der Rohe
173.000
1886.00
85000
GUIDE
3D
Mies van der Rohe
5’3” | 1.60 m (Estimated)
February 6, 1976
Neri Oxman
160.000
1976.00
47000
GUIDE
3D
Neri Oxman
5’9” | 1.75 m (Estimated)
June 1, 1935
Norman Foster
175.000
1935.00
86000
GUIDE
3D
Norman Foster
5’5” | 1.65 m (Estimated)
December 15, 1907
Oscar Niemeyer
165.000
1907.00
81000
GUIDE
3D
Oscar Niemeyer
6’3” | 1.91 m (Estimated)
April 26, 1943
Peter Zumthor
191.000
1943.00
43000
GUIDE
3D
Peter Zumthor
5’10” | 1.78 m (Estimated)
July 8, 1906
Philip Johnson
178.000
1906.00
24000
GUIDE
3D
Philip Johnson
6’3” | 1.91 m (Estimated)
November 17, 1944
Rem Koolhaas
191.000
1944.00
39000
GUIDE
3D
Rem Koolhaas
5’10” | 1.78 m (Estimated)
August 5, 1957
Shigeru Ban
178.000
1957.00
19000
GUIDE
3D
Shigeru Ban
5’8” | 1.73 m (Estimated)
September 13, 1941
Tadao Ando
173.000
1941.00
63000
GUIDE
3D
Tadao Ando
6’3” | 1.91 m (Estimated)
January 19, 1944
Thom Mayne
191.000
1944.00
4300
GUIDE
3D
Thom Mayne
5’8” | 1.73 m
October 31, 1950
Zaha Hadid
173.000
1950.00
376000
GUIDE
3D
Zaha Hadid
Neri Oxman
Height comparison diagram of Neri Oxman compared to other architects

Neri Oxman is an American-Israeli architect, designer, and professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who is recognized for her art and architecture work that combines design, biology, computing, and materials engineering. Neri Oxman first studied architecture at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and then at the London Architectural Association, graduating in 2004.

She received her PhD from MIT, in 2005. Neri Oxman’s work explores the relationship between computational design, digital fabrication techniques, as well as biological elements. The work of Neri Oxman has become distinguished by brightly colored and textured surfaces with structures at many scales.

Neri Oxman has an estimated height of 5’3” (1.60 m) based on photo analysis.

Collection of drawings of Neri Oxman measured with overall height
Neri Oxman is an American-Israeli architect, designer, and professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who is recognized for her art and architecture work that combines design, biology, computing, and materials engineering. Neri Oxman first studied architecture at the Technion.

Neri Oxman has an estimated height of 5’3” (1.60 m) based on photo analysis.

Collection of drawings of Neri Oxman measured with overall height
Neri Oxman
Height:
5’3” | 1.60 m (Estimated)
Width:
Length:
Depth:
Weight:
Area:
Given Name
Birthday
February 6, 1976

Drawings include:
Neri Oxman front, side, front (walking), side (walking)

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Kazuyo Sejima
Scaled height comparison illustrations of Kazuyo Sejima in relation to other architects

Kazuyo Sejima is a Japanese architect. She is known for her clean, minimal and elegant modernist inspired designs. She uses a lot of glass and marble in her work, and her buildings incorporate the exterior surroundings with the design of the building.  She is known for numerous residential and commercial buildings across Japan, and mainly in Tokyo. Her work overturns traditional models of the nuclear family home, challenging the ways in which people use the spaces they live in. She has won several prizes for her work, included the esteemed Pritzker Architectural Prize in 2010.

Kazuyo Sejima has an estimated height of 5’3” (1.60 m) based on comparative photo analysis.

Set of illustrations of Kazuyo Sejima in various poses dimensioned with overall height
Kazuyo Sejima is a Japanese architect known for her clean, minimal and elegant modernist inspired designs. She uses a lot of glass and marble in her work, and her buildings incorporate the exterior surroundings with the design of the building. She won the Pritzker Architectural Prize in 2010.

Kazuyo Sejima has an estimated height of 5’3” (1.60 m) based on comparative photo analysis.

