After decades of practicing architecture in New York, François returned to his native Haiti to set up a design and construction firm in Port-au-Prince. Here, he speaks candidly about his experience working in the troubled island country. Yves François is a firm owner who defies convention. The 45-year-old designer was born in Haiti but spent most of his childhood in Brooklyn. In 1986, he earned an architecture degree from the New York Institute of Technology and went on to work for 10 years at Pepsi as a facility manager and architectural consultant. He later held similar positions at Philip Morris

The 19 finalists for the Aga Khan Award for Architecture are to be announced this afternoon during an event at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

Photo courtesy MIT Eduardo Catalano Eduardo Catalano, an inventive Argentine architect and longtime professor, died on January 28 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Born in Buenos Aires, Catalano studied architecture at the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard. He is best known for the Raleigh House (1954), a glass pavilion topped by a 4,000-square-foot hyperbolic paraboloid roof. The three-bedroom dwelling, which Catalano designed for himself while living and teaching in North Carolina, was named “House of the Decade” by House and Home Magazine. It was demolished in 2001 after years of neglect. Catalano’s other projects include the Juilliard School of Music in New

Unemployed Designers in New York Band Together to Form LMNOP After getting laid off from Mancini Duffy in December 2008, Jennifer Graham felt disappointed and a bit panicky. But those emotions swiftly gave way to optimism. “I was so excited for new opportunities,” she says. Given her thick rolodex and tenacious spirit, she was confident she’d find a new job. “I have a business approach to everything I do,” she says. Photo © Danielle Austen Charlton Hutton, Jennifer Graham, Kristen Mucci, and other designers teamed up to form LMNOP. Related Links: Recession Stories: Where Are They Now? The following month,

11 international architects also receive honor The American Institute of Architects has elevated 134 association members to its College of Fellows, an honor that recognizes architects who have made a notable contribution to the profession and to society. Fewer than 2,900 of the association’s 83,000 members are fellows. Architects who have been AIA members for at least 10 years are eligible. Candidates are nominated within one of five categories (see below). Serving on this year’s jury were: Chair, Allan W. Kehrt, FAIA, KSS Architects; Henry C. Alexander, Jr. FAIA, Rizo, Carreno & Partners; Jeffrey A. Huberman, FAIA, Gantt Huberman Architects;

Below is a roundup of news stories featured in the March 2010 print edition of RECORD.

This week, the AIA announced the nine recipients of the 2010 AIA Young Architects Award. The prize recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and made significant contributions to the profession early in their careers. Architects who have been licensed 10 years or fewer, regardless of their age, are eligible. The winners will be honored at a ceremony in Miami during the 2010 AIA national convention, scheduled for June 10 to 12. AIA Names Winners of 2010 Young Architects Award David Burt, AIA After graduating from Mississippi State University, David Burt worked for Foil-Wyatt Architects in Jackson, Mississippi. Shortly after,