Maya Lin
Architect / Artist
Name at birth: Maya Ying Lin
Maya Lin was still an undergraduate at Yale University when she won the national design competition for a Vietnam War veterans memorial to be built near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Amid controversy over her untraditional design (and, remarkably, complaints that it had been created by a young woman of Chinese descent), the memorial was completed in 1982. It became the most visited monument in Washington, D.C. Maya Lin has gone on to design other memorials, landscape sculptures and private residences.
Extra credit: The film Maya Lin: A Strong, Clear Vision won the 1995 Oscar for best feature documentary.
Other prominent American architects include Frank Lloyd Wright and Frederick Law Olmsted.
Four Good Links
Maya Lin Biography
PBS has a brief profile and some examples of her work
Maya Lin
Brief biographical entry from Ohio University
Academy of Achievement
Cheerful profile, bio and interview with Lin
Vision Thing: Freida Lee Mock's Not So Clear Look at Maya Lin
Not-so-favorable review of the documentary, but with fascinating details
Vital Stats
Birth
Birthplace
Death
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Best Known As
Designer of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C.
