Moshe Safdie: The Power of Architecture

Overview

Moshe Safdie: The Power of Architecture is a film portrait of the dynamic, Canadian-Israeli architect who first burst on the world stage while still in his twenties with the groundbreaking building, Habitat '67. It begins with Safdie's early years in Haifa, his move to Montreal at the age of 15, his architectural training at McGill University, and a life-altering trip through the United States in the course of which the ideas embodied in Habitat first began to germinate. The film follows Safdie to his head office in Boston, to Israel, where he is involved in a number of projects, including the new Holocaust Museum, Yad Vashem, in Jerusalem, and the new city of Modi'in, which he planned. A number of other buildings are included, including the National Gallery of Canada, the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem Massachusetts, and the Vancouver Public Library. Finally, the film incorporates Safdie's thoughts on the art of architecture and the state of architecture today.