eOCULUS 02.21.06

Editor's Note: With so many architecture events happening around the city, I hope you are able to brave the cold to attend. Oh, and please join me in welcoming e-Oculus to its new day—Tuesday!

REPORTS FROM THE FIELD

Lower Manhattan—the most historical square mile in America
Jessica Sheridan, Assoc. AIA

Event: From Dutch Outpost to World Capital: The Past and Future of Lower Manhattan; Downtown Third Thursdays, hosted by the Downtown Alliance
Presenter: Kenneth T. Jackson, History professor, Columbia University / editor, The Encyclopedia of New York City
Where: John Street Methodist Church, 02.16.06

Many of the strengths of Downtown New York in 1925—regularly scheduled transportation, a concentrated center for immigration, a complex of government and courthouse buildings, and a financial hub—sprung from the innate "locational advantage" of the city's proximity to great waterways. As interstate highways and air travel supplanted water transportation, the center of New York shifted to modernized midtown. Beginning in the 1970s, however, the speculative construction of skyscrapers signaled a new era for the district. Jackson, a professor, urban historian, and long-time New Yorkaphile, noted several current trends forcing the neighborhood to redefine itself yet again.

The inability to rent office space is influencing the conversion of office buildings to residential units, limiting urban density. The future of the Stock Exchange, a major anchor for the financial district, is in question, and the redevelopment of the World Trade Center site (with its associated cultural institutions) will have a major impact on the neighborhood. Future measures, including restoring the street grid at the World Trade Center site, providing a downtown link to Kennedy Airport, and making Lower Manhattan's subway system more efficient and reliable for commuters and tourists, will enhance the neighborhood, if realized. Ultimately, the City of New York will be able to teach countries like the Netherlands, which is at the forefront of urban planning today, about smart growth, transportation, and tolerance.

Zaha Hadid speaks of infinite experimental space
Courtesy Columbia University GSAPP

Courtesy Columbia University GSAPP

Event: Lecture, "Simultaneous Engagement"
Presenter: Zaha Hadid, Hon. FAIA
Where: Columbia University GSAPP
When: 02.08.06

Hadid's speaking style is unmistakable: rapid, assured, and fond of ending sentences as if asking a question. This is a superb voice for a futurist architect, implying interrogations, hypotheses, and experiments instead of readymade solutions. She is often patient enough to fall silent and let her paintings and renderings do the talking.

Hadid presented projects that reflect the natural world and the abstractions of mathematics. Anyone who has seen a warped grid show how gravity reshapes space will recognize this Einsteinian archetype throughout Hadid's forms. Grid deformation exists from the humble lines of a Strasbourg parking lot, bending cars into magnetic-field arrays, to the densely interwoven spaces of BMW's Leipzig factory, programmed to counteract corporate functional and class segregation. She organizes material through organic metaphors such as shells, cocoons, or striations, but her signature is velocity. She categorically rejects the definition of practice as antithetical to theory. "There's no such thing as practice," just infinite "experimental space." Not a final frontier, but an endless one.

Bill Millard is a freelance writer and editor whose work has appeared in Oculus, Icon, Content, and other publications.

Event: Symposium, "PARAthesis: Current Trajectories in Architectural Research"
Presenters: Denise Scott Brown, Keller Easterling, Jeffrey Inaba, Mark Jarzombek, Sylvia Lavin, Brendan Moran, Brett Steele, Roemer Van Toorn, Sarah Whiting; Moderators: Mark Wigley, Reinhold Martin
Where: Columbia University GSAPP, 02.03.06

Some architecture schools are moving away from the emphasis on individual thesis projects in favor of collaborative research. PARAthesis, a conference organized by Jonathan Lott, Brian Price, and Dominic Leong at Columbia, addressed issues of architectural pedagogy and research. Although the methodology behind individual study in architectural education can enhance architectural research, it can limit architects' attempts to engage with other fields. "Interdisciplinary work is considered a great feat, as if it wouldn't be expected from anyone else," quipped Easterling.

While some reject the individualism of the thesis others expressed skepticism regarding the complete embrace of collaborative work. "Thesis is a chance to state your own rules," said Whiting. The field of architecture advances because young architects have the temerity to question beliefs and rules established within the profession.

Pollyanna Rhee has done graduate work in education and is a member of the steering committee for Architecture for Humanity New York.

Event: African Burial Ground Memorial—2005-2006 President's Lecture Series
Presenter: Rodney Léon, AIA, NOMA, co-founder AARRIS Architects
Where: Pratt Institute, Higgins Hall, 02.09.06

New York City had the second largest enslaved population in the Colonial United States. When the five-acre African burial ground was discovered in 1991, it caused public outcry. With a charged project such as the African Burial Ground Memorial, it is impossible to appease everyone's concerns. Léon's approach is no exception.

Léon will create a sequence of experiences based on connecting visitors both physically and transcendentally with the buried Africans. In the spirit of Sankofa, a West African symbol of learning from ancestry, the context of the memorial acts as a conduit between the past and the present. Symbols inscribed around a procession wall imply a crossroad between the living and deceased. The pool at the center of the project provides a public gathering space and platform for libation ceremonies. The space within the monument is intimate, a place for quiet contemplation. The conical form is 20 feet high, the same depth as those buried underground, with an oculus open to the sky.

