In this issue:
· Buildings Commissioner Named
· AIA Goes to China

Buildings Commissioner Named
City Council voted to pass Intro 755-A eliminating the requirement for the Buildings Commissioner to be a registered professional allowing acting commissioner Robert LiMandri to keep the position. Friday, 08.15.08, Mayor Bloomberg announced the promotion officially (Click here to read the full release).

AIANY has advocated against the ruling taking the position that the commissioner should be a licensed professional as safety concerns and the rate of new construction in the city necessitate a trained individual who can knowledgably handle all aspects of the position.

Weigh in on the topic on Blog Central, the AIANY blog.

AIA Goes to China
In October 2008, eight AIA chapters will travel to China to explore the Middle Kingdom. The tour will focus on both traditional and modern Chinese architecture, and will combine the experiences of Chinese culture and architecture. The tour will begin in Beijing with the Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, and the Great Wall, as well as contemporary icons, the Bird’s Nest Olympic Stadium and National Swimming Center. Next on the itinerary is Suzhou, the center of China’s classical garden culture, including the Humble Administrator’s Garden and the new Suzhou Museum (designed by I.M. Pei, FAIA, and Pei Partnership Architects). The tour will end in Shanghai to explore colonial buildings from the 1920s and 1930s on the historic Bund, structures that make up the Pudong skyline, Shanghai Museum, and Xintiandi. Several extensions to the tour are available including the Qing dynasty Summer Palace at Chengde, the Huang Mountains, or Xian / Yangzi River Cruise. For more information, click here.