Set of illustrations of Kazuyo Sejima in various poses dimensioned with overall height
Kazuyo Sejima
Height:
5’3” | 1.60 m (Estimated)
Width:
Length:
Depth:
Weight:
Area:
Given Name
Birthday
October 29, 1956

Drawings include:
Kazuyo Sejima front, side (fashion), side, front (sitting)

Details & Downloads

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Eileen Gray
Scaled height comparison illustrations of Eileen Gray in relation to other architects

Eileen Gray, Kathleen Eileen Moray Smith, was an Anglo-Irish architect and furniture designer, known for becoming a pioneer for women in the Modern Movement in architecture and design. Throughout the span of her career, she worked with various European artists like Kathleen Scott, Adrienne Gorska, Le Corbusier, and Jean Badovici.

Eileen Gray received no formal training as an architect, but designed two houses in the Alpes Maritimes which are considered the purest examples of domestic architecture. Eileen Gray made valuable contributions to the modernist movement through her furniture design work which created a voice for women in architecture. Eileen Gray passed on October 31st in 1976.

Eileen Gray had an estimated height of 5’7" (1.70 m) based on her portrayal by actress Orla Brady in 'The Price of Desire (2015)'.

Collection of drawings of Eileen Gray measured with overall height
Eileen Gray, Kathleen Eileen Moray Smith, was an Anglo-Irish architect and furniture designer, known for becoming a pioneer for women in the Modern Movement in architecture and design. Throughout the span of her career, she worked with various European artists and architects.

Eileen Gray had an estimated height of 5’7" (1.70 m) based on her portrayal by actress Orla Brady in 'The Price of Desire (2015)'.

Collection of drawings of Eileen Gray measured with overall height
Eileen Gray
Height:
5’7" | 1.70 m (Portrayed)
Width:
Length:
Depth:
Weight:
Area:

Death: October 31, 1976 (aged 98)

Given Name
Birthday
August 9, 1878

Drawings include:
Eileen Gray front (looking), front, front (sitting)

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Le Corbusier
Height comparison diagram of Le Corbusier compared to other architects

Le Corbusier is considered a pioneer of modern architecture, urban planning, and design. He was an architect, painter, designer, planner and writer. He was driven by the need to create better living conditions for city dwellers and is considered hugely influence in the field of urban planning. His architecture career spanned five decades, and he designed residential and commercial buildings across Europe, the US and India.

His architectural style was developed from his Five Points of Modern Architecture, which became emblematic of his simple, clean and modern design. He died, aged 77, in France.

Le Corbusier had a height of 5’8” (1.73 m).

Set of illustrations of Le Corbusier in various poses dimensioned with overall height
Le Corbusier is considered a pioneer of modern architecture, urban planning, and design. He was an architect, painter, designer, planner and writer. He was driven by the need to create better living conditions for city dwellers and is considered hugely influence in the field of urban planning.

Le Corbusier had a height of 5’8” (1.73 m).

Set of illustrations of Le Corbusier in various poses dimensioned with overall height
Le Corbusier
Height:
5’8” | 1.73 m
Width:
Length:
Depth:
Weight:
Area:

Death: August 27, 1965 (aged 77)

Given Name
Birthday
October 6, 1887

Drawings include:
Le Corbusier front, side, side (walking), side (casual, beach), back (nude), front (sitting)

Details & Downloads

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Shigeru Ban
Height comparison diagram of Shigeru Ban compared to other architects

Shigeru Ban is a Japanese architect known for his innovative research and design practice. Ban embraces both Western and Eastern architectural styles and methods. He is known for his varied use of materials; one of his most famous works is entitled Paper House, a structure made entirely out of paper tubes. Other famous works include the Metal Shutter House in New York City, the Centre Pompidou-Metz in Paris, and the Naked House in Saitama, Japan. In 2014, Ban received the Pritzker Architecture Prize for his distinctive architectural practice that seeks to consciously address humanitarian crises.

Shigeru Ban has an estimated height of 5’10” (1.78 m).

Collection of elevation drawings of Shigeru Ban with overall height
Shigeru Ban is a Japanese architect known for his innovative research and design practice. Ban embraces both Western and Eastern architectural styles and methods. He is known for his varied use of materials; one of his most famous works is entitled Paper House, a structure made entirely of paper.

Shigeru Ban has an estimated height of 5’10” (1.78 m).

Collection of elevation drawings of Shigeru Ban with overall height
Shigeru Ban
Height:
5’10” | 1.78 m (Estimated)
Width:
Length:
Depth:
Weight:
Area:

Nationality: Japan

Given Name
坂 茂 Ban Shigeru
Birthday
August 5, 1957

Drawings include:
Shigeru Ban elevations (assorted)

Details & Downloads

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