Although many of the intended materials (gold-plated walkways, for example) have been eliminated because of the tight $3 million budget, granite imported from South Africa authenticates the memorial. This will be a destination for international pilgrimage, a place of learning, and a space for gatherings and chance meetings.

Exterior Rendering of the New York Times Building
The Renzo Piano Building Workshop, FXFowle Architects, PC

MechoShade's AAC SolarTrak for The New York Times Building—3' solar penetration at 2:40pm.
Illustration by MechoShade

Event: The New York Times: Accomplishing Transparency…Living with Light; the second of the series, "Green Teams: How Sustainability Succeeds in Business"
Presenters: Hussain Ali-Khan—VP Real Estate Development, The New York Times; Jan Berman—President & COO, MechoShade Systems; Susan Brady—Principal, Susan Brady Lighting Design; David Cooper—managing director, Flack + Kurtz; Rocco Giannetti, AIA—senior associate, Gensler; Pekka Hakkarainen—VP, Lutron Electronics; Moderator: Glenn Hughes—Director of Construction, The New York Times
Where: Skyscraper Museum, Donnell Library Auditorium, 02.07.06

Although the New York Times headquarters features many sustainable elements, the design team is not pursuing a LEED certification. A more important pursuit is focusing on natural and artificial light.

An automated shade system prevents direct light from entering more than three feet into the building. Controlled by sensors and a database of the skyline's shadows, the shade system maximizes employees' views while preventing glare. Dimmable lighting fixtures work in harmony with the shade system creating a workspace that does not need to be fully lit by artificial light until the afternoon. The interior design incorporates technology, instead of expressing it, according to Gensler senior associate Giannetti.

Moderator Hughes spoke of the hope that incorporating "green" fixtures into the design will increase the demand and help reduce market prices. When asked about how the changing skyline could affect the automated shade system, Berman of MechoShade Systems said they have already incorporated the new One Bryant Park shadows into their database. Speaking to the potential sustainability success, there will be an estimated 65 percent energy savings on the south façade and 40 percent energy savings on the west façade.

Event: WATER: Micro/Macro? Evening Session of Columbia University GSAPP Symposium "Water—The Biggest Issue in Global Design?"
Presenters: Steven Holl, AIA—principal, Steven Holl Architects and Associate / architecture professor, GSAPP; Upmanu Lall—Earth and Environmental Engineering Chair, Columbia University
Where: Columbia University GSAPP, 02.06.06

"Water is H₂0, hydrogen two parts, oxygen one, but there is also a third thing," said Holl, opening his lecture with a quote from DH Lawrence. Like Lawrence, Holl is interested in the combination of water's functional qualities and spiritual appeal. Time magazine said something similar of Holl's architecture when it named him "America's Best Architect" in 2001, for "buildings that satisfy the spirit as well as the eye."

Running through a retrospective of his work, Holl traced his interest in water from his childhood on Puget Sound to a housing project in Fukuoka, Japan, and a museum of surfing and the ocean in Biarritz, France. His most revealing insights came with an explanation of a water treatment plant completed last fall in Hamden, CT. A project that deals explicitly with water, the plant does not feature any of Holl's characteristic reflection pools. Instead of using water as "a phenomenal lens," a tool that reflects other elements of a project, at the treatment plant, H₂0 takes center stage. There, Holl deals not just with the spiritual element of water, but with its hydrogen and oxygen too.

Lall's response to Holl was mostly admiring, although Lall reminded the architect that his focus on the spiritual qualities of water is a luxury most of the world cannot afford. Responding to images of Holl's residential projects, he said, "I've always been an ascetic. But tonight, for the first time in my life—I want to be a materialist!"

Tzonis offers the macro-history of regionalism.
Annie Kurtin

Lefaivre offers the micro-history of regionalism.
Annie Kurtin

Event: Architecture, Peaks, and Valleys in the Flat World
Presenters: Alexander Tzonis—professor emeritus, University of Technology of Delft, & director, Design Knowledge Systems; Liane Lefaivre—chair of architectural history and theory, Universität fur Angewwandte Kunst in Vienna; Moderator: Cathy Lang Ho
Where: Center for Architecture, 02.08.06

By tracing the development of regionalism in architecture through broad- and micro-historical lenses, Lefaivre and Tzonis presented a study of critical regionalism, both in its development and ideological evolution.

Lefaivre offered a "micro-history" of regionalism in America, established in 1944 with the seminal Built in the USA show at MoMA, curated by Elizabeth Mock. The key figure of the movement, Lewis Mumford, wrote not of local materials, techniques, or typologies, but of a responsivity to the reality of a region at a local and global scale. Regionalism began to gain ground as buildings like the UN Headquarters elicited public outcry against the International Style of Philip Johnson and Henry-Russell Hitchcock.

