Don Tishman's Real Estate Development and Investing Solutions

Knowing George Anselvicius was one the greatest events in my life. It was a once in a lifetime experience.  I would like to share a few of these experiences with you.

George was a fantastic architect. For many years before we would start a project, I asked George to look at the plans. Modestly, George would say “what can I add to the work of a world famous architect?”  But he always improved the design and found countless costly errors and omissions.. Many of these errors would have caused the development to incur huge additional costs while omitting essential elements of the buildings.

George was incomparable teacher of architecture. I first met George when he was head of architecture at Harvard. For twenty years, I worked with him teaching at the University of New Mexico School of Architecture. Observing Professor George teach was an unforgettable experience. As he reviewed a student’s work, he was always positive. Never talked down to a student. He asked each student, how can we make this an even better concept? It was a joint effort between student and teacher. They were equals not great authority  and student.   George’s approach enriched the student’s educational experience and inspired the student to be very enthusiastic and confident about architecture.

He  participated in my classes critiquing the student drawings. While the class watched, George and the student would transform an unimpressive sketch to a masterful building. Both the class and I were transfixed. When the class would applaud what the student and George had done. George would modestly give all the credit to the student.

When I failed to explain a point, George would very softly ask me a question, that told me what I had not done.

Shortly before Hitler invaded Lithuania, George was sent to  school in England. After WWII, George was hired by England’s top architectural firm. He left and came to America where he was immediately hired by Skidmore, Owens and Merrill. After several successful years at Skidmore, George became one of the original members of HOK in St. Louis. While at HOK, he was asked to teach an architectural course at Washington University in St. Louis. George was a instant success at teaching, The Dean of the Architecture begged George to become a full time professor. This meant a substantial reduction in income for George and Evelyn. They thought long and hard about the change in lifestyle this reduction would mean. Finally, George accepted the offer and became Professor Anselevicius. Soon he was Dean Anselvicius. Under his tutelage, Washington University Architectural Department became more famous. Many other schools sought George to take over their Architectural Schools. George turned them all down, until Harvard asked him. He went to Harvard. Then the Great State of New York decided that they needed a State School of Architecture. They asked George to write his own ticket. George could not turn the opportunity to create a new School of Architecture with his own concepts of what an Architectural School could do for the students and community. But alas, George had a problem he could not solve- Evelyn, who was born in Oklahoma , could not take the severe Buffalo winter weather and she had a very successful career as a weaver. George and world famous architect, Henry Moore, had a conducted a summer school for architectural students in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico for several years. There Evelyn did her weaving that made her one of the most celebrated weavers with exhibitions at many museums including the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Evelyn insisted on leaving this cold climate plus wanted to be nearer to San Miguel de Allende. When word was out that Dean Anselvicius would soon be available, George was again besieged by offers of Deanship. After considering all these offers, The Anselevicious’s decided on the University of New Mexico. There George changed the School of Architecture from barely getting accreditation to one of the premier architectural schools in the US.

Many of the top architects in the world were invited to a celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Chandigarh. I attended and met many of the these world famous architects. I was flabbergasted  when almost all asked about George. George Anselevicius was world  renown for his writings on architecture. The Indian architects that worked with Corbusier were among George’s best friends. Each year at the University of New Mexico, Dean Anselevicius brought in several international architects to teach for short periods of time.

Because of George, there were students from all over the world in my classes.

George waxed eloquently on the one subject Architecture Schools never mentioned – money. The students are NOT told that as architects they must meet a building budget.

George felt that the design and  building process must be improved. He was a predictor of Building Information Modeling.

I sure miss George.