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AIA Announces 104 New Fellows, Six Honorary Fellows

February 3, 2011

Today, the American Institute of Architects announced that it has elevated 104 members to its College of Fellows, in addition to naming six international architects honorary fellows. Fewer than 2,700 of the AIA’s 80,000 members are fellows. The honor recognizes architects who have made a significant contribution to the profession and to society; candidates also are required to have been AIA members for at least 10 years. Honorary fellowships are given to “architects of esteemed character and distinguished achievements who are neither U.S. citizens nor U.S. residents, and who do not primarily practice architecture within the domain of the Institute.”

White House Proposes New Green Buildings Program

Tom Ichniowski

February 3, 2011

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The White House has launched a package of proposals—including a new tax credit and grant competition among states and cities—that aim to make commercial buildings 20 percent more energy efficient over 10 years. The "Better Buildings Initiative," which President Obama announced on February 3 during an appearance at Penn State University, is targeting commercial buildings, which the White House says account for about 20 percent of total U.S. energy consumption. Obama said the plan could save businesses nearly $40 billion over the next decade in lower energy costs. The plan has several components, some of which will require congressional action.

Meltzer/Mandl Completes Final Design for $150M New Jersey Transit Village

Carolina Worrell

January 26, 2011

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A final design has been completed for the $150 million New Brunswick Gateway Transit Village, a 632,000-sq-ft mixed-use building located at the intersection of Somerset Street and Easton Avenue in downtown New Brunswick, New Jersey. It will link the campus of Rutgers University, as well as the larger community, to the local train station. Rendering courtesy of Meltzer/Mandl Architects, PC Meltzer/Mandl Architects of New York designed the transit village and completed the final documents for construction on the project, which first broke ground in January 2010. The development team includes New Brunswick Development Corporation and Pennrose Properties. Gateway Transit Village

Projects by Nouvel and Gehry Finally Moving Forward on Saadiyat Island

Angela Shah

January 26, 2011

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After delays attributed to the global economic recession, construction has begun on two of Abu Dhabi’s five planned cultural buildings—the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi museums. The five facilities will form an emerging cultural district on Saadiyat Island, located 500 meters from the city of Abu Dhabi, which serves as the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Officials at Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Development and Investment Co. (TDIC), which is developing the island, say they are using the recession to take advantage of reduced prices in construction materials and equipment. Saadiyat Island is envisioned as the home to

Newsmaker: Fumihiko Maki

Naomi Pollock, FAIA

January 16, 2011

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Fumihiko Maki During his many decades practicing architecture, Fumihiko Maki has accrued an impressive collection of awards, including the Pritzker Prize (1993) and Japan’s Praemium Imperiale (1999). Now, the American Institute of Architects has announced that this year’s Gold Medal will honor the esteemed architect, known for such projects as the Sam Fox School of Design and MIT Media Lab. A graduate of both Tokyo University and the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Maki was one of the first Japanese architects to study and work in the United States after World War II. Following his graduation from Harvard in 1954, Maki

Clifford A. Pearson

January 16, 2011

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Ole Scheeren After 15 years at the Office for Metropolitan Architecture—eight years as a partner—Ole Scheeren has split from Rem Koolhaas and set up his own firm. The new practice, called Büro Ole Scheeren, is based in Beijing (where Scheeren has lived for the past six years) and Hong Kong (where he has been a visiting professor at Hong Kong University since January 2010). He brings with him as a partner Eric Chang, an American architect who had worked at OMA in Beijing. At OMA, the German-born Scheeren spearheaded the design and construction of the China Central Television Station (CCTV)

Newsmaker: Diébédo Francis Kéré

Jenna M. McKnight

January 16, 2011

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Photo © David Heerde Diébédo Francis Kéré’s story is remarkable: He grew up in poverty-stricken Burkina Faso, won a scholarship to study carpentry in Germany, and went on to earn an architecture degree from the Berlin Technical University. While still a student, he built his first project: a school in Gando, his native village, which received a 2004 Aga Khan Award and starred in the recent MoMA exhibition Small Scale, Big Change. Today, Kéré lives in Berlin but remains focused on designing (and raising money for) sustainable buildings in Africa. His work isn’t going unnoticed. In addition to receiving the

In Haiti, ARCHIVE Houses Aim to Curb Disease Through Design

C. J. Hughes

January 12, 2011

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Image courtesy ARCHIVE “Breathe House,” from a joint U.S. and U.K. team led by architect Anselmo Canfora, won first place. Exactly one year after an earthquake rocked Haiti, and months after a deadly cholera outbreak began, the winners of competition to design homes that can halt the spread of infectious diseases have been unveiled. Today, the Architecture for Health in Vulnerable Environments (ARCHIVE), a New York- and London-based nonprofit development group, will reveal the winners of its contest, which attracted 147 teams from around the world after being announced in July. The five winning teams, made up of architects, engineers,

Haiti Housing Designs to be Unveiled This Month

C. J. Hughes

January 11, 2011

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Image courtesy Rodney Leon Architects The competition drew 400 proposed designs, including this one by New York architect Rodney Leon. After notable delays, the winners of the “Building Back Better Communities” competition, a Haitian government-sponsored initiative to generate housing solutions for the earthquake-ravaged country, will finally unveil their ideas. This month, one year after the 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck, 150 teams representing designers, manufacturers, and builders from around the world are expected to converge in Port-au-Prince for a four-day conference at which they will present renderings to government officials and the general public. The event is scheduled for January 31 to

Salvador Dalí Museum by HOK Opens This Month in Florida

A sculptural glass protrusion is an exciting counterpoint to the otherwise rectilinear museum. Yet constructing the faceted appendage posed a formidable challenge for builders.

Nadine M. Post

January 5, 2011

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Some see a frozen tear clinging to the “cheek” of the new Salvador Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida. Others see a melting crystal.

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

Upon course completion, participants will possess a deeper understanding of glass railings to help ensure that safety, aesthetic, and performance objectives are achieved.

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

Explore how propane-powered systems and whole-home generators can improve energy resilience, reduce electrical loads, and lower long-term residential costs.