Tzonis presented a macro-history, tracing architectural history from the Acropolis through Renzo Piano's Cultural Center in New Caledonia. Landscape architecture of pre-Romance France and Great Britain were regionalist types that became political ideologies of their respective nations, for example. While perhaps more spectacular in scope, Tsonis lacked evidence to back up his claims. It is of interest to look at the Acropolis not as a classical Greek paradigm, but rather as an amalgam of Mediterranean cultural influences; Tzonis's examples were, however, unconvincing and did not suggest a succinct argument.

Jaffer Kolb is a freelance writer and an assistant editor at The Architect's Newspaper.

Event: Concrete Construction at 7 World Trade Center and the Automatic Climbing System, sponsored by the Structural Engineers Association of New York (SEAoNY)
Presenters: Tom Ameel, CEO—PERI Formwork Systems; Allan Paull PE, First Vice President—Tishman Construction Company; Bart Sullivan PE, Vice President—WSP Cantor Seinuk Structural Engineers
Where: Center for Architecture, 02.07.06

7 World Trade Center (7 WTC) collapsed from the effects of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Given the increased concerns of security and threat of fire from the Con Edison substation within the lower floors, the new 7 WTC's design team—architect Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, structural engineer WSP-Cantor Seinuk Group, and construction manager Tishman Construction—utilized concrete construction for the core given its inherent robustness and increased fire-resistance, and conventional steel framing for the remaining superstructure.

The Automatic Climbing System (ACS) designed by PERI is a self-climbing form that is raised from the subsequent pour without the use of a crane. ACS makes possible a 4-day pour cycle even in winter, expedited construction of the mechanical/electrical work, a simplified construction hoist, expedited curtain wall construction, compliance with local steel union labor rules, and a reduced overall construction schedule and cost. The steel-first approach causes structural design challenges as well, however, including maintaining the continuity of the floor diaphragm, using embedded link beams to behave compositely with the concrete core walls, and bracing the temporary perimeter utilized to stabilize the building during construction. Ultimately, the success of the system outweighs the challenges and ACS is influencing other high-rise construction work around the city. Tishman Construction, for example, plans to use a similar system at One Bryant Park.

RHETORICALLY SPEAKING

"I hope that in five years we will have a portal of knowledge that - whether you are a member or a non-member - this is where you turn to make the best built environment." spoke Chris McEntee, the AIA National Component's new Executive Vice President/Chief Executive Officer, during an open Q&A session at Grassroots, the AIA's annual three-day leadership conference. Not surprisingly, Grassroots takes place in DC, a city where public speaking is valued above other job skills and where ethnic and gender diversity is a demographic given.

Approximately 800 architects from every state went to speak with congressional representatives, carting specific "asks" for affordable housing and historic preservation (H.R. 3159), and Katrina relief funding (H.R. 4100). The AIA issue brief on "Sustainable Design/Energy Conservation and the Built Environment" and discursive Hill visits were mutually informative. Highlights of the knowledge-laden speeches included acceptance remarks by Antoine Predock, FAIA, winner of the Gold Medal, and AIA President Kate Schwennsen, FAIA, talking about the role of the AIA, and how it has changed. Kate noted that this is the first year that sees women serving as both President and CEO of the organization.

Diversity was the subject of the most necessary of the keynote speeches, that of Dr. Sharon Sutton, FAIA, who challenged those attending to recognize how much more the profession and the Institute needed to achieve. Starting with a repeated coda that diversity isn't easy, that "making diversity matter is bound to cause pain," we also heard why it was important: "Diversity is a recognizable source of innovation, bringing together a broader pool of talent and increasing access to information - it enables more grounded teams, usable products and feasible solutions, including buildings."

EDITOR'S SOAPBOX

After reading "Epitaph for a Critic" by Sheri Olson, FAIA, in the current issue of Oculus, I began to think about the role of architecture criticism in the public arena. As her story goes, Olson, an award-winning architecture critic and former contributing editor of Architectural Record, published an article in the Seattle Post Intelligencer called, "On Architecture: Mediocre apartment-retail building misses an opportunity to be a star," April 12, 2004 (the same year she became a Fellow). The article was a scathing review of an apartment building in Seattle designed by Weber + Thompson, proclaiming it as "a prime example of how mediocre architecture can drain Seattle's vitality and saps our souls." After threat of lawsuits by the architecture firm, and arguments within the paper about whether or not it stood behind her, ultimately Olson's editor suggested that future reviews not mention firm names to avoid offending anyone. Olson felt she had to quit.

What message is being sent when a critic feels she can no longer criticize, when freedom of the press comes with conditions and addendums? The bullying of an architecture firm can harm a writer's career, as the principals blamed Olson for harming theirs. Should criticism be filtered away from mainstream media—should it be limited to architecture magazines or specialized blogs?

It seems to me that the public, outside of the design field, is not used to being exposed to architecture criticism. Architecture is clumped with Real Estate or Art in the media. Public perception is muted; buildings are objects to look at, not to be used for social commentary. This niche is a safe place for architects because the field is superficially glorified. The media misleads the public to be passively wowed by the creativity of architects. The public is not trained to actively consider the repercussions a building will have on a neighborhood.

