Frank Gehry crumples up a piece of paper, tosses it to the ground, and suddenly becomes inspired to build a similar-looking concert hall for Springfield, hometown of The Simpsons. Rem Koolhaas, with his eyes closed, teaches nine local children about "Lego architecture" using a model of OMA's CCTV tower in Beijing. Since The Simpsons began airing in 1989, there have been countless references to landmarks and architects, new Dwell-reading neighbors and postmodern malls filled with identical Starbucks stores. In homage to the series' co-creator Sam Simon, who passed away on Sunday, and whom many see as "the show's true architect," we look back on the many buildings and designers who have been lovingly ridiculed on The Simpsons.
Video: "Neutra Bones"
Rem Koolhaas teaching 'Lego architecture' to a group of students:
The Simpsons desire to buy the Sunsphere from the 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville, Tenn.:
"The Making of the Empire State Building" comes to Springfield:
The Simpsons go to Times Square:
A very postmodern mall in Springfield:
Frank Gehry makes a cameo on the show, and gets inspired by a crumpled-up piece of paper:
Frank Gehry's design for Springfield's concert hall-turned-prison:
Bart meets his love interest at the High Line park in NYC:
The "Springsonian" Museum:, modeled after D.C.'s Smithsonian:
The Simpsons make new friends who read Dwell:
Video: Dwell Magazine
Maggie becomes the architect Howard Roark from Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead:
Martha Stewart swoops in to help the Simpsons decorate:
Springfield's "Knowledgeum" museum:
Dialogue from an episode aired in 2003:
Lisa: I'm impressed that you drew up blueprints, but these are for a go-cart track.
Homer: Did Frank Lloyd Wright have to deal with people like you?
Lisa: Actually, Frank Lloyd Wright endured a lot of harsh criticism.
Homer: Look. I have no idea who Frank Lloyd Wright is.
Lisa: You said his name two seconds ago.
Homer: I was just putting words together.
· All Simpsons coverage [Curbed National]
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