Colin Rowe

The architectural critic and historian Colin Rowe was the eminence grise during my years in the architecture at Cornell, here recalled by many who knew him, and who were influenced by him. I always found hi to be extraordinarily kind, certainly funny, and simultaneously frank and exceptionally patient. He once came into our studio, hearing Bach being played, and asked why we were not listening to Mozart. The explanation that Bach was very "architectural" clearly did not carry any weight: "But architecture is commodity, firmness and delight, and what can be more delightful than Mozart?" was his query.