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Today’s News - Tuesday, July 30, 2019

● We lose Navid Maqami of S9 Architecture (only 59), who was "known widely for his kindness, humor, and dedication to his craft" - and "infamous for using laughter as a tool to help young associates learn and grow."

● Litt's eloquent appreciation of Cesar Pelli's "big contributions" to Cleveland: His work "isn't shy or without presence. But it has a subtlety, equanimity and attention to detail shown by few other new buildings in the city over the past 40 years - and they're aging well."

● Scruton gets his old job back at the U.K.'s Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission after his "'regrettable' sacking" - he's now co-chair along with Nicholas Boys Smith.

● Braitmayer makes a (very!) persuasive case for how "a new generation of architects with disabilities could affect the future of design - but only if we challenge our profession's cultural definition of diversity" to include more than ethnicity and gender - "the real roadblock for students with disabilities considering architecture as a career - visibility."

● Davidson minces no words about why, despite the ADA, NYC is "still a disaster for the disabled - it will take some fundamental changes in attitude and education. Instead of resenting the demands of the disabled as roadblocks, architects can and should treat them as sources of inspiration."

● Fairs, on a bleak note of a different kind, reports that a South African urbanist cancelled her U.K. lecture because of "a grueling and costly battle over her visa," which only adds to the "concern over the way overseas creatives are being treated when applying for visas," and poses "a threat to the U.K.'s creative industries.

● D. Samton, P. Samton & Cowley raise the alarm about a "new breed of skyscraper that threatens to devastate the fabric of NYC - Excessively Talls" (a.k.a. suptertalls): The "potential for irreversible damage demands a moratorium. To insist on more insightful planning is not "NIMBYism" - it is the professionals taking charge."

● On a brighter note, Manhattan is getting a new beach by James Corner Field Operations on what used to be a sanitation department parking area in the Meatpacking District - the latest in the Hudson River Park Trust's $900 million worth of capital projects.

● Welton cheers "a new vision for San Diego's working waterfront - Civitas clearly believes in going big - what's not to like? It all adds up to a waterfront like no other in the nation."

● Meanwhile, the Friends of the L.A. River's Christiansen issues a call to arms: "We have one chance to save a crucial portion of the L.A. River. Let's not blow it" with one out of three concepts she considers a "nonstarter" (the other two "are worth pursuing").

● O'Sullivan reports that Madrid's new mayor and his administration "might already be regretting its promise to cancel the city center's car ban" because of the "strong citizen backlash" and "widespread support for green urban policies."

● Six British architects "revisit their first commission - this is where it all began" for Foster, Khan, Heatherwick, Macintosh, Duggan, and Chipperfield ("It didn't matter if someone liked it").

● ICYMI: ANN feature: Duo Dickinson: Lesson Plan #2: A Time of Change: The coming technological changes in architecture will impose a full deconstruction of the way we educate architects, the second in our series on architectural education curated by Salingaros.

Winners all:

● Four projects vie for RIBA's inaugural Neave Brown Award for Housing (one is a contender for this year's Stirling Prize - Wainwright loved it, too).

● Coop Himmelb(l)au and Snøhetta win twin competitions in Xingtai, China: "Who says the post-Guggenheim Bilbao era of bombastic, sculptural buildings is over?"

● Hopkins Architects and team win the MK:U International Design Competition "for elegantly reinterpreting Milton Keynes' original town block."

● "Rock-star academic" Neri Oxman will receive SFMOMA's 2019 Contemporary Vision Award, followed by an Antonelli-curated show at MoMA next year.

● Winners of the Teamaker's Guest House competition for an eco-friendly retreat in Latvia hail from New Zealand, Italy, and Hungary.

