Background
Franzen was born in Düsseldorf, Germany, the son of Eric and Lisbeth Hellersberg Franzen. He lived with his mother and a younger brother once his parents divorced.
Franzen was born in Düsseldorf, Germany, the son of Eric and Lisbeth Hellersberg Franzen. He lived with his mother and a younger brother once his parents divorced.
The Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas, which was completed in 1968, was Franzen"s first prominent solo project His other notable projects include the East and West towers at Hunter College (completed in 1984 after a long delay due to the financial crisis in New York City), and the Philip Morris headquarters in New York City (completed in 1982).
Lecturer Yale and Cornell Universities, University of Cincinnati and Illinois, et cetera Visiting Professor Yale, Harvard and Washington Universities and Carnegie Institute of Technology. Chairman Architectural Board of Review, City of Rye 1958-1963, Urban Design Review Board, City of Cincinnati 1964-1965, National Council on Schoolhouse Construction and United States.N. Review and Advisory Panel on Architecture 1965.
President Architectural League of New York 1966-1970, Director since 1962.
American International Assurance
Married 1st Joan Cummings in 1942 (divorced in 1962), twro son one daughter. Married 2nd Laura Hughes in 1980.