I think it is important for architecture criticism to reach the public so people can have informed opinions about how to best shape their neighborhoods. Architecture firms, as well as all fields involved in constructing a building, must be held responsible for the buildings they produce; and, writers should not be ostracized for their opinions.

eON THE SCENE

Mark Gorton of The Open Planning Project rallies for a pedestrian friendly NYC.
Sam Chadwick

West Broadway as it exists currently.
Courtesy NYC Streets Renaissance Campaign

West Broadway reimagined.
Courtesy NYC Streets Renaissance Campaign

Event: Livable Streets: A New Vision for New York opening party 02.07.06, presented by the Municipal Art Society of New York and the New York City Streets Campaign
Presenters: The Open Planning Project, Transportation Alternatives, & Project for Public Spaces
Where: The Urban Center
When: Exhibition: 02.01.06-03.29.06

It was a street rally at the opening of Livable Streets: A New Vision for New York, a collaboration among The Open Planning Project, Transportation Alternatives, and Project for Public Spaces. This exhibition, part of the New York City Streets Renaissance Campaign, explores the relationship between automobiles and quality of life declaring that streets are reclaimable as vital public spaces. On display are images that present problems of urban life among ever increasing traffic conditions; case studies and worldwide precedents present realizable solutions. Impressive is the passion, thought, and organization behind the pedestrians, bike riders, and community residents collaborating on this campaign.

A sense of rebelliousness and grassroots fervency permeated the party where several city councilmen and organization leaders spoke ardently about their dedication to re-imagining the streets of New York City. Paul Steely White, executive director of Transportation Alternatives, called for a city "where people have the right of way!" Mark Gorton of the Open Planning Project challenged politicians to adjust their incentives and expose the Department of Transportation's corruption. Ebullient rhetoric imbued the assembly with passion and determination. Stickball bats were included with every gift bag, offering visions of masses spilling into the streets taking back the city neighborhoods lost to the evils of the automobile… turning a renaissance into a revolution!

IN THE NEWS

Buddakan Collages New Asian Cuisine With Intricate French Design

Buddakan is "the King of Siam meets Louis XVI," according to Liaigre.
Goto Design Group Described as Chinese meets Parisian in the heart of industrial New York, Buddakan will open February 28 in the Meatpacking district. The Starr Restaurant Organization, which recently made news for opening Morimoto, Tadao Ando's first New York project, hired Christian Liaigre (with NYC-based Goto Design) to design the 16,000-square-foot restaurant seating 260. Fashion industry artistic director Fabien Baron has unified the conceptual themes of the restaurant with his selection of furniture, walls, menus, and even the restaurant's logo.

Nelson-Atkins Designed With Light

The NAMA parking garage doubles as a party venue.
Courtesy Steven Holl Architects Construction is nearing completion on the new 165,000-square-foot, $200 million Bloch Building at Kansas City's internationally recognized encyclopedic art museum. Designed by Steven Holl Architects, the building, a luminous glass and steel elongated extension is a counterpoint to the 1933 original Beaux-Arts Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. "The psychological need for natural light, the way that natural light characterizes the horizontal extension of the 840-foot-long gallery sequence is a key aspect," said Holl. He noted that the light changes as well in the underground parking garage, which makes a perfect party location with its undulating ceiling. Taking his advice, the museum held a black tie fundraiser in their award winning (2004 Category One Award of Merit from the International Parking Institute) parking garage. The building is scheduled to open in the spring of 2007.

Yale to Offer Master's Degrees in Green Building Design
Dean Robert A. M. Stern, FAIA, of Yale School of Architecture announced the university will offer a four-year advanced degree program in green building design and development starting next fall. The program combines 90 course credits in the architecture school with 36 in the school of Forestry & Environment Studies. The program will center on sustainable and restorative environmental design seeking to minimize adverse effects on the natural environment and human health, and enhance the beneficial contact between people and nature in buildings.

ASHRAE, USGBC, IESNA Standardize Green Building Practices
The US Green Building Council (USGBC), the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), and the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) are co-sponsoring the development of Standard 189, for the Design of High-Performance Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings. Minimum requirements provide guidelines for the design of sustainable buildings to balance environmental responsibility, resource efficiency, occupant comfort and well being, and community sensitivity. Using USGBC's LEED Green Building Rating System as a key resource, Standard 189 will drive green building into mainstream building practices.

HPD Releases 2005 Vacancy Survey
Initial results of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development's (HPD) Housing and Vacancy Survey (HVS) show that the City's total inventory of residential units was 3.3 million, the largest housing stock in the 40-year period since the first HVS was conducted in 1965. There were 1,043,677 rent-stabilized units in 2005, and the homeownership rate was 33.3, an all-time high. Neighborhood conditions were the best in recorded history as well. The HVS is a comprehensive housing market survey required every three years by State and City rent-regulation laws, and is designed to determine New York City's overall vacancy rate for rental housing. The comprehensive final report on the 2005 HVS will be released by HPD in 2007. Click the link to view the survey.

