Architectural Record
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Subscribe
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Architectural Record
  • NEWS
    • Latest News
    • Awards
    • Interviews
    • Obituaries
    • Podcasts
      • Design:Ed Podcast
      • Sponsored Podcasts
  • OPINION
    • Book Reviews / Excerpts
    • Exhibition Reviews
    • Forum
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Videos
    • Design Vanguard
    • Top 300 Firms
    • Sponsored Content
    • Sponsored eBooks
    • From the Archives
  • CONTINUING ED
    • Editorial Continuing Ed
    • CE Center
    • CE Academies
  • PROJECTS
    • Buildings By Type
    • Reuse & Renovation
    • Museums & Arts Centers
    • Colleges & Universities
    • Multifamily Housing
    • Interiors
    • Lighting
    • Kitchen & Bath
  • HOUSES
    • Record Houses
    • House of the Month
    • Featured Houses
  • PRODUCTS
    • Products by Category
    • Record Products of the Year
    • Latest Products
  • EVENTS
    • Dates & Events
    • Record on the Road
    • Innovation Conference
    • Sustainability in Practice
    • Women In Architecture
    • Webinars
    • Ad Excellence Awards
    • Submit an Event
  • CONNECT
    • Ask RECORD AI
    • Newsletters
    • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Store
    • Customer Service
  • SUBMIT
    • Submission Guidelines
    • RECORD Competitions
  • MAGAZINE
    • Subscribe
    • My Account
    • Digital Edition
    • Current Issue
    • Firm Pass
    • Historic Archive
Architecture News

News Highlights of the Week: May 26 – June 1, 2007

By James Murdock
June 1, 2007

Editor’s note: You may read the news digest below or listen to it, plus other news headlines from ArchiecturalRecord.com, as a podcast by clicking this link.

Click the play button to begin | Click here to download

Renderings and plans of the U.S.’s new embassy in Baghdad appeared on the Internet in a surprising breach of security surrounding the sensitive project. The 10 images were posted on the Web site of the building’s architect, Berger Devine Yaeger, but have been removed at the request of the State Department. “In terms of commenting whether they’re accurate, obviously we wouldn’t be commenting on that because we don’t want people to know whether they’re accurate or not for security reasons,” an embassy spokesperson said in a June 1 article by the Associated Press. The $592 million complex is set to open in September.

The Royal Festival Hall reopens this weekend after a two-year, $200-million refurbishment—and judging by reviews, including a May 26 piece in the U.K.’s Telegraph, it’s a hit. Built in 1951, the concert hall was a potent symbol of London’s rebuilding after World War II; its Corbusier-inspired design by Leslie Martin and Peter Moro is widely considered one of the era’s best Modern buildings. The renovations, overseen by Allies and Morrison, upgraded the hall’s acoustics, relocated retail spaces, and restored Robin Day-designed furniture. “Don’t come here expecting (it) to have been transformed into some whizzy, hippity-hoppity ‘iconic’ architectural experience for the readily bored,” the Guardian wrote on May 30. “The building has been brought back to life in a way wholly recognizable.”

One wonders what future reviews will be like when it comes time to refurbish Daniel Libeskind’s addition to the Royal Ontario Museum, which opens tomorrow. Although the crystal-shaped building will likely provoke “shaking of heads, rolling of eyeballs, wringing of hands, the frothing, spluttering and snorting” now, the Toronto Star wrote on May 27, history is eventually kind to even the most despised new buildings. Canadians might also find hope in a May 27 Denver Post article about the Denver Art Museum. Although attendance fell short of projections after Libeskind’s addition opened there last fall, museum directors nationwide say the city has every right to be proud. Noting that 750,000 to 800,000 visitors was “a lot of people,” Heidi Zuckerman Jacobson, director and chief curator of the Aspen Art Museum, said “let’s stop crying over spilled milk.”

Frank Gehry is also accustomed to eliciting strong reactions from his work—so much so that he has chosen to wear it on his sleeve, or rather, emblazoned across his chest. The starchitect proudly dons a T-shirt whose logo reads “F*ck Frank Gehry,” according to an article in the June 4th issue of The New Yorker. (The T-shirt, though, uses the F-word’s full spelling.) The garment made its way into Gehry’s wardrobe via the limo driver of a friend of its designer, Barnaby Harris. The former Broadway stage manager has been creating similar shirts, such as “F*ck Yoga,” since 2001. Of his reaction to the shirt, Gehry said: “I thought it must have been the people in Brooklyn who are sort of angry,” referring to the widely opposed Atlantic Yards development. “But then I thought, well, it must be loving, too. So I decided it was funny, and I put it on.”

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Post a comment to this article

Report Abusive Comment

Subscription Center
  • Create an Account
  • Start a Subscription
  • Manage My Account
  • Sign Up for Newsletters
  • Visit Customer Service
  • Update Preferences

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Architectural Record audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Architectural Record or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • TAMLYN XtremeTrim Exterior Trim
    Sponsored byTamlyn

    Designing Cleaner Panel Facades: Why Exterior Trim Details Matter

  • Building with Vapor Barriers
    Sponsored byReef Industries, Inc.

    Vapor Barriers Help Control Moisture in Tighter Building Designs

  • Duct Interior with Prodeq System
    Sponsored byHenry, a Carlisle Company

    Designing Resilient Water Containment Systems

DESIGN:ED Podcast
Listen to Architectural Record’s DESIGN:ED Podcast

Events

June 10, 2026

Rethinking Stormwater – The Power of Porous Paving

Credits: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 1 AIBD P-CE; 0.1 ICC CEU

Learn how porous paving systems support stormwater management, reduce heat island effects, and enhance sustainable site design performance.

June 11, 2026

Very Early Warning Fire Detection for Mission-Critical Facilities

Credits: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 1 AIBD P-CE; 0.1 ICC CEU

Examine advanced fire detection strategies that support uptime and enhance safety in data centers and other mission-critical facilities.

View All Submit An Event

Products

2026 Architect's Square Foot Costbook

2026 Architect's Square Foot Costbook

See More Products

Popular Stories

Practice Matters illustration

What’s in a (Firm’s) Name? Thinking About Succession and Legacy

Coronado Bridge

The Architect’s Guide to San Diego

Practice Matters illustration

By the Numbers: Counting America's Architects

Riverdale House by Studio Lau

Riverdale House by Studio Lau

KRESA by DLR

In Kalamazoo, DLR Group Completes a Mass-Timber Hub for Career and Technical Education Programs

Broader Sustainability of CMU - Free Webinar - May 21, 2026

Related Articles

  • News Highlights of the Week: April 26 – May 2, 2008

    See More
  • News Highlights of the Week: May 5 ' May 11, 2007

    See More
  • News Highlights of the Week: May 19 – May 25, 2007

    See More
×

The latest news and information

#1 Source for Architectural Design, News and Products

SUBSCRIBE
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Submit
    • Store
  • ACCOUNT CENTER
    • Create an Account
    • Start a Subscription
    • Manage My Account
    • Sign Up for Newsletters
    • Visit Customer Service
    • Update Preferences
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • Linkedin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)

Copyright ©2026. All Rights Reserved BNP Media, Inc. and BNP Media II, LLC.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing