Three architects at established firms share how they land new projects when work is scarce. Photo ' Tim Bies/Olson Kundig Architects Alan Maskin Olson Kundig Alan Maskin William Bostwick: Your firm is best known for its residential work, and that sector was hit particularly hard by the recession. Have you branched out? Alan Maskin: We’ve just tried to hold onto our sectors. This wasn’t a time to start pursuing airports, for example. We’re into our fifth decade as a firm, and we have been through many other recessions. Our residential focus has always carried us through. But we reviewed all
Photo courtesy Ole Scheeren Ole Scheeren, director of OMA's Beijing office, is leaving to start his own studio. Related Links: Fire-Ravaged TVCC Will Be Repaired CCTV Headquarters OMA-Designed MahaNakhon Tower Announced In early March, news broke that Ole Scheeren, director of OMA's Beijing office, is leaving to start his own studio. The 39-year-old architect also accepted a visiting professor position at Hong Kong University. "My collaboration with Rem Koolhaas and OMA has been an extraordinary experience... We have generated some remarkable projects both in East Asia and North America," he said in a statement. "The time has now come for
Often looked at as the federal government’s “landlord,” the General Services Administration has chosen to lead by example when it comes to pushing a sustainable agenda. In response to President Barack Obama’s executive order on federal sustainability (October 2009), which challenged agencies to define efficiency goals and strategies, GSA recently announced the creation of a new post: Chief Greening Officer. The job will be part of the agency’s Public Buildings Service division, helmed by Robert A. Peck, AIA. “We’re going through a change, trying to figure out the best ‘greening’ bang for the buck,” says Commissioner Peck. “And we have
Roughly a year behind its original schedule, the Zaha Hadid-designed Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum will break ground on March 16 on the East Lansing campus of Michigan State University. When finished in 2012, it will be the second Hadid-designed building in the United States, after the Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art (2003) in Cincinnati, Ohio. Image courtesy Zaha Hadid Architects Click on the slide show icon to see additional photos. Related Links: Hadid Tapped for MSU Museum Fire Erupts at Hadid Opera House Hadid Chosen for Vienna Library Hadid First Woman to Win Pritzker The
Herb McKim Herbert (Herb) Pope McKim, FAIA, died March 3 at his home in Wilmington, North Carolina after a gradual decline in health. He was a founding partner at Ballard, McKim & Sawyer Architects, where he worked for 45 years. He was known as a tenacious defender of design intent, a Modernist with big ideas and a portfolio of government and institutional facilities. “Nothing intimidated him, as far as architectural scope of work or ideas,” says George C. (Chip) Hemingway, an architect who worked under McKim for many years. “He had his vision and he did all he could do
Almost since its inclusion in LEED in 2001, the materials and resources credit pertaining to certified wood products has been controversial. The credit recognizes only wood products that meet the standards of one organization—the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). But last week, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) moved a step closer to adopting new credit language that, at least in theory, could open up the rating system to other wood-certification schemes. The revamped credit, available for review and comment at usgbc.org, is the third set of revisions released since 2008. At the heart of the proposed changes is the elimination of
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