One of the stars of these Summer Olympics, in addition to Michael Phelps, has been Beijing National Stadium, forever to be known as the Bird's Nest.

But whereas you can't help but know Phelps' mom and coach by now thanks to NBC's extensive coverage, you probably have not heard of Herzog & de Meuron. That's the Swiss architecture firm that designed the Bird's Nest, in addition to the de Young Museum in San Francisco and the Tate Modern in London. In 2001, Herzog and de Meuron won the Pritzker Prize.

The article notes that architects, outside of celebs like Gehry or Koolhaas, don't get the level of respect they deserve here in the U.S. That's a shame. If you read a book you like, you'll probably remember the author. If you like a movie, you may know or find out who the director is. It shouldn't be any different for design or architecture.

architecture, design