Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Click here to see today's news:
Gisolfi explains that, while architecture is an art, it is a collective art form and a collective endeavor with shared social purpose (as opposed to today's fine arts). -- Heathcote takes on "an old cliché about London - that its one constant is change. Ironically, it is this ad hoc environment and blend of the good, the bad and the ugly that allows constant reinvention." -- Gehl calls London's bike-share plan "laughable" without a cycling infrastructure in place to make it safe: the city has "a very, very strong tradition of letting the traffic planners rule" (he wont' be riding a bike there any time soon).-- On a brighter note, a PPS study finds NYC's bikeshare stations are "adding to the sociability and amenability" of their locations: "the single most prevalent use of the stations was simply as convenient street seating." -- Boston's two parklets have "landed with a thud" - their "lackluster performance" could make "officials wary of experimenting with new ideas in the future" (but they promise to keep trying). -- On brighter notes, Brake reports that Las Vegas is getting its first public park on the Strip (nearly 32 acres!): it "could be the first phase of a larger remake." -- And Gallagher reports that Detroit is considering removing a freeway "in favor of walkable surface street" that "could sprout residential communities anew. Not everybody is so enthused." -- Clemence brings us beautiful pix and eloquent words about H&deM's Perez Art Museum Miami that opens today: "the architecture breaks free from the expected, its subtle charm showing that smarts can be as seductive as dazzling shapes" (though he's not happy about the name change - the PAMM will always be the MAM to him). -- Kennicott hopes Washington, DC's powers-that-be opt for a kunsthalle proposal for a landmarked school building, though "given the city's seemingly relentless focus on tax base and revenue above all else, it may make the plan a dark horse" among four options. -- King cheers the Presidio Trust sending proposals for Crissy Field back to the drawing board: "This was a brave move...it's a fair bet that more surprises lie ahead." -- Adjaye's affordable housing project in Harlem has architecture critics cheering, but locals sneering: "It's just as vile as I thought it would be," says Adams, the author of "Harlem Lost and Found." -- Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios submits revised Southbank plans: "three most controversial elements remain" (comments section proves it). -- Zumthor shares "some of the inspirations behind his greatest projects, giving us insight into his poetic, intelligent, (and some might say) 'nearly divine' mind." -- Wainwright cheers the "fantastically surreal sight" of the Eros at Piccadilly Circus inside the "world's biggest snow globe - elevating the straightforward function of protecting a sculpture into the perfect Christmas decoration for London" (great pix!). -- Bad news/good news: Neimeyer's original plans for his Latin American Memorial in São Paulo may have been lost in the recent fire, but "whatever the damage may be, state officials have confirmed that demolition is not an option." -- BD's Architect of the Year Awards 2013 winners "reflect architects' growing optimism within the profession after years of uncertainty." -- Eyefuls of Winnipeg's Warming Huts competition winners (very cool!).

An urban setting seared into the national consciousness.

 
by Michael J. Crosbie, Ph.D., FAIA

November 22, 2013