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Obituary: S9 Architecture co-founder Navid Maqami, 59: ...a statement of remembrance from his colleagues, friends, and coworkers: ...[he was] known widely for his kindness, humor, and dedication to his craft...infamous for using laughter as a tool to help young associates learn and grow."- The Architect's Newspaper

Steven Litt: Remembering Cesar Pelli’s big contributions to Cleveland: An appreciation: Coverage of I.M. Pei’s legacy...was extensive and for the most part, enthusiastic. In contrast, responses to [Pelli's] death...an equally important architect...have been generally respectful, but somewhat muted. The reason may be that...he didn’t court celebrity status. He designed buildings that aimed to contribute to their cities instead of making flashy statements in a signature style...[His] work in Cleveland isn’t shy or without presence. But it has a subtlety, equanimity and attention to detail shown by few other new buildings in the city over the past 40 years...and they’re aging well.- Cleveland Plain Dealer

Roger Scruton gets government job back after 'regrettable' sacking: ...returns to housing commission after New Statesman apology for failing to accurately represent his views: ...had been chairman of the government’s Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission, has now been appointed as its co-chair...alongside Nicholas Boys Smith...commission...has been charged with ensuring new housing developments are attractive and engage with, as well as reflect, local communities.- Guardian (UK)

Karen Braitmayer: Yes, People with Disabilities as Architects: A new generation of architects with disabilities could affect the future of design - but only if we challenge our profession’s cultural definition of diversity: I am at a loss when I review diversity programs supported by architecture organizations and see only ethnicity and gender listed. I am at a loss when I see equity scholarships without mention of disability...Why? Because we don’t know how many practicing architects with a disability exist or who they are...It’s time we name the real roadblock for students with disabilities considering architecture as a career...It starts with visibility.- Architect Magazine

Justin Davidson: New York City Is Still a Disaster for the Disabled: The ADA has been a boon, but it has also left a chasm between theory and reality...A combination of technology, activism, litigation, and resourcefulness is dragging the business of building into an era of more empathic design...But it will take some fundamental changes in attitude and education. Instead of resenting the demands of the disabled as roadblocks, architects can and should treat them as sources of inspiration.- New York Magazine

Marcus Fairs: South African urbanist cancels UK lecture as visa process makes visitors "feel like criminals": The cancellation comes amid rising concern over the way overseas creatives, particularly those from Africa, are being treated when applying for visas to visit the UK...Zahira Asmal, who is director of Cape Town urban research, publishing and placemaking agency The City, withdrew following a gruelling and costly battle with UK diplomats over her visa...Architecture Foundation deputy director Phineas Harper said the immigration clampdown...posed a threat to the UK's creative industries.- Dezeen

Daniel Samton, Peter Samton & Page Cowley: A new breed of skyscraper threatens to devastate the fabric of New York: ...in a few years Central Park may well be unrecognizable and barren...new Excessively Talls (ETs)...may be responsible for the measured obliteration of New York City’s world-renowned park...the cumulative wind tunnel effect produced by multiple ETs will quite possibly create impassable and turbulent streets, with vicious downdrafts...potential for irreversible damage demands a moratorium. To insist on more insightful planning is not “NIMBYism” - it is the professionals taking charge. -- IBI Group-Gruzen Samton; Page Ayres Cowley Architects; Snøhetta; Gensler- The Architect's Newspaper

James Corner Field Operations' public Manhattan beach reveals first renderings: ...[in the] Meatpacking District. The five-and-a-half acre site used to be a parking area for the sanitation department and adjacent salt shed...will be a recreation area with a kayak launch, sports field, picnic areas, and a marsh...This is far from the only project on the Hudson River Park Trust’s plate...now shelling out an estimated $900 million for capital projects... -- Youngwoo & Associates; OLIN; Rafael Viñoly; Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects; Thomas Heatherwick- The Architect's Newspaper

J. Michael Welton: A New Vision for San Diego’s Waterfront: ...Civitas clearly believes in going big...Among the proposals is an enormous pier that takes its cues from aircraft carriers...[and] to take 13 acres of paved parking and turn it into a pedestrian-friendly public space...what’s not to like? It’s bold, it’s visionary, and it looks to San Diego’s history and industry to shape its design and direction. That all adds up to a waterfront like no other in the nation.- Architects and Artisans

