Wednesday, June 4

Some of the most prestigious architects in the world gathered in the Jack Morton Auditorium Monday morning to share insight into their trade with talk show host Charlie Rose.

The panel was taped for Rose’s show, which is slated to air on PBS Tuesday. French architect Jean Nouvel, a guest on the show, is the most recent winner of the Prtizker Prize – the architectural equivalent of the Nobel Prize. The other guests, Zaha Hadid, Frank Gehry and Renzo, Piano are all previous winners of the architecture award.

“You are looking at the best that the world has when it comes to architecture,” Rose told the audience. “I want to tap into their passion.”

During the two-hour taping, the panel discussed their inspirations, materials, projects, architectural freedom and the role that technology has played in architecture.

“Every sight and every project is an adventure,” Nouvel said. “I try to find the missing piece of the puzzle.”

Gehry, who is well known for designing many international buildings including the “Dancing House” in Prague, Czech Republic, said he strives to make his designs unique.

“I always take a project and assume a level of reality is going to prevail like gravity or economics,” Gehry said. “I take great pride in making a move that makes it different.”

Fewer than 15 students sat among the packed 250-member audience. Rory Walker, a senior at Catholic, attended the taping with his class of eleven students and his professor.

“It is a privilege to be in a room with four of the best architects in the world,” Walker said. “It’s amazing what you can learn just from listening to them.”

Keith Walker, publicity director for the Pritzker Prize, said he picked GW for the taping because of its “convenience.” Rose said, however, that the high quality of GW’s television recording facilities also aided in that decision.

“The facility was so terrific in every way,” Rose said. “The facility is great. It’s the right size. The people are great. You can do a lot of interesting things (with the stage).”

Michael Freedman, GW’s vice president of communications, said GW hopes to have the Charlie Rose Show back in the fall when there can be a full audience of students.