Authors on Architecture: Serraino on Creativity

What makes a person creative? What personality traits are necessary to actualize that creativity?

A fascinating, but little-known, study of architects in the late 1950s is intricately uncovered by author and architect Pierluigi Serraino, AIA, in his book The Creative Architect: Inside the Great Midcentury Personality Study. Among the 40 architects contributing to the study held at Berkeley’s institute of Personality Assessment and Research were Eero Saarinen, Richard Neutra, Pietro Belluschi, and A. Quincy Jones. This august group participated in both solitary and group testing of their creativity abilities.

Although originally intended for publication, the findings are only now being made available. Serraino culled through primary documents from numerous sources to show how some of American’s greatest architects evaluated their own creativity—as well as that of their peers—and how they perceived their place in architectural history.

Pierluigi Serraino, AIA. Photo credit Vittoria Zupicich.

Serraino is an expert chronicler of modern architecture, having contributed to many magazines and journals, as well as authoring several books, including Modernism Rediscovered (Taschen, 2000), Eero Saarinen (Taschen, 2005), and NorCalMod: Icons of Northern California Modernism (Chronicle Books, 2006). Herman Miller’s LA showroom (Lynch/Eisinger/Design, 2009) will generously host us as we enjoy this intriguing look into the creative minds of modernism.

Herman Miller’s LA showroom (Lynch/Eisinger/Design, 2009) will generously host the event as guests enjoy this intriguing look into the creative minds of modernism. The event is free. However, capacity is limited and RSVPs are requested via email to info@sahscc.org. For more information click here.