Minoru Yamasaki: An Architect's Life and Work

Instructor: Kathleen Marcaccio

Minoru Yamasaki, Detroit's best-known midcentury architect, left his mark all over Metro Detroit as well as around the country. This course explores his childhood and education, the early days of his career, how he came to Detroit and established his own firm, his world travels and the influences on his architectural philosophy. Kathleen will tell how his career took off in the 1960s, leading to his commission for the World Trade Center in New York City. The class will look at some of Yamasaki's most iconic works in Detroit and others around the country.

About the Presenter: Kathleen Marcaccio holds a B.A. in English and anthropology and an M.S. in library science, both from Wayne State University. Now retired, she worked for Cengage Learning (formerly Gale Research) for nearly 39 years in editorial and data analyst roles supporting their electronic information products. Since 2004, she has been a volunteer tour guide for Preservation Detroit, leading tours of the Cultural Center and Midtown neighborhoods, and creating tours of Historic Ferry Street, Yamasaki in the Cultural Center, and Public Art in the Cultural Center, as well as Woodlawn Cemetery. She leads tours for the Detroit Historical Museum and volunteers at Freer House in Detroit's Cultural Center. Kathleen has proven to be a stalwart MORE presenter.