AROUND THE AIA + THE CENTER FOR ARCHITECTURE

AIA Seeks Volunteers for Los Angeles Convention

Courtesy American Institute of Architects The AIA is calling for individuals to help coordinate the 140+ continuing education seminars onsite at this year's national convention in Los Angeles in June. Volunteers who commit to monitor at least three seminars will receive complimentary convention registration. This is a great opportunity for AIA partners and practitioners to share the podium while earning AIA/CES learning units. For more information contact Beverly Holton at conventionspeaker@aia.org or by phone: 202.626.7445. Deadline for expressing interest is March 15, 2006.

Green Software Available to Architects
To help meet the growing green design information needs of its 77,000 members, the AIA recently signed an agreement to allow its members access to the online sustainable design tools of publisher BuildingGreen, Inc. The agreement provides AIA members with an immediate 30% discount on new and renewed individual subscriptions to BuildingGreen Suite, which includes in-depth articles, case studies, news, and product information. The agreement also outlines a number of ongoing joint initiatives that further the AIA's goals of promoting high-performance design and reducing the energy consumption of buildings, including access for members to articles from BuildingGreen's newsletter, Environmental Building News, through AIA Knowledge Community publications, AIArchitect, and on the AIA Web site (www.aia.org).

The AIA and BuildingGreen will work together on several new fronts, bringing important articles and research directly to AIA members, implementing distance learning initiatives, and providing continuing education credits for architects acquiring knowledge through BuildingGreen publications.

AIA San Francisco Launches ArchCasts
As part of the public outreach campaign, AIA San Francisco recently launched ArchCasts, a free downloadable podcast audio program featuring conversations with Chapter members. The series was created to help demystify and explain the design process to the general public. The first two topics available include, "Designing Your Dream Home with an Architect" and "Sustainable Design: What It Is and Why It Matters." ArchCasts are available online at the chapter website and can be downloaded at the iTunes Music Store.

T or F? Reducing Parking Could Lead to More Parking Spaces
By Christopher Stienon, AIA, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Co-chair

Challenging the myth that everyone is entitled to free parking at any time in any location, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, AIA New York Chapter, hosted the program, "Parking Policy—Best Practices to Meet Community Goals." Jeffrey Tumlin and Adam Millard-Ball of Nelson\ Nygaard Consulting Associates argued that a reduction of parking spaces below the typically accepted parking ratios could be successfully achieved in any community, regardless of the availability of public transportation and without increased traffic congestion and economic hardships to businesses. It was suggested that the apparent shortage of parking is more a reflection of poor parking management than a lack of actual spaces.

Several urban design case studies illustrated how reducing parking can be achieved with a management plan for on-street parking. Pricing parking spaces leads to an increase in availability because there is an incentive to use alternate forms of transportation. Because parking has such a huge impact on the look and organization of our communities, it is clear that greater attention must be given to the development of a more accurate measure of parking demand as well as a more efficient utilization of existing parking spaces.

If the Building Fits…Wear it!
By Erin McCluskey, Program Manager Center for Architecture Foundation

The garments displayed in the "Fashion of Architecture: CONSTRUCTING the Architecture of Fashion" exhibition at the Center for Architecture have met their match. After viewing the exhibition, 16 ninth-graders from the Academy of Urban Planning designed buildings inspired by the dresses.

Students worked in groups of four to decide which dress would serve as their inspiration, recording careful sketches of the dresses to present with their building models. Having just begun their spring semester art class, the students were excited to work with fabric, cardboard, paper, wood, found objects, and the always fun hot glue gun. The resulting building models connected colors, shapes, and construction methods with the garments on display.

The Academy of Urban Planning's theme-based curriculum draws students out of the classroom and into their communities, tapping into their innate curiosity for the world around them and developing skills that will move them towards higher education and careers. The Foundation will host more students during Students' Days and is planning an intensive urban design studio course beginning in March. If you are interested in volunteering for any of the Foundation's K-12 education programs, please contact info@nyfarchitecture.org or 212.358.6133.

Marketing: The Essentials
By Leon Geoxavier, project associate at RAND Engineering & Architecture, PC.

Good marketing is understanding clients' needs and showing them how to reach their goals. David Koren, Assoc. AIA moderated a discussion with Jennifer Green, Maxinne Leighton, Assoc. AIA, and Eulai Labay who outlined the following marketing advice to emerging architects:

The second Architects in Training Course, "Marketing," hosted by the Emerging NY Architects Committee (ENYA), sponsored by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., was held at the Center for Architecture February 7. For more, check out the Architect's Essentials of Marketing by David Koren, Assoc. AIA, part of the Architect's Essentials of Professional Practice Series books, published by John Wiley & Sons. For more information on the Architects-In-Training Courses, see www.aiany.org/committees/emerging/AITcourse.

April is National Landscape Architecture Month
The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) has named April 2006 National Landscape Architecture Month. ASLA chapters across the country will celebrate with public outreach activities to help communities "Discover Landscape Architecture," the theme for this year.

