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Maya Lin, Architect and Sculptor

By , About.com Guide

The Architect Overlooks her Design at Ohio University

Maya Lin is shown overlooking Ohio University's Bicentennial Park and the earthwork installation, "Input," which she designed.

Press Photo, Ohio University

Born:

October 5, 1959 in Athens, Ohio

Childhood:

Maya Lin grew up in Ohio surrounded by art and literature. Her educated, artistic parents came to America from Beijing and Shanghai and taught at Ohio University.

Education:

Graduated from Yale University, School of Architecture: B.A. in 1981, M.A. in 1986

Selected Projects:

Awards:

  • Architecture prize from the American Academy of Arts and Letters
  • Presidential Design Award
  • American Institute of Architects Honor Award
  • Henry Bacon Memorial Award
  • National Women's Hall of Fame
  • Honorary Doctorates in Fine Arts from Harvard, Yale, Brown, Smith, and Williams College

Current Activities:

Maya Lin has a design studio in New York City where she lives with her husband and their two children. She is working on sculpture installations.

About Maya Lin:

Trained as an artist and an architect, Maya Lin is best known for her large, minimalist sculptures and monuments. When she was only 21 and still a student, Lin created the winning design for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. Many people criticized the stark, black monument, but today the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is one of the most famous monuments in the United States. Throughout her career, Maya Lin has continued to create powerful designs using simple shapes, natural materials, and Asian themes.

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