Thom Mayne, professor of architecture and urban design, is one of 25 new members of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities announced by President Barack Obama on Nov. 2.
“I am confident that these talented individuals will be valued additions to our administration and will offer wise counsel in their respective roles,” Obama said in a White House statement.
In the introductory meeting, Mayne said the committee members discussed cultural diplomacy, the relationship of the arts to education, and historical preservation. During his self-introduction, Mayne, who has been teaching since he was 27, talked about his interest in education. He emphasizes learning even in his approach to architecture.
“UCLA is fortunate that someone who has such an important position nationally still finds time to teach and makes time to teach,” said Richard Weinstein, professor of architecture and urban design.
However, Mayne is not only a professor at UCLA, but also the founder of Morphosis Architects, an architectural design and research firm. As design director, Mayne runs his office with collaboration.
“He gives suggestions, we formulate it, and then he critiques it,” said Stephanie Rigolot, a UCLA alumna who has worked with Mayne for two years.
“He likes to work out his ideas with his students, so he’s a natural teacher,” Weinstein said.
Mayne’s emphasis on education reflects even in Morphosis Architects.
“He’s not only a great architect, but also a great professor,” said Legier Stahl, a UCLA alumna who has worked with Mayne for more than a year. “It doesn’t feel like work because I’m constantly learning,” she said.
The new members were sworn in on Nov. 3 by Vice President Joe Biden. Mayne said the group was very diverse in terms of locations and professions and that they were smart, talented and articulate.
“I’m excited with the potential of this group,” he added.
Other new members include Vogue’s editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, Creative Artists Agency’s managing partner Bryan Lourd, actress Sarah Jessica Parker and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Mayne is the only architect of the group.
Mayne also had worked with the General Services Administration, a government organization that, among other things, collaborates with architects to design buildings for the government.
His projects include the Cooper Union academic building in Manhattan, Phare Tower in Paris, and the FLOAT house in New Orleans. Mayne also received the 2005 Pritzker Architecture Prize, an international prize annually awarded for outstanding architecture.
“His buildings reduce the amount of fossil fuel used in conventional buildings by more than 50 percent,” Weinstein said.
Mayne designs naturally ventilated buildings, such as the San Francisco Federal Building and Caltrans in downtown Los Angeles.
Weinstein added, “It’s very unusual for a leader like Thom to have concerns not only for the art of architecture, but also for the environment.”