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A new National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) laboratory in La Jolla, California, is back on track after receiving funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The $102 million lab, designed by a team led by GouldEvans architecture, Gibbens Drake Scott engineering, and Architects | Delawie Wilkes Rodrigues Barker, had been on hold since the beginning of 2008 due to a lack of funding. Image courtesy GouldEvans GouldEvans has designed a new lab for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Related Links: Architects Get Slice of Stimulus Pie GSA Awards $435 Million Contract GSA Contracts Start to Surge Special

Before moving into its new home in 2007, the University of Arizona's architecture program had been housed in some unlikely locations over the years: in the 1960s, classes were held in a former Safeway store, and until 2007, an old Episcopal church. “When we moved to our new building we took the altar and rectory table with us,” remarks Ron Stoltz, the director of UofA’s College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, “but otherwise the new building is a complete departure from our past.” Photo © Robert Reck University of Arizona, College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture Related Links: CCNY Architecture

Jason Rodriguez Photo courtesy of AP/Wideworld A former employee of engineer-architect Reynolds, Smith & Hills Inc. entered the company's downtown Orlando office shortly before lunch on Friday and shot and killed one employee and wounded five other people. The alleged shooter, Jason Rodriguez, 40, then fled the building and was apprehended without resistance about four hours later by Orlando police. “Clearly, this has been a sad day for the close family at RS&H,” said Mike Bernos, spokesman at the company’s Jacksonville headquarters. “We’re saddened by the event. Our greatest concern is for our associates in the Orlando office.” Reached by

Photos © Bruce Damonte The Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture, located on CCNY’s campus in Upper Manhattan, recently opened. Related Links: CCNY Architecture Schools Gets $25 Million Gift Architecture Programs Get Boost from New Facilities At last, architecture students and faculty at the City College of New York (CCNY) have a home of their own. On September 16, several hundred people attended the dedication ceremony for the Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture, designed by Rafael Viñoly Architects. Not only is it the first new academic building on the public university’s Upper Manhattan campus in 30-plus years;

Images courtesy Foster & Partners For 980 Madison Avenue, the developer initially wanted to add a pair of intersecting towers to the building (bottom). In May 2008, a revamped scheme was proposed that featured a five-story addition with a screen made of bronze-colored rods (middle). The scheme that finally was approved is smaller and lighter (top). Related Links: Foster Tries Again in Upper Manhattan New York's Toniest Residents Clash Over Foster Design After nearly three years of deliberation and modifications, a project by Foster + Partners at 980 Madison Ave on New York’s Upper East Side has received approval from

Manufacturers are rushing toward the light—specifically the diffuse, uniform light cast by organic light-emitting diodes. They are encouraging consumers to move toward it, too, by commissioning projects that demonstrate the technology’s applications to specifiers. In 2008, for example, Osram Opto Semiconductors unveiled limited-edition OLED table and pendant lamps by Ingo Mauer. Months later Osram competitor Royal Philips Electronics launched its own OLED equipment, called Lumiblade, and this year the Dutch company has taken its application show on the road. Photos courtesy Royal Philips Electronics Royal Philips Electronics recently launched two new OLED applications: Lumiblade Mirrorwall (top) and Lumiblade Markerlight (bottom).

Photo © Richard Shields, courtesy Legacy Chicago The goal of the “decarbonization” plan is to improve the performance of buildings and infrastructure systems in the Chicago Loop. Related Links: CTBUH Names Tall Building Winner Smith + Gill's Masdar Headquarters A Chicago architecture firm is producing a holistic planning approach to reduce carbon emissions in dense urban cores. The fledgling urban planning effort, which Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture is developing for the 550-building Chicago Loop area, is a process that starts with a survey of existing buildings in a district to assess age, use, condition, energy consumption, and more.