Foster’s Exterior Changes Green-Lighted at the New York Public Library
Rendering of Foster + Partners’ proposed renovation of the New York Public Library. (Courtesy Foster+Partners / dbox)
Preservationists who have waged a battle against Foster + Partners’ planned renovations of the New York Public Library received bad news Tuesday: The Landmarks Preservation Commission approved the library’s application for changes to its Beaux-Arts exterior, mostly on the side facing Bryant Park, in a six-to-two vote.
The $300 million renovation calls for removing seven floors of stacks beneath the famous Rose Main Reading Room to accommodate a large workspace and the collections from the Mid-Manhattan and the Innovative Science, Industry, and Business Libraries. This might be a major step forward for the library, but the approval process is not yet over. The Wall Street Journal reported that the Landmarks Commission can only vote on changes proposed to the landmarked exterior—the decision about the stacks is out of their hands.
MSG Buys Midcentury LA Forum Arena
Historic image of the LA Forum. (hmdavid/Flickr)
For months rumors have swirled that developer Madison Square Garden Co. (MSG) would buy the midcentury modern LA Forum arena in Inglewood, former home of the LA Lakers and LA Kings. (Its architect, Charles Luckman, also designed Madison Square Garden.) That deal is now official, according to Crain’s New York, who said the company just paid $23 million for the property. MSG will begin a “comprehensive renovation” of the arena later this year, and details of that job will be released this fall. The company is currently working on an $850 million renovation of Madison Square Garden, itself a taxing job that is set to be done by next year.
WRL’s Allen Theater Renovation: Eventscape
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Perforated scrims enhance acoustics in the 1920s Italian Renaissance-style theater (Eventscape)
Faceted steel screens solve acoustical problems while keeping the theater’s ornate 1920s architecture on view
The Allen Theater is one of eight venues in Cleveland’s Playhouse Square performing arts district. Opened in 1921 as a silent movie house, the Italian Renaissance-style building was renovated in 1998, when it began to host large Broadway productions and concerts. More than ten years later, the Broadway productions had moved to the nearby State Theater, leaving the door open to new resident companies Cleveland State University and Cleveland Play House. Last year, the 81,500-square-foot theater closed to undergo a dramatic transformation from its 2,500-seat format to a more intimate 500-seat proscenium theater. In the new space, designed by Westlake Reed Leskosky (WRL) and opened in September, faceted steel screens created by Toronto-based architectural fabricator Eventscape not only enhance acoustics but also hide or reveal the theater’s traditional interior finishes depending on the desired aesthetic.
QUICK CLICKS> Sound Sculpture, Randhurst Main Street, Highline 2.0, & Design Business
Zimoun Installation (Courtesy BLDGBLOG).
Prepared Motors. Included in recent news from BLDGBLOG, Swiss artist Zimoun installs a series of sound sculptures. Each cardboard piece, comprised of micro-mechanisms, projects subtle sound upon interaction. Watch the following video for the installation plus movement.
Renovation Take-over. The New York Times reveals that the Randhurst Mall, just outside Chicago in Mt. Prospect, plans to undergo serious renovation. The indoor mid-century shopping center will take on a new look with a $190 million renovation. Expect commercial transformation as the mall goes outdoors, for which it will destroy most original elements in favor of an open air shopping experience.
The Highline Phase 2, before and after. (Courtesy NYC EDC)
Highline 2.0. If you haven’t heard, the second phase of everyone’s favorite park, the Highline, opened this week, stretching from 20th to 30th streets through New York’s Chelsea neighborhood. The NYC Economic Development Corporation snuck onto the elevated railway before the official opening and has put together a fascinating before-and-after display.
The Design Sector. Archinect features a report from the Center for an Urban Future that specifies the capacity of New York City’s architecture and design sector and encourages its continued growth. The report reviews the “untapped potential” despite a remarkable 40,470 designers currently based in the Metropolitan area.
Frat Trashes Rudolph’s House
Following a renovation by the fraternity that occupied it, all most all traces of Paul Rudolph have vanished from his New Haven home. (Calgary Leveen/Yale Daily News)
One could make a living chronicling the iniquities visited upon the work of Paul Rudolph (lord knows we certainly have). From modest tract homes to cutting edge office towers, the trail-blazing, highly influential architect’s work has not fared well of late. Of the handful already demolished, as many are on the chopping block, and it has become an ongoing struggle for the Paul Rudolph Foundation to protect what’s left. One of the better projects to come along was the expansion of Rudolph’s Art & Architecture Building at Yale, where he taught for so long. But it now turns out that that was not the only renovation of the great architect’s work going on in New Haven. Read More
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