Harlem has seen a flurry of residential and retail developments in recent years. Now the northern Manhattan neighborhood is slated to get its first major office building in three decades'a striking glass tower designed by Swanke Hayden Connell Architects (SHCA). Named the Harlem Park, the 340-foot-tall, 21-story building will be the neighborhood's tallest. Photo: Courtesy Crystal CG Renders Swanke Hayden Connell Architects have designed a 340-foot-tall office tower that will rise at the corner of Park Avenue and 125th Street—the first major new office building in Harlem since 1973 An illuminated volume at the building’s southwest corner acts like a

  Chuck Hoberman Chuck Hoberman is the founder of Hoberman Associates, a multidisciplinary practice that specializes in creating products and structures that have the capacity to change in shape, size and function. His vast and varied project portfolio includes everything from toys and medical equipment, to deployable shelters and retractable domes. On Oct. 10, Hoberman will speak about “Transformative Structures” at the 2007 Innovation Conference in NYC. Jenna M. McKnight: What will you speak about at the conference? Chuck Hoberman: I will focus primarily on my collaborative work with several architectural firms. This includes projects in Spain and the Middle

William Mitchell is director of the MIT Design Laboratory, where he heads up the Smart Cities research group. The team is investigating how buildings and cities can respond more intelligently to their inhabitants. One of their recent projects is the CityCar Concept, a program involving stackable, electric vehicles that can be shared by urban residents. Hear Mitchell speak about “Technologies of Smart Sustainability” at the 2007 Innovation Conference. Photo: © Franco Vairani CityCar Concept vehicles Watch as Bryant Rousseau speaks with Mitchell about the future of cities, how to improve architecture schools, his SmartCar project, the great need today for