Hope and Light. Steven Holl Interviewed by ERA21

The January online interview with architect Steven Holl turned out to be an unexpectedly uplifting experience. One of the most influential American architects, a Columbia University professor, author and artist, Holl charmed and fascinated us right from the start. One moment he was telling a story about a dinner party, where he and his friends discussed fundamental questions of life such as, "What is happiness? What is truly objective and not subjective?" or "Are there angels? Are there gods?" Later he would delve into a scientific theory and draw surprising parallels between abstract themes. Marcela Steinbachová, co-author of the Terezín Ghetto Museum project, joined us for the interview, and the poetic mood lasted almost the entire hour. At one point we couldn’t tell anymore whether the topic was “architecture and light” or “architecture and life.”