Karen Duckett, AIA, has attended pre-proposal meetings for public projects such as libraries and schools for years, usually encountering representatives of the same 15 or 20 Atlanta-area firms. Not anymore. At a recent meeting, 90 firms showed up, most seeking work to make up for the dearth of private sector projects. “The private sector is way, way down. Those firms that do development—residential, multifamily, commercial—they’re really hurting,” says Duckett, president of Atlanta-based, 20-person Duckett Design Group. Image courtesy Lake-Flato One of Lake-Flato’s projects that is still moving forward is the Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children, in San Antonio. Related

In October 2006, a handful of education leaders launched the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), an initiative that aims to make all campuses climate neutral. Of the 4,300 colleges and universities in the United States, more than 550 have signed on, from community colleges to Ivy League schools. Pledges come from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. “The diversity of the schools is incredible,” says co-organizer Lee Bodner, executive director of ecoAmerica, one of three organizations helping promote the initiative. The ACUPCC encourages general measures to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions, such as pursuing LEED certification for new

Predock's Flexible Arts Center Suits College's Boundary-Breaking Style Becoming a citizen of the United States requires study, effort, patience—and a lot of paperwork. But when the interviews are completed and the forms filled out, individuals raise their hands and swear allegiance to their new country. Chicago-based 4240 Architects wanted to provide a proper setting for that transformative experience, so they designed a two-story, glass-enclosed Ceremony Room for the new U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) building in Irving, Texas. Positioned along a busy highway, the light-filled room will not only be an uplifting space but also gleam “like a beacon,”

Constitution Text Inspires Immigration Building Design Becoming a citizen of the United States requires study, effort, patience—and a lot of paperwork. But when the interviews are completed and the forms filled out, individuals raise their hands and swear allegiance to their new country. Chicago-based 4240 Architecture wanted to provide a proper setting for that transformative experience, so they designed a two-story, glass-enclosed Ceremony Room for the new U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) building in Irving, Texas. Positioned along a busy highway, the light-filled room will not only be an uplifting space but also gleam “like a beacon,” says 4240

In the early 1960s, as NASA opened its Spacecraft Center and the Astros constructed the Astrodome, Houston experienced a building boom with Mies van der Rohe and Phillip Johnson producing rigorously Modern structures. But innovative design wasn’t the exclusive purview of world-famous architects. A store designer and shipbuilder created the Carousel House, which combined the era’s exuberance with the aesthetic of Modernism. Photos © Ben Hill The Houston residence built by Bob and Jean Cohen in 1963 (top). After the Cohens sold it in 2003, the house sat vacant for several years and filled with mold (middle). Known as the

The Dallas Museum of Nature & Science was formed in 2006 to inspire and educate the scientists of the future. Now its leaders have selected Thom Mayne, of Los Angeles-based Morphosis, as the architect for a new flagship building because they believe that he can help fulfill the institution’s mission. “Mayne is an teacher himself,” said Frank-Paul King, chairman of the museum’s board, speaking shortly before the museum’s press conference yesterday. King added that this background gives Mayne a unique understanding of how to create educational environments. The architect was one of four finalists along with New York-based Polshek Partners,

It’s hard to imagine a battle raging where mariachi bands now play and tourists sip margaritas. Yet in 1836, the 187 defenders of the Alamo, including Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie, fought and died near the spot where later generations would build the San Antonio Riverwalk. Holes from bullets and cannon blasts remain in the old fort’s walls as a reminder of the Mexican forces’ siege. Photo: courtesy the Alamo It’s not these battle scars that have preservationists worried—they’re part of the building’s history—but they are concerned about the effect of 2.5 million visitors a year. Although asked not to