On a 2003 trip to Toronto with her husband, Sharon Elfenbein of Denver picked up a copy of the Toronto Star one morning and came across an insert about an event called Doors Open Toronto. Started in 2000 by the City of Toronto, the two-day event offers lovers of architecture the opportunity to explore dozens of buildings that are either closed to the public or normally charge an entrance fee. (This year’s event will be May 29 and 30.) Newspaper guide in hand, the Elfenbeins decided to spend a day visiting some of Toronto’s architectural treasures. Photos courtesy DOD A

Willard Homewood is one of the most storied neighborhoods in North Minneapolis. Known for its grand early 20th century homes, the area was the setting for violent race riots in 1967. More recently, it has become a haven for artists and their families, with one 16-square block now called the Artists’ Core. Photo courtesy City of Minneapolis Architects are invited to submit residential designs for a vacant lot in North Minneapolis. Despite the renewal, Willard Homewood has been hit hard by widespread foreclosures over the years. Some houses have been torn down; others are boarded up. “You have these terrific

Washington State Architects Become Lobbyists for a Day This Friday, Timothy Buckley, AIA, principal and sole employee of Greenstone Architecture, in Vancouver, Washington, will drive two hours north to Olympia, the state capital. There, he and about 50 other architects from around the state will meet face to face with lawmakers to discuss issues related to the architecture profession. “We’re closing the office for the day,” Buckley quips. Photo courtesy Wikipedia On February 19, dozens of architects in Washington State will head to Olympia to meet with lawmakers. Related Links: Lobbying Tips for Architects AIA Members Lobby Congress Newsmaker Interview:

Photo courtesy Environmental Works Jan Gleason While many architects take on the occasional public service project, sometimes pro bono, Jan Gleason made an entire career based on creating innovative sustainable buildings for nonprofit community organizations. The Seattle architect called herself a “social worker in three dimensions,” and she specialized in child-care centers, affordable-housing projects, medical clinics, and community centers. Gleason died January 6 of lung cancer. She was 61. Born in New York City, Gleason grew up in Port Chester, New York. She received her bachelor’s degree in social science from Cornell University and her master’s degree in architecture from

Daniel Libeskind’s bold $110 million addition to the Denver Art Museum opened to the public on October 7, 2006. Three weeks later, after a fall snowstorm, the building’s sharply angled roof began to leak. Water could be seen dripping from a skylight in the four-story El Pomar Grand Atrium. Photo courtesy Wikipedia/Archipreneur (top); David Hill (bottom) Libeskind’s bold $110 million addition to the Denver Art Museum has been leaking since shortly after it opened in October 2006. Related Links: New Addition to Denver Museum Robert Ivy: Sky High Repairing the roof has proved to be no simple matter. In the

Correction appended September 10, 2009 Denver’s 639-page zoning code, written in the 1950s and amended countless times since, is getting an overhaul. Gone will be arcane zoning terms like R-1 and B-2, replaced by specific guidelines and illustrations describing what new buildings should actually look like. And instead of the old code’s one-size-fits-all approach, the new rules could vary neighborhood to neighborhood. Photo © David Shankbone/Wikipedia Steven Carr, president of AIA Denver, says the revamped code will "allow for more options for architects and their clients." Under the new code, the city will be divided into seven types of districts:

When Mark Baker started his small Albuquerque, New Mexico, firm, Baker Architecture + Design, in 2002, he focused on small-scale projects: home additions, kitchen remodels, garages, and the like. In more recent years, Baker’s work has grown to include restaurants, spas, high-end custom homes, and elementary schools for Albuquerque’s public school system. Then the recession hit. “We had three big projects canceled at the same time,” Baker says. “February was horrible. We didn’t have any jobs that month.” Image courtesy RNL Design RNL Design has found a 'safe haven' in government work. One of the firm's current projects is a

Correction appended March 31, 2009 Years ago, the Garrett-Dunn House, a 19th century Italianate structure in Philadelphia credited to the architect Thomas Ustick Walter, who also designed the dome on the U.S. Capitol, was slated for demolition. Despite its dilapidated condition, preservationists succeeded in getting the house listed on the city’s historic register and convinced a developer to incorporate the house into a luxury condominium project. While it wouldn’t be preserved in a technical sense, the landmark would live on.  Photo courtesy National Trust for Historic Preservation (top). Image courtesy Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners (above). The fate of