Marissa Christiansen Op-Ed: We have one chance to save a crucial portion of the L.A. River. Let’s not blow it: In May, the city unveiled three design concepts for what it’s calling the Taylor Yard G2 River Park Project. Two of the concepts...are worth pursuing. The third, called “The Yards,” is a nonstarter. It would leave the straitjacketed river channel intact in an area that is particularly suited to be turned back into a natural river. It’s an unrivaled opportunity for re-wilding...We have an unparalleled opportunity for a do-over...that could set the standard for other similar urban reclamation projects... -- Studio-MLA (formerly Mia Lehrer + Associates); Friends of the L.A. River- Los Angeles Times

Feargus O'Sullivan: In Madrid, a Car Ban Proves Stronger Than Partisan Politics: A new mayor vowed to bring vehicles back to the city center. The strong citizen backlash suggests that European cities’ car bans are not, in fact, in peril: ...new administration might already be regretting its promise to cancel the city center’s car ban...pausing its plans to repeal the law, and it’s likely they’ll be abandoned for good...the repeal’s public and legal rejection has actually shown...that there is widespread support for green urban policies even when the political pendulum swings right.- CityLab (formerly The Atlantic Cities)

Nell Card: 'It didn't matter if someone liked it': six architects and designers revisit their first commission: From a beach cafe to a social housing ziggurat: this is where it all began for Norman Foster, Asif Khan, Thomas Heatherwick, Kate Macintosh, Mary Duggan, and David Chipperfield- Guardian (UK)

Big names vie for [RIBA's] inaugural Neave Brown Award for Housing: Four projects are in contention for the inaugural [award] which will recognise new housing that tackles the affordability problem. -- Mae Architects; WilkinsonEyre with Mole Architects; Mikhail Riches with Cathy Hawley; Karakusevic Carson Architects with David Chipperfield Architects; Muf- BD/Building Design (UK)

Coop Himmelb(l)au and Snøhetta win twin competitions in Xingtai, China: Who says the post-Guggenheim Bilbao era of bombastic, sculptural buildings is over? The spirit of the ’00s lives on in the results of twin competitions...Coop Himmelb(l)au‘s... Xingtai Science and Technology Museum resembles a daring cantilevered sandwich, while Snøhetta went with a somewhat more subdued design for the Xingtai Grand Theatre...but still features a bit of flash.- The Architect's Newspaper

Hopkins Architects Wins MK:U International Design Competition: Winning design praised for elegantly reinterpreting MK’s original town block: MK:U, a partnership between Milton Keynes Council and Cranfield University, will use the new university quarter and the wider city as a ‘living lab’ to test out new concepts and ideas... Prior + Partners; Expedition Engineering; Atelier Ten; GROSS MAX; etc.- Malcolm Reading Consultants / Milton Keynes Council / Cranfield University

The Year of Neri Oxman Is (Pretty Much) Upon Us: SFMOMA has announced that architect, designer, and MIT professor will receive [the] 2019 Contemporary Vision Award...New York's Museum of Modern Art...will stage a mid-career retrospective of Oxman's work in 2020. Set to be curated by Paola Antonelli... -- San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; MoMA- Architectural Digest

Teamaker’s Guest House competition results - in partnership with Ozolini teamakers - called for design proposals for an eco-friendly, cost-effective accommodation to house visitors to Ozolini's retreat in Latvia. -- Johann Evin (New Zealand); Virginia Pozzi/Alessandro Minotti/Politecnico di Milano (Italy); András Gyökér/Júlia Losonczi/Adham Shakaki/Studio BIS (Hungary)- Bee Breeders (formerly HMMD/Homemade Dessert) / ARCHHIVE Books

ANN feature: Duo Dickinson: Lesson Plan #2: A Time of Change: The coming technological changes in architecture will impose a full deconstruction of the way we educate architects.- ArchNewsNow.com

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