Each week throughout April will focus on a different aspect of the profession including landscape architecture's role in security design and disaster preparedness, cultivation of the next generation of landscape architects, green building and sustainable design approaches, and the value of residential landscape architecture. More information on National Landscape Architecture Month is available on the ASLA website.

OF INTEREST

In the spirit of the Olympics, a noteworthy competition has been announced. Enter your snowboard design in the Design Your Ride competition. Winning designs will be printed and sold as high-end limited edition snowboards. Win your own personalized board, gear, and "sweet prizes." Registration is free and the deadline is 03.03.06. Click the link for more information.

NAMES IN THE NEWS

Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum has announced the participants in the 2006 "National Design Triennial: Design Life Now"; New York area names include: Acconci Studio; Deborah Adler for Target Clear Rx; Nicholas Blechman; Thom Browne; Santiago Calatrava, FAIA; Cao/Perrot Studio; James Carpenter Design Associates; COMA; Maria Cornejo; Joshua Davis; Hervé Descottes; Han Feng; Field Operations; Judy Geib; Ron Gilad; Marsha Ginsberg; Hoberman Associates; Kid Robot; Chip Kidd; kOnyk; William and Steven Ladd; Jason Miller; Moorhead & Moorhead; Toshiko Mori Architects; MY Studio; OMA; Orlando Pita; PSYOP; Narciso Rodriguez; Chado Ralph Rucci; Leni Schwendinger; Tom Scott; SHoP/Sharples, Holden, Pasquarelli; Ken Smith Landscape Architect; SpeakUp; Suzanne Tick; Mark Tilden; Trollbäck & Company; Bernard Tschumi Architects; Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates; and Tobias Wong… Professional Women in Construction will confer member recognition awards upon Andy Frankl and Christine Flaherty at their Annual Awards Reception in March…

Yolanda Garcia will be posthumously granted the Yolanda Garcia Community Planner Award, the first annual award to be given in her name by the Municipal Art Society and community development group Nos Quedamos… Gail Sripaipan has won the Illuminating Engineering Society New York Section's competition to design the "Entrance of Illumination" at the upcoming Architectural Digest Home Design Show in New York… The Interior Awards, presented by Contract Magazine, have named Mark Harbick, AIA, Huntsman Architectural Group "Designer of the Year"; other New York area firms recognized include Bentel & Bentel Architects, Lewis.Tsurumaki.Lewis, NBBJ, Perkins+Will, and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Bonnie Leigh Slater-Wilson from Parsons The New School for Design won student honors… Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects has been awarded a 2005 Planning Honor Award by international planning organization The Waterfront Center.

SOSH Architects has been selected to develop a phase-III master plan for the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut… Alice M. Greenwald has been named Director of the WTC Memorial Museum… DMJM Rottet, the interior design practice of DMJM Design has announced openings of a number of new offices to be led by Lauren Rottet, FAIA, IIDA, including a location in New York.

Sighted

Antoine Predock, FAIA, with his 2006 AIA Gold Metal and halo at the National Building Museum 02.11.06.
Celeste Novak, AIA, LEED-AP

Antoine Predock, FAIA, sports the new trend in archi-wear: cool shoes.
Celeste Novak, AIA, LEED-AP

At Margaret Helfand's 25th Anniversary Party (l-r): Margaret Helfand, FAIA; Suzanne Stephens, Deputy Editor, Architectural Record; Cyndi Stivers, Executive VP, Martha Stewart Living/ Omnimedia; Wendy Moonan, New York Times Antiques Editor; Martha Spanninger, Sr. Supervising Producer, PBS
Kristen Richards

NEW DEADLINES

Awarded for travel and study with an eye towards sustainability. Three awards will be given to students and practitioners.

Open to all design and development professionals and students, the Prince Georges County Redevelopment Authority in Maryland is calling for visions for future redevelopment of Suitland Manor. This is the largest community rebuilding effort in Prince Georges County to date. The grand prize winner will receive $5,000.

Print is now accepting entries for the 2006 Regional Design Annual. All winning work, in 14 categories, will be organized by region and featured in the December 2006 issue of Print.

NYC design students are invited to participate in the design competition hosted by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America New York Section; construct a three-dimensional study of how light can reveal, create and transform the unseen.

The blog, Tropolism, is hosting a photo contest to uncover your hidden city. The jury, consisting of bloggers, will judge entries in five categories: Best Hidden Place, Best Density, Best Natural/Urban Overlap, Best Unofficial Landmark, and Best Building.

The AIA Small Project Practitioners (SPP) Knowledge Community requests articles and practice tips for the next SPP Journal, "Little Bitty Green Things". Case studies and proven best practices are encouraged on the topic of building green. For more information contact Melissa Strunk at mstrunk@aia.org.

The New York Building Congress is asking for nominations for the George A. Fox Public Service Award, bestowed annually upon one or more recipients in recognition of outstanding public or building industry service. Winners will be honored at the Leadership Awards Luncheon in May.

