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An effort in Congress to eliminate funding and scrap the proposed design for a national memorial honoring President Dwight D. Eisenhower drew strong opposition Friday from the American Institute of Architects, which said lawmakers should not censor an architectural work.

Earlier in the week, Utah Rep. Rob Bishop introduced legislation calling for a new design competition for the memorial, citing objections to the current design from Ikes family and the projects cost. Bishop seeks to eliminate $100 million in future funding for the current design by architect Frank Gehry.

The famous architect whose designs include the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles has proposed a memorial park for Eisenhower. It would include statues of the president and World War II hero, framed by large metal tapestries depicting images of Ikes boyhood home in Kansas. The tapestries, held up by 80-foot-tall columns, would be a first among Washingtons memorials and have drawn objections.

Members of Eisenhowers family have called Gehrys design too extravagant. Others have bemoaned its avant-garde approach with the tapestries. The memorial is projected to cost $142 million, and millions of federal dollars have already been spent in choosing an architect and hiring Gehry.

The American Institute of Architects, representing 83,000 members, said Friday that it will vigorously oppose Bishops legislation mandating an alternate design, saying it would circumvent the yearslong process already completed.

Representative Bishops legislation allows Congress to exercise governmental authority in a wholly arbitrary manner that negates the stated selection process, said the associations CEO, Robert Ivy. It is nothing more than an effort to intimidate the innovative thinking for which our profession is recognized at home and around the globe.

Ivy said the architects association is not passing judgment on whether Gehrys design for the Eisenhower Memorial is good or bad.

In the past, when Ivy was editor-in-chief of Architectural Record magazine, he served on a design panel for the U.S. General Services Administration to advise on the selection of an architect for the memorial.

Bishop has said lawmakers need to re-evaluate the project in hopes of finding consensus on a design. His legislation also would provide a three-year extension of Congressional approval to use a planned site for the memorial at the base of Capitol Hill near the National Air and Space Museum.

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Architects oppose bill to alter Frank Gehry's proposed memorial to Eisenhower

WASHINGTON - An effort in Congress to eliminate funding and scrap the proposed design for a national memorial honouring President Dwight D. Eisenhower drew strong opposition Friday from the American Institute of Architects, which said lawmakers should not censor an architectural work.

Earlier in the week, Utah Rep. Rob Bishop introduced legislation calling for a new design competition for the memorial, citing objections to the current design from Ike's family and the project's cost. Bishop seeks to eliminate $100 million in future funding for the current design by architect Frank Gehry.

The famous architect whose designs include the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles has proposed a memorial park for Eisenhower. It would include statues of the president and World War II hero, framed by large metal tapestries depicting images of Ike's boyhood home in Kansas. The tapestries, held up by 80-foot-tall columns, would be a first among Washington's memorials and have drawn objections.

Members of Eisenhower's family have called Gehry's design too extravagant. Others have bemoaned its avant-garde approach with the tapestries. The memorial is projected to cost $142 million, and millions of federal dollars have already been spent in choosing an architect and hiring Gehry.

The American Institute of Architects, representing 83,000 members, said Friday that it will "vigorously oppose" Bishop's legislation mandating an alternate design, saying it would circumvent the yearslong process already completed.

"Representative Bishop's legislation allows Congress to exercise governmental authority in a wholly arbitrary manner that negates the stated selection process," said the association's CEO, Robert Ivy. "It is nothing more than an effort to intimidate the innovative thinking for which our profession is recognized at home and around the globe."

Ivy said the architects' association is not passing judgment on whether Gehry's design for the Eisenhower Memorial is good or bad.

In the past, when Ivy was editor-in-chief of Architectural Record magazine, he served on a design panel for the U.S. General Services Administration to advise on the selection of an architect for the memorial.

Bishop has said lawmakers need to re-evaluate the project in hopes of finding consensus on a design. His legislation also would provide a three-year extension of Congressional approval to use a planned site for the memorial at the base of Capitol Hill near the National Air and Space Museum.

Without an extension from Congress, the project is set to expire this year.

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Architects group opposes effort in Congress to mandate changes in Eisenhower Memorial design

WASHINGTON (AP) An effort in Congress to eliminate funding and scrap the proposed design for a national memorial honoring President Dwight D. Eisenhower drew strong opposition Friday from the American Institute of Architects, which said lawmakers should not censor an architectural work.

