Metropolis February issue dedicated to John Portman

This month’s issue of Metropolis Magazine was themed around hospitality and has been dedicated to John Portman and his extraordinary legacy. His most noted contribution was the hotel atrium – a design element that rejuvenated the hospitality industry. In his expert hands, hotels became inspirational spaces. The issue includes an article by Phillip Denny titled “Atlanta’s Architect” as well as 10 pages of images of Portman’s legacy projects including Peachtree Center, Hyatt Regency, America’s Mart, and Entelechy I & II.

From the article:

“For many young architects Portman’s long career represents a high standard of creative gumption. While a previous generation condemned the joining of architecture and development in a single figure, few millennials are unpersuaded by the monumental products of Portman’s efforts. The wildly original works of this hybrid architect-developer stand in stark contrast to the often-banal and sometimes-destructive creations of unfettered real estate development that are the tradition of modern city-building in the U.S.

Adam Nathaniel Furman, a London-based designer, sees a distinctly American form of determination and beauty at the heart of the work. “Portman’s American vision of beauty is vast, swaggering, vigorous confidence,” Furman says. “It is an incredible belief in the future, that everything is going to be better, everything is going to be bigger, and everything is going to be spectacular. I hope that America produces more architects that represent it in the way that Portman did.”