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January 17 2010
GENERAL NEWS AND POSTINGS
January 11: The United Nations has opened a temporary office as renovations continue on the 1952 headquarters designed by architects such as Le Corbusier and Niemeyer. If you've never seen the United Naitons Capitol Complex plans, you can find them here.
January 14: Bank Independent is set to remodel the former City National Bank (1965) in Russellville, Alabama. As stated by the bank president, "This is a wonderful and interesting mid-century building, and are excited with the prospect of returining it to its original beauty." Story here.
January 15: Triangle Modernist Houses of North Carolina is now hosting a new blog "Architects + Artisans: Thoughtful Design for a Sustainable World," featuring the writing of Mike Welton. Welton's writing has been featured in such publications as Dwell, the New York Times, and Interior Design. The new blog can be found here.
January 15: The Los Angeles Conservancy and its Modern Committee are now taking votes for favorite Ecclesiastical Buildings in their Favorite Sixties Buildings in Los Angeles County survey, as part of their The Sixties Turn Fifty event. Deadline for voting is March 1.
ENDANGERED RESOURCES
January 14: This week it was reported that CVS has scrapped plans to demolish three buildings in St. Louis for the construction of a new store. Currently spared, the three buildings include the Sperry-Rand Building (1956), designed by Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum, and the 1960 St. Louis Society for Crippled Children.
January: While the Memorial Coliseum in Portland has been spared from demolition, it still remains to be seen what will become of the resource. Right now, there are approximately thirty-two conceptual plans proposed for the Rose Quarter and Memorial Coliseum. All plans can be seen on the Rose Quarter Development Project web site.
January 16: This week, the Corpus Christi City Council unanimously decided to approve the continued demolition of the Memorial Coliseum, despite preservation alerts initiated by Preservation Texas. However, a last minute idea proposed by architect George Clower to preserve the vaulted roof of the stadium as an open air pavilion may be a possibility going into the future.
January 16: From the Paul Rudolph Foundation, apparently there has been some talk as to the future of the architectural archives of Yamasaki Associates, the successor firm to Minoru Yamasaki, which recently went out business. If back taxes are not paid, the sheriff has declared that the contents of the Michigan-based firm's office, which include all architectural drawings and records, will be auctioned off. Full story here.
UPCOMING EVENTS
January 22-24 (Palm Springs, CA): The Palm Springs Preservation Foundation is hosting a Wexler Weekend, highlighting and honoring the work of architect Don Wexler. Festivities include tours, parties, and a book release. Full details here.
January 29-30 (New York): SAARINEN @ 100. On Friday, Eeva-Liisa Pelkonen of Yale School of Architecture, Reinhold Martin of Columbia University, and architect Marc Tsurumaki of Lewis Tsurumaki Lewis, will participate in a panel moderated by Juulia Kauste, director of the Finnish Cultural Institute and director-elect of the Museum of Finnish Architecture at Columbia University. Information here.
On Saturday, the Museum of the City of New York will present a discussion examining one of the truly contemporary aspects of Saarinen's career: his unabashed engagement with the media. Information here. The MCNY is also still hosting the exhibition "Eero Saarinen: Shaping the Future" until January 31.
February (New York): After finishing up its run at the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach, the World Monuments Fund exhibit "Modernism at Risk: Modern Solutions for Saving Modern Landmarks," will be at the AIA New York Center for Architecture in mid-February.
February 08 (New York): 92Y presents Richard Meier in Conversation with Paul Goldbereger. Details here.
February 09 (San Francisco): Dr. Raymond Richard Neutra, Richard Neutra's youngest son, is presenting a lecture at Neutra's 1938 Overway-Schiff House in the Marina District. A tour of the house will follow. Details at the AIA-SF.
February 11 (Los Altos): As part of the 2010 Neutra House Speaker Series "The Legacy of Modern," architect Jonathan Pearlman will discuss the evolution of the modern house from teh 19th century to 20th century.
February 12-21 (Palm Springs, CA): Mark your calendars for the 5th Annual Palm Springs Modernism Week starting up in mid-February. Lots of great events and particpants. Modernism Week Official Site.