Earlier in the week, Utah Rep. Rob Bishop introduced legislation calling for a new design competition for the memorial, citing objections to the current design from Ike's family and the project's cost. Bishop seeks to eliminate $100 million in future funding for the current design by architect Frank Gehry.

The famous architect whose designs include the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles has proposed a memorial park for Eisenhower. It would include statues of the president and World War II hero, framed by large metal tapestries depicting images of Ike's boyhood home in Kansas. The tapestries, held up by 80-foot-tall columns, would be a first among Washington's memorials and have drawn objections.

Members of Eisenhower's family have called Gehry's design too extravagant. Others have bemoaned its avant-garde approach with the tapestries. The memorial is projected to cost $142 million, and millions of federal dollars have already been spent in choosing an architect and hiring Gehry.

The American Institute of Architects, representing 83,000 members, said Friday that it will "vigorously oppose" Bishop's legislation mandating an alternate design, saying it would circumvent the yearslong process already completed.

"Representative Bishop's legislation allows Congress to exercise governmental authority in a wholly arbitrary manner that negates the stated selection process," said the association's CEO, Robert Ivy. "It is nothing more than an effort to intimidate the innovative thinking for which our profession is recognized at home and around the globe."

Ivy said the architects' association is not passing judgment on whether Gehry's design for the Eisenhower Memorial is good or bad.

In the past, when Ivy was editor-in-chief of Architectural Record magazine, he served on a design panel for the U.S. General Services Administration to advise on the selection of an architect for the memorial.

Bishop has said lawmakers need to re-evaluate the project in hopes of finding consensus on a design. His legislation also would provide a three-year extension of Congressional approval to use a planned site for the memorial at the base of Capitol Hill near the National Air and Space Museum.

Without an extension from Congress, the project is set to expire this year.

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Architects oppose bill to alter DC memorial to Ike

"We were able to reuse the bowling alleys as table tops," Schaefer said.

Four and a half months and $3 million later, the former ice factory is the new headquarters of Selser Schaefer Architects, as well as one of the newest landmarks in the Kendall-Whittier district.

Thursday's grand opening also marked the 20th anniversary of the company.

Selser Schaefer, known for work such as the Tulsa Community College Center for Creativity, the new Hardesty Arts Center in the Brady District and the Tulsa Boys Home building - as well as plenty of other buildings in the area and across the nation - had been considering a move for quite some time.

The Tulsa Ice Co. building at 2002 E. Sixth St. gave the architectural firm a building with true character as well as an opportunity to join the rebirth of Kendall-Whittier.

"It's great to be part of the resurrection of the neighborhood," Schaefer said.

Ed Sharrer, executive director of Kendall-Whittier Main Street, said Selser Schaefer is a perfect complement to the neighborhood.

"The company fits with the district and complements the creativity of the other businesses here," he said. "It may help catch the eye of residents who might not have realized this district existed, and encourage them to move their companies here as well."

Selser estimated the building went up in the late 1920s, when Tulsa Ice Co. sold ice by the block for keeping food cool. After home refrigerators replaced the need for ice, the building was used as a foundry and an auto warehouse before becoming vacant in the 1980s.

Selser Schaefer used the structure of the building as a guide when putting in new features. For example, the open loading dock on the side became a patio that employees can use on breaks.

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Selser Schaefer Architects moves into renovated Tulsa Ice Co. building

ELENA | 5 studenti x 5 giorni con Sou Fujimoto Architects
11-15 marzo 2013 Per cinque giorni cinque studenti di architettura, i pi veloci a rispondere all #39;open call del MAXXI, entrano a far parte del team di lavoro...

By: MuseoMAXXI

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ELENA | 5 studenti x 5 giorni con Sou Fujimoto Architects - Video

BLRB Architects presented the current state of the plans for a new school to be built on the site of the old Genesee Hill Elementary during a Community Conversation held Thursday, March 14.

By Gwen Davis

Parents and community members gathered at a Community Conversation on Thursday evening to discuss the proposed site for a new elementary school on Genesee Hill.

The meeting focused on how the new facility would physically look. Architects of the company to construct the building, BLRB, presented a PowerPoint showcasing diagrams of the proposed plan. The diagrams were crude rough-drafts of the final version, they said, analogous to crayon sketches.

