Starchitects Join Abu Dhabi's Big Cultural Gambit For architecture lovers its name seems especially apt: Saadiyat, the “island of happiness.” In roughly a decade, this undeveloped piece of land in Abu Dhabi will be home to an unprecedented concentration of buildings by Frank Gehry, Jean Nouvel, Tadao Ando, and Zaha Hadid. The Saadiyat Cultural District is one of six neighborhoods planned for a harbor island in the capital city of the United Arab Emirates. Spearheaded by Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Development and Investment Company, the $27 billion project is intended to increase tourism to this oil-rich Persian Gulf state. It is

Add Valencia, Spain, to the list of cities now constructing an iconic, sculptural sports stadium.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) named the 19 recipients of its eighth annual Housing Awards program yesterday.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) announced the recipients of its 2007 Housing Committee Awards today.

Last month’s partial collapse of the Rafael Viñoly-designed David L. Lawrence Convention Center, in Pittsburgh, led to the local Sports & Exhibition Authority facing tough questions at a city council meeting on Monday. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that investigators are questioning a decision made in 2005 to omit protective coverings at the expansion joints where the building’s floor beams meet its frame. Since February, workers have been retrofitting these coverings— according to the original blueprints— in preparation for the Pittsburgh Home & Garden Show that opens today. (See also RECORD's coverage.) The fate of Paul Rudolph’s Blue Cross/Blue Shield office

The Architectural Billings Index (ABI) improved slightly in December, adding 0.1 points for a score of 55.4, extending its gains to three months after a sharp drop earlier in the year. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) notes that December marked the 34th month in a row that the ABI has boasted a score above 50 points—its best performance since its last long-term positive run between April 1998 and December 2000. Any score above 50 indicates growth; the AIA compiles the number based on surveys sent to 300 architecture firms that mainly work in the commercial sector.   Another healthy

Call it a “top 10” list, of sorts. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) today announced the names of 10 individuals that it is recognizing with its 2008 Young Architects Award. These honors go to architects who have made significant contributions to the profession early in their careers; professionals who have been licensed 10 years or less, regardless of their age, are eligible. The names of each recipient, along with the AIA’s brief biographies of them, follow below. The AIA will bestow the awards at its National Convention and Design Exposition in Boston this May. The Boston Society of Architects

Correction appended January 18, 2008   Ettore Sottsass Photo courtesy The Mohawk Group and Sottsass Associati     In a career that spanned seven decades, product designer and architect Ettore Sottsass inspired, provoked, surprised, and amused us with his pioneering ideas and quirky objects. His death on December 31, 2007, at the age of 90, marks the loss of a truly original force. Sottsass is often credited with helping make Italy the center of the design world during the second half of the 20th century. He was part of a generation that included Achille Castiglioni, Vico Magistretti, Bruno Munari, and

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) announced the winners of its 2008 Honor Awards today. It recognizes excellence in architecture, interior architecture, and regional and urban design. This year’s juries selected 28 projects from more than 800 entries. Sustainability figured large in the 13 projects recognized in the architecture category, while four of the 10 interior architecture projects were private residences. A complete list of the winners, with the AIA’s descriptions of each project, can be found below. Judging the architecture category this year were jury chair Peter G. Kuttner, FAIA, of Cambridge Seven Associates; Philip M. Crosby, Assoc. AIA,

A new state law aimed at curbing architects who knowingly self-certify incorrect plans has sparked a turf war between New York state and local officials in New York City over the administration of professional discipline. New York City’s Department of Buildings (DOB) initiated self-certification in 1995 to help ease a permit backlog. The practice allows architects and engineers to confirm that their plans are compliant with applicable laws, rather than submit plans to DOB inspectors. It accounted for nearly half the 6,000 new building permits issued in 2006 and a similar number in 2007. Controversy erupted last summer when audits