Michael Graves
Michael Graves & Associates (MGA), founded by Michael Graves in 1964, has been in the forefront of architecture and interior design for decades, and has received over 175 design awards. Graves himself was awarded the 1999 National Medal of Arts and the 2001 Gold Medal of the American Institute of Architects. He is also the Robert Schirmer Professor of Architecture, Emeritus, at Princeton University where he taught for 39 years.
“Temple’s Fox School is recognized nationwide for its academic excellence and its relationships with the corporate community,” Graves commented. “Tom Rowe, the Principal in charge of this project for MGA, and I are excited by this opportunity to create a signature building worthy of The Fox School’s bright future.”
MGA is internationally renowned for design excellence. In addition to its many projects for colleges and universities, MGA has been the architect for the recently completed Houston
Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and the U.S. Courthouse in Washington, D.C., as well the Denver Central Library, the Ministry of Health and Sport in The Hague, the Washington Monument restoration, and the NovaCare Complex, a state-of-the-art training center and headquarters for the Philadelphia Eagles football club. MGA’s sister company, Michael Graves Design Group, has designed over 1,800 consumer products, from the famous whistling bird teakettle for Alessi to numerous collections for Target.
The Alessi Hob Kettle with Bird was designed by Michael Graves in 1985. Alessi had already decided that Graves should design a kettle that had real purpose - whose body was formed in such a way that it could hold a large volume of water at its base, nearest the flame.