The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) seeks abstracts for papers on design strategies that increase the economic and social performance of affordable housing. Papers will be compiled for use in the forum AFFORDABLE DESIGN: Convening the Conversation held during the 2006 ACD Conference in June.

Co-sponsored by the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board and the Boston Society of Architects, this awards program will recognize excellence in the design of buildings or facilities in Massachusetts that are accessible for persons of all abilities.

The International Interior Design Association and Metropolis are hosting the First Annual Smart Environments Awards recognizing excellence in interior environments in tune with 21st century needs. Submissions will be judged on performance in the categories of design excellence, human wellbeing, and sustainability.

The Boston Center for the Arts announces an open two-phase design competition to transform the Tremont Street plaza and surrounding public spaces in Boston. Monetary awards are offered, along with the opportunity for the winner to provide extended design services for the project's realization.

Rafael Viñoly Architects is accepting fellowship applications to support original research advancing the craft and practice of architecture. Areas of investigation may include design methodologies, construction technologies, design representation and fabrication, materials technology, sustainable design, and other topics. A stipend and research expenses of up to $60,000 will be provided.

The US Green Building Council (USGBC) is hosting a competition focusing on the principles of integrated design, sustainability, innovation, and social consciousness. Geared toward students and emerging professionals, details of the competition vary by region. Each participating USGBC chapter offers a program specific to its geographic location.

DEADLINES

Oculus 2006 Editorial Calendar
Ideas/Submissions Deadlines (projects can be anywhere, but architects must be New York-based). Contact: Kristen Richards kristen@ArchNewsNow.com.
March 20: Summer: Architecture as Public Policy
June 20: Fall: Infrastructure New York
September 20: Winter: The Business of Practice

The 2006 AIA New York Chapter Design Awards have a revised schedule:
More information is available on the website
April 14: Entry forms and fees due
May 5: Submission deadline
May 8: Public symposium and award announcements
June 28: Luncheon honoring Design Awards recipients
June 29: Exhibition opens at the Center for Architecture

2006 BIM Awards
AIA SPP Knowledge Community Call for Articles - submission / email: mstrunk@aia.org
George A. Fox Public Service Award—nominations

New York Preservation Archive Project "50 Year Preservationists"—nomination deadline; e-mail: nypap@nypap.org.

ON VIEW

At the Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place:

About Town: Exhibit Announcements

About Town: Ongoing and Upcoming

Through 04.19.06
Bad Design Darts and Other Methods for Community-Led Improvement / The Municipal Art Society

Through 05.05.05
Prairie Skyscraper: Frank Lloyd Wright's Price Tower / Yale School of Architecture; 80 York Street, New Haven, CT

Through 05.07.06
Beyond Green: Toward a Sustainable Art / Museum of Arts & Design; 40 W. 53 St.

eCALENDAR
eCalendar now includes the information that used to be found in eOculus' Around the Center, Around the AIA, and Around Town sections. Click the above link to go to to eCalendar on the Web.

CLASSIFIEDS

Would you like to get your message featured in eOCULUS? Spotlight your firm, product, or event as a marquee sponsor of eOCULUS, the electronic newsletter of the AIA New York Chapter. Sponsors receive a banner ad prominently placed above the table of contents. Your message will reach over 5,000 architects and decision-makers in the building industry via e-mail every two weeks (and countless others who access the newsletter directly from the AIA New York web site). For more information about sponsorship, contact Dan Hillman: dhillman@aiany.org or 212.358.6114.

Architects
Leading NYC architectural firm is seeking multi-talented individuals with 3-5 years experience who are seeking the opportunity to grow professionally in an expanding award-winning office. Excellent benefits, salary commensurate with experience. Email resume to H. Weber: contactus@sbjgroup.com

ARCHITECT+INTERIOR DESIGNER
LEESER ARCHITECTURE, internationally recognized, award winning, DUMBO based firm seeks Sr. Architect & Intermediate Interior Designer to work on cultural institution projects. Architect with 8+ years experience required. Expertise in detailing and coordinating construction and consultant team documents. Registration desirable. Interior designer with 4+ years experience required. Expertise in finish documentation, FFE coordination and client interface. Strong communication skills a must. Proficiency in AutoCAD required. Great opportunity for growth. Competitive salary. Email resume and salary requirements to employment@leeser.com.

ARCHITECT—INTERIORS
Rand Engineering & Architecture, PC, 50-person Midtown firm, seeks experienced NYS-registered architect with solid background in interior spaces, plan preparation, NYC building code, zoning issues. Exterior envelope repair and restoration experience big plus. Excellent communication skills essential. Resume, salary: hr@randpc.com; fax (212) 691-7972. www.randpc.com.

Callison Architecture is an international design firm with over 550 team members and growing. We are currently seeking a talented Administrative Assistant for our New York Office. This individual is responsible for supporting the administrative needs of the NY office. Responsibilities include word processing, creating/maintaining filing systems, copying, faxing, and administrative telephone backup and marketing support. Candidates need a minimum three years prior administrative assistant experience, advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and PowerPoint, Ability to type 60 wpm, a client service focus, organizational skills, excellent follow-through skills, and the ability to juggle multiple tasks. This is a full-time position. To apply, send materials to Callison Architecture, 1420 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2400 Seattle, WA 98101 or by email to employment@callison.com. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, and value workplace diversity.

