Do Star Architects Make A Difference

"Can the boost of a major architect be quantified? Not precisely, said Bruce Flessner, a national fundraising consultant based in Edina. "Is it a 20 percent increase or a 40 percent increase? It's hard to know," he said.But funders agree that sophisticated patrons of the arts support architectural excellence... Although a big-name architect may be hired to do a design, the work usually is implemented by local architects. And they would be the first to say they could carry off the commission if given the chance. But partnering with the stars also gives them insight into the creative process that has propelled those architects to international fame."