The building will not near actual construction for another year.

This meeting was one of the first of many opportunities the public will have to raise questions and submit comments. During the hour and a half meeting, facilitators wrote down attendees concerns on a large white easel. Around 20 community members showed.

Questions were raised about safety and security, parameters of the playfield, number of stories, venues for parent drop-off, numbers of students the facility could accommodate, and others. Architects frequently said they didnt know the answers to questions, simply because this was still in such an initial phase.

BLRB will need to work with the Seattle Department of Transportation and other city agencies as the plans become more finalized.

Facilitators said they were eager to address the concerns of the community and looked forward to more conversations in the near future.

This story will be updated

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Community members, architects discuss new Genesee Hill elementary school

Architects defend Tolworth Greenway design against unimpressed residents

10:01am Friday 15th March 2013 in News By Hana Hausmeister, Reporter

Toloworth Greenway project manager Rod Raffell

Architects of the 3m Tolworth Greenway project defended their design against an onslaught of unimpressed residents at the latest presentation.

Tom Sudhoff, landscape architect at Studio Egret West, the team behind the project design, said he was pleased with the final plans despite a backlash of protests.

He said: We love the approach that the council is willing to take to improve the area.

Residents at the meeting in Tolworth Tower on Wednesday night raised concerns about the fragmented colour-scheme, the 20mph speed limit, and the traffic on the roundabout.

Mary-Ann Sorci, from Raeburn Avenue, said: It is a waste of money. All they had to do was take the barriers down and let Tesco do all the rest.

Twenty miles an hour at three oclock in the morning is ridiculous. Tolworth Broadway already makes more money than any road in the area because of the parking charges.

Defending the colour scheme, Mr Sudhoff said: We couldnt use lots of shrubs in that area because of the cyclists and pedestrians. It would be difficult to maintain.

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Architects defend Tolworth Greenway design against unimpressed residents

The Tour of Architects is gearing up for the 4th annual home tours, offering the public a rare opportunity to visit architectually significant homes and meet the architects who designed them. The tours enable the public to experience first-hand the resounding affect that excellent design can have upon their senses.

Seattle, Bellevue, Mercer Island, WA (PRWEB) March 12, 2013

Twelve architectural firms are presenting projects, including cutting-edge newcomers Chadbourne + Doss Architects, who are presenting a home that won the esteemed AIA Honor Award in 2011. Fourth year participant and tour favorite Lane Williams from Coop 15 is also presenting a new remodel in the View Ridge neighborhood. Other architects include Baylis Architects, Elemental Design, llc; Group 3 Architects; Jones & Jones Architecture + Landscape Architecture; Lewis + Smith; Replinger Hossner Osolin Architects; ROM Architecture Studio; Studio Zerbey and Whitney Architecture.

As a special bonus, title sponsor Albert Lee Appliance will host in-store cooking demos at their Bellevue Store as part of the tours.

A sneak preview of the maps and featured homes and complete schedule of events can be viewed at http://www.TourofArchitects.com, Tickets are priced at $20.00 for one day, or $35.00 for a weekend pass, and are on sale now at the same website.

Tour of Architects. March 23 & 24, with projects in greater Seattle featured on Saturday, and projects on Mercer Island and the Eastside open on Sunday. Projects are open 11am 4pm. Contact Liz Gadbois, Producer, for more info at (206) 819-3618 or Liz(at)TourofArchitects(dot)com.

Tour of Architects, March 23 24, 2013. Projects open 11am 4pm. Tickets $20.00 per tour, or $35.00 for weekend pass. Maps & Projects viewable online at http://www.TourofArchitects.com. Tickets on sale now at http://www.TourofArchitects.com.

Elizabeth Gadbois Liz@BainbridgeGEM.com 206.819.3618 Email Information

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Tour of Architects Home Tours Slated for March 23 and 24, Featuring Custom Homes Designed by Cutting-Edge Regional ...

NEW HAVEN, Conn., March 12,2013 /PRNewswire/ --A state-of-the-art computing center by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, the Bill & Melinda Gates Computer Science Complex and Dell Computer Science Hall, opened Wednesday at the University of Texas at Austin with a talk by Bill Gates. Known as GDC, the 232,000-square-foot complex brings together all programs, faculty, and students of the university's top-10 ranked Computer Science Department for the first time.

(Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130312/NE75420 )

The complex comprises two buildings connected by a large glass atrium; Dell Computer Science Hall is the north building. Materials such as cast limestone and Texas brick recall UT's Spanish Mediterranean-style architecture, while the use of glass adds a contemporary spirit. The bustling atrium is the social center of the complex with wide bridges crossing the space that includes inviting study lounges with links to outdoor terraces. Artwork was selected for the project as part of UT's public art program.

"The open design and spectacular light and architectural features of the Gates Dell Complex create an inspiring environment for computer science researchers, faculty, students and staff," stated Pat Clubb, Vice President for University Operations. "A building that engages the academic community to this degree can only be achieved with a world-class architect. Pelli Clarke Pelli's contemporary vision for this building and the architectural dialogue it creates is perfectly complemented by Sol LeWitt's Circle with Towers which the university erected in front of the new complex."

The complex contains nearly 24,000 square feet of instructional space and 20,000 square feet for research. Ten research clusters each have glass-walled laboratories surrounded by offices and discussion areas to share the excitement of research with students. The department is known for its work in cybersecurity, computer systems, artificial intelligence and robotics.

GDC is the second UT Austin building by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, which also designed the 1996 campus master plan. The firm has designed buildings and campuses for more than 40 higher education clients.

STG Design is the executive architect for GDC.

Founded in 1977 and led by Cesar Pelli, Fred Clarke, and Rafael Pelli, Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects has designed some of the world's most recognizable buildings, including the World Financial Center in New York, the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, and the International Finance Centre in Hong Kong.

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Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects ' new computing center opens at the University of Texas at Austin

Daniel Brown (left), director of the Carl Hansen Student Center, with Jefferson Riley of Centerbrook Architects. Centerbrook donated a series of Bobcat statuettes that now overlook the newly renovated Carl Hansen Student Center on Quinnipiac University's Mount Carmel Campus. February 21, 2013.

HAMDEN >> Centerbrook Architects & Planners has donated 10 bobcat sculptures to be placed in Quinnipiac Universitys Carl Hansen Student Center to symbolize the strong relationship between the two organizations.

We designed the nook behind the fireplace to be a cozy den for students, and it turned out to be a perfect den for bobcats, as well, said Jefferson Riley, partner at Centerbrook, of Centerbrook, Conn.

Riley, who has been the major architect at the university since 1978, said he hopes the university community enjoys the statues sculpted by Bob Shure and his team at Skylight Studio in Boston.

Each of the bobcats, sculpted first in clay by hand then cast in a liquid resin before being smoothed and painted to resemble bronze, is unique in pose. Each is approximately 24 inches long by 14 inches high and weighs about five pounds.

The bobcats complete the space, said Daniel Brown, assistant dean and director of the student center. They bring a sense of spirit and pride to the piazza. We are grateful to have them.

The bobcats are not Centerbrooks first contribution to the university. Other donations include the floral gutters at the College of Arts and Sciences, the artwork on the walls of the Arnold Bernhard Library and the three chandeliers in the Rocky Top Student Center made of recycled jet engine parts.

Centerbrook has been an extraordinary corporate partner providing financial support for the Arnold Bernhard Library, the TD Bank Sports Center, the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine and all three Quinnipiac Classic Golf Tournaments, said Donald J. Weinbach, vice president for development and alumni affairs. We truly value this long-standing relationship with Jeff Riley and his partners.

Quinnipiac is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian institution located 90 minutes north of New York City and two hours from Boston. The university enrolls 6,200 full-time undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students in 58 undergraduate and more than 20 graduate programs of study in its School of Business and Engineering, School of Communications, School of Education, School of Health Sciences, School of Law, Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine, School of Nursing and College of Arts and Sciences. Quinnipiac consistently ranks among the top regional universities in the North in U.S. News & World Reports Americas Best Colleges issue. The 2013 issue of U.S. News & World Reports Americas Best Colleges named Quinnipiac as the top up-and-coming school with masters programs in the Northern Region. Quinnipiac also is recognized in Princeton Reviews The Best 377 Colleges. For more information, please visit http://www.quinnipiac.edu. Connect with Quinnipiac on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/quinnipiacuniversity and follow Quinnipiac on Twitter @QuinnipiacU.

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Centerbrook Architects & Planners donate bobcat sculptures to Quinnipiac