MARKETING COORDINATOR
GOSHOW ARCHITECTS, a mid-sized architectural firm specializing in educational and federal contracts, seeks a Marketing Coordinator to research leads, prepare proposals, foster new and existing client relationships, coordinate events and photoshoots, and maintain and update all marketing materials. Must be highly-organized, have strong writing skills and a good design eye as well as knowledge of InDesign, Photoshop, and Microsoft Office. Bachelor's degree and prior architectural marketing experience essential. Send resume, sample materials, and salary requirement to mds@goshow.com

Callison Architecture is currently seeking talented individuals for a Project Architect position in our New York office. This individual will work semi-independently in a project office environment with frequent communication to project teams in Seattle. Responsibilities for this position include the following: prepare design concepts and translate them into workable construction systems; maintain quality technical and design control; maintain records to document phases of client/architect/consultant/contractor relationship and activities.

Must have experience and working knowledge of retail, mixed-use and commercial projects; be proficient with CADD systems, Photoshop proficiency, electronic documentation and we-based project management processes. This position requires a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Architecture, Interior Design, or related field. Licensure preferred, and minimum of 8-10 years experience.

To apply, send application materials to Callison Architecture, 1420 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2400, Seattle, WA 98101 or by email to employment@callison.com.

MARKETING COORDINATOR
Architecture Research Office seeks qualified individual to coordinate marketing activities. Responsibilities include generation of proposals, production and management of promotional material including brochures and qualifications packages, response to media requests and market research. The ideal candidate will have excellent verbal, written and graphic skills. Experience working with design professionals preferred (2-3 years). Proficiency with Word, Quark, InDesign and Illustrator is essential. Please email resume and cover letter, with Marketing Coordinator in the subject line: resumes@aro.net.

The AIA Contract Documents program
provides proven, consistent, and effective standard form contracts to the building design and construction industry. The program directs its efforts toward improving existing documents and developing new ones. In late 2005 the AIA introduced six new contract documents. These included two new agreements and four new scopes of service documents for use with owner-architect agreements.

Paper Documents
The AIA New York Chapter is a full-service distributor of AIA Contract Documents, which are the most widely used standard form contracts in the building industry. These comprehensive contracts have been prepared by the AIA with the input of contractors, attorneys, architects, and engineers. Typically, industry professionals and home/property owners use these documents to support agreements relating to design and construction services. Anyone may purchase and use the AIA Contract Documents. AIA Members receive a 10% discount. For a full list and order form, see www.aiany.org/documents/list.pdf or call 212.358.6113 with your fax number.

Electronic Format Documents
The new AIA Contract Documents software is completely redesigned, based on Microsoft Word, and is easier to use than Word itself. Enter project and document information once and reuse it automatically. E-mail documents as Word or PDF attachments. Print "clean copy" final documents with all changes captured in a special report. Go to www.aia.org/docssoftwaretraining for Contract Documents Software Training and www.aia.org/docs_purchase to download the AIA Contract Documents software.

If you already have the software, Version 2.0.5: Software Update is now available.

AIA New York Chapter's HOME page
If you have any comments, questions or concerns regarding eOculus or would like to know about advertising in or sponsorship of eOculus, or would like to be included in our mailing list please write to us at dhillman@aiany.org.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

02.21.06

REPORTS FROM THE FIELD

RHETORICALLY SPEAKING

EDITOR'S SOAPBOX

eON THE SCENE

IN THE NEWS

AROUND THE AIA + THE CENTER FOR ARCHITECTURE

OF INTEREST

NAMES IN THE NEWS

Sighted

NEW DEADLINES

DEADLINES

ON VIEW

At the Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place:

Architecture's 53rd Annual P/A Awards

The Fashion of Architecture
CONSTRUCTING the Architecture of Fashion

Related Event

ESTO NOW: Photographers Eye New York

Two Columbus Circle (plus): Museum of Arts & Design and Allied Works Architecture

About Town: Exhibit Announcements

About Town: Ongoing and Upcoming

CLASSIFIEDS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

02.21.06

REPORTS FROM THE FIELD

RHETORICALLY SPEAKING

EDITOR'S SOAPBOX

eON THE SCENE

IN THE NEWS

AROUND THE AIA + THE CENTER FOR ARCHITECTURE

OF INTEREST

NAMES IN THE NEWS

Sighted

NEW DEADLINES

DEADLINES

ON VIEW

At the Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place:

Architecture's 53rd Annual P/A Awards

The Fashion of Architecture CONSTRUCTING the Architecture of Fashion

Related Event

ESTO NOW: Photographers Eye New York

Two Columbus Circle (plus): Museum of Arts & Design and Allied Works Architecture

About Town: Exhibit Announcements

About Town: Ongoing and Upcoming

CLASSIFIEDS

The Fashion of Architecture
CONSTRUCTING the Architecture of Fashion