May Architecture Billings Index Bounces Back From April Slump
BILLINGS (BLUE) AND INQUIRIES (RED) FOR THE PAST 12 MONTHS. (THE ARCHITECT’S NEWSPAPER)
April showers bring May flowers. The AIA’s latest numbers for May’s Architecture Billings Index have fortunately showed renewed strength with a score of 52.9, an increase from April’s low score of 48.6, which marked a surprising setback into negative territory for the first time in nine months. (Any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings.)
“This rebound is a good sign for the design and construction industry and hopefully means that April’s negative dip was a blip rather than a sign of challenging times to come,” said AIA Chief Economist, Kermit Baker, in a statement. “But there is a resounding sense of uncertainty in the marketplace—from clients to investors and an overall lack of confidence in the general economy—that is continuing to act as a governor on the business development engine for architecture firms.”
Proposed Garden Bridge Over the Thames Invites Commuters to Slow Down
Rendering of Hearthwick Studio’s design of the new Garden Bridge. (Courtesy Heatherwick Studio)
Heatherwick Studio has envisioned a refreshing way for Londoners to safely commute from the North to the South side of the city that doesn’t involve the hassle of waiting for a bus, squeezing onto the overcrowded “Tube,” or sitting in mind-numbing traffic. The firm, which has been working closely with actress and campaigner Joanna Lumley to develop the design, proposed a pedestrian garden bridge that will extend across the River Thames, providing Londoners with a safe, green river crossing.
Under the Elevated: Fellows Named To Study Reviving New York City’s Gritty Underbelly
(Courtesy Design Trust)
When it comes to making the most out of city space we’ve all heard and witnessed the old adage “If you can’t build out, build up.” But what about building down?
The Design Trust for Public Space, a non-profit organization that promotes innovative public spaces such as the High Line, has recently announced the launch of a new project titled Under the Elevated: Reclaiming Space, Connecting Communities. In collaboration with the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT), the Design Trust has just named a team of five fellows that aims to transform the 100 million square feet of dark, dingy, and neglected space that currently exists beneath New York City’s elevated train and highway infrastructure into functional, vibrant, and inviting public spaces.
June 21–23> Michael Graves to Keynote Dwell on Design in Los Angeles Next Week
Dwell on Design: Dwell Outdoor. (Courtesy Dwell)
From June 21 – 23 architecture and design professionals will flock to the Los Angeles Convention Center for the Dwell on Design tradeshow. With over 2,000 products, 400 exhibitors, 150 speakers, and 30,000 expected attendees, this highly anticipated three-day affair has easily become America’s largest design event.
The exhibition features 20,000 square feet of space filled with prefabricated structures that highlight the most important aspects of contemporary design. The show is divided into various sections including Dwell Outdoor, the Tech Zone, the Modern Family Lounge, Furniture, and Kitchen & Bath and features renowned leaders in industrial, home appliance, and furniture design such as Miele, Kohler, GE Monogram, Resource Furniture, and Marimekko.
Come June 16th the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York, the only museum in the United States devoted solely to historic and contemporary design, will welcome a new director, Caroline Baumann. Baumann, who has served as acting director of the museum since September 2012, in her new role will primarily oversee the renovation of the museum and the reinstallation of its galleries, scheduled to open in fall of 2014. “The new Cooper-Hewitt visitor experience—physical and digital—will be a global first, a transformative force for all in 2014 and beyond, impacting the way people think about and understand design,” announced Baumann in a press release. (Photo: Erin Baiano)
Tomorrow night SMPS-NY (Society for Marketing Professional Services) invites you to their Annual Awards Gala where they will proudly honor the outstanding achievements of members of the architecture, engineering, and construction industries by announcing the winners of the 2013 Communications & Industry Leadership Awards. This year a group of jurors, including Molly Heintz, Contributing Editor at The Architect’s Newspaper, carefully sorted through 200 entries and selected six winners. This years winners include SBLM Architects for their Brand Identity, Hausman for their extraordinary Event/Holiday Piece, Perkins+ Will for their Marketing Campaign, and Dattner Architects for their website. Eric Schlau, Marketing Coordinator at MBI Group was the recipient of the Mary Findlen Professional Grant and Patricia Neumann, CPSM was awarded the Industry Leadership Award. The festive gala, which will be held at Providence, a spacious and elegant event-venue located near Columbus Circle, will feature a cocktail, beer and wine reception as well as a sit down dinner.
