Michael Graves (1934-2015)

The 80-year-old Graves was best known, by architects at least, for buildings in the 1980s and 1990s that moved away from the formal modernism of his fellow New York Five to popularize postmodernism in architecture. His Portland Building, completed in the Oregon city in 1982, is considered a benchmark in the rise of postmodernism. It exhibits his signature embrace of color, pattern and traditional forms. Recently the building was under threat of demolition, but Portland is planning on renovating and rehabilitating the building, a sign of its signficance but also of the reappraisal of postmodern architecture in the United States. Outside of Portland, his buildings transformed numerous American cities: Louisville (KY), Denver, Washington, DC, and his hometown of Princeton, to name just a few.

A wider recognition beyond architects came when Graves designed consumer products – pots, pans, kettles, wast baskets, etc. – sold in Target stores. According to the architect's firm of 50 years, Michael Graves Architecture & Design (MGA&D), "[his] brand at Target was the first example of an architect/designer having his own consumer brand of products. Further, "the blue color palette functioned as a 'sea of calm' within the noisy retail environment and was a reference to the blueprint."

Paralyzed from the waist down due to a spinal cord infection in 2003, Graves spent the last decade of his life confined to a wheelchair. He put a positive spin on his condition by designing and advocating for better universal healthcare design. In recognition of this work, President Obama appointed Graves to the United States Access Board in 2013.

Outside of his practice, Graves taught for over 40 years in Princeton University's School of Architecture, earning the title of Robert Schirmer Professor of Architecture, Emeritus. His work in architecture and academia earned him numerous awards, including the AIA Gold Medal, the Topaz Medallion from the AIA/ACSA, and the Richard H. Driehaus Prize.

Per a statement from MGA&D, Graves "passed away [Thursday], suddenly and peacefully, of natural causes." Further, "plans for a public memorial that will be held in Princeton will be announced in the near future."