5 Women Accuse the Architect Richard Meier of Sexual Harassment
- 6 years ago
5 Women Accuse the Architect Richard Meier of Sexual Harassment
“We believe,” Mr. Palladino said in a statement, “that women should feel comfortable and empowered in all workplaces – including ours.”
Upon hearing of the report by The Times, Kent Kleinman, dean of Cornell’s College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, said in a statement
that Mr. Meier’s behavior was “unacceptable” and that Cornell would “decline his new gift to name the chair of the Department of Architecture.” The statement went on to say that the school would “explore what additional actions are appropriate” regarding previous scholarships and gifts.
Two of the women have described incidents over the past 10 years in which they were sent to Mr. Meier’s New York apartment,
where he exposed himself, according to interviews with one of the women and several former employees of the firm.
“One of the more senior members saw it happen and asked if I was O. K.”
Carol Vena-Mondt, a furniture designer who did not work for the architecture firm, said
that she had an upsetting experience with Mr. Meier in the 1980s in Los Angeles, where he was designing the Getty Center, which is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary with events like last Saturday’s Family Festival (“make a crown inspired by Richard Meier’s design
Intended to honor the 55th anniversary of his practice, the scholarship was designed to “recruit and retain the most talented women applicants.”
But four women who have worked for Mr. Meier — and another who met him when he was working on the
Getty — have described encounters when the architect, now 83, was, in fact, not good to women.
Confronted by with these allegations, Mr. Meier said he would take a six-month leave as founder
and managing partner of his firm and issued this statement: “I am deeply troubled and embarrassed by the accounts of several women who were offended by my words and actions.
“We believe,” Mr. Palladino said in a statement, “that women should feel comfortable and empowered in all workplaces – including ours.”
Upon hearing of the report by The Times, Kent Kleinman, dean of Cornell’s College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, said in a statement
that Mr. Meier’s behavior was “unacceptable” and that Cornell would “decline his new gift to name the chair of the Department of Architecture.” The statement went on to say that the school would “explore what additional actions are appropriate” regarding previous scholarships and gifts.
Two of the women have described incidents over the past 10 years in which they were sent to Mr. Meier’s New York apartment,
where he exposed himself, according to interviews with one of the women and several former employees of the firm.
“One of the more senior members saw it happen and asked if I was O. K.”
Carol Vena-Mondt, a furniture designer who did not work for the architecture firm, said
that she had an upsetting experience with Mr. Meier in the 1980s in Los Angeles, where he was designing the Getty Center, which is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary with events like last Saturday’s Family Festival (“make a crown inspired by Richard Meier’s design
Intended to honor the 55th anniversary of his practice, the scholarship was designed to “recruit and retain the most talented women applicants.”
But four women who have worked for Mr. Meier — and another who met him when he was working on the
Getty — have described encounters when the architect, now 83, was, in fact, not good to women.
Confronted by with these allegations, Mr. Meier said he would take a six-month leave as founder
and managing partner of his firm and issued this statement: “I am deeply troubled and embarrassed by the accounts of several women who were offended by my words and actions.