French Architect’s Restaurant Designs Creates A Pixelated Green Facade
(Courtesy Stephane Malka Architecture)
Whoever said that one needs to leave the city to experience nature hasn’t seen French architect Stephane Malka’s striking facade proposal for the Parisian restaurant EP7, an unusual site that is sure to stand out in the urban setting of the city. Amidst a city of man-made concrete and glass structures could rise a building essentially comprised of an organically growing “forest.
Terry Farrell & Partners Comissioned for Master Plan of London’s Royal Albert Docks
(Terry Farrell & Partners)
In the early 1900’s the Royal Albert Docks, located to the east of the city of London, served as London’s most prominent source of international trade and commerce. Now the 130-year-old docks, which over the years have been closed to commercial traffic and only used for watersports, will be transformed into London’s third booming financial district. Terry Farrell & Partners have been commissioned to carry out the complex master plan of the 35-acre site.
Designers to Transform Obsolete Rail Overpass Into Public Garden, Urban Orchard
Aerial view of the bridge over 97th Street in Edmonton. (Courtesy Google Maps)
At the beginning of the 19th century, the city of Edmonton was considered one of Canada’s most important rail hubs. For over two decades the trains that once made Edmonton a prominent center of economic activity have ceased to run along those tracks, and the historic freight yard has remained vacant.
Over the years a prominent old overpass connecting 97th Street to Edmonton’s downtown rail yards has morphed into a poorly finished, unattractive concrete pedestrian walkway and bicycle path. This weekend designers Chelsea Boos, Carmen Douville, and Erin Ross, will begin working on a project to revitalize the historic landmark. According to the Edmonton Journal the artists, with the help of a group of volunteers, will bring the bridge back to life by planting 25 circular raised beds filled with vibrant flowers, indigenous plants, and edible crops from which visitors can actually pick fruit from.
Oren Safdie’s New Play, “False Solution,” To Debut on June 16th
Oren Safdie.
False Solution, the final play in Oren Safdie’s trilogy (Private Jokes, Public Spaces and The Bilbao Effect) on contemporary architecture is finally set to take the stage on June 13th in New York City. The play will be followed by an official press opening on June 16th at the off-Broadway experimental theatre, La MaMa ETC in Manhattan.
James Turrell Uses Light to Transform the Guggenheim Museum
Rendering of James Turrell’s Aten Reign at Guggenheim Museum. (Courtesy Andreas Tjeldflaat)
Beginning June 21, visitors of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum will get the unusual opportunity to experience Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic rotunda like never before. American artist James Turrell is transforming the legendary space with his favorite medium: light. As visitors navigate the spiraling gallery they may feel disoriented. With each step, their perception of the illuminated space will change dramatically, as colorful influxes of artificial and natural light dynamically shift around the rotunda. Throughout this site-specific work, titled Aten Reign, Turrell offers visitors a subjective viewing experience. Each observer will see his or her own vision of the space depending on the location in which they stand, as well as the way in which fluctuating shadows and illuminations highlight their surroundings. Four of Turrell’s other works will accompany the core light installation.
Tomorrow night join architect Brad Cloepfil of Allied Works and curator David can der Leer of the Van Alen Institute as the pair kick off the weekend with a tasty cocktail prepared by author and bar tender Toby Cecchini. The custom drink will be inspired by the architect’s work, crafted by Cecchini specially for the occasion. The event will take place tomorrow night at the Center for Architecture at 6:30 p.m. One drink is included with admission: $12.50 for AIA members; $15 for non-members.
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