Archinect - News

David Rockwell on his favorite historic NYC Broadway theaters

2020-03-31T00:45:00-04:00

I find it interesting that theaters are so resilient. They can have many lives. [...] For architects, set design can be a lesson in the fact that nothing is permanent. Permanence can be a little restricting, it turns out. Theater isn’t permanent. It exists when there is an audience.

Michael Kimmelman shares an interview with architect David Rockwell, who talked about some of his favorite historic Broadway theaters in NYC while the two went on a walk recently. Rockwell talks about the influence that theater had for him as a child, a few theater design projects his firm worked on, and not to mention some valuable, heartfelt lessons that the world of musical theater can teach during these uncertain times.

Cooper Hewitt Trustees resign en masse

2020-02-18T13:13:00-05:00

Six trustees, among them the prominent designer David Rockwell, have resigned from the board of the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum to protest the removal of the museum’s director, Caroline Baumann, following an investigation into issues including her 2018 wedding. Ms. Baumann was forced to resign on Feb. 7 after an investigation by the Smithsonian’s inspector general into how Ms. Baumann procured her dress and the venue for the ceremony.

In a resignation letter protesting the ouster of former Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum director Caroline Baumann for suspected improprieties involving her purchase of a bargain designer wedding dress, architect David Rockwell of Rockwell Group writes, "We all serve on the board because we share the principles of the institution and the values of its leadership. I cannot in good conscience continue on the board given how Caroline’s dismissal was handled.”

Along with their expertise, several of the departing trustees are taking funding they had planned to provide to the museum with them.

The Cooper-Hewitt is run by the Smithsonian Institute, a partially publicly funded entity that, according to a The New York Times report from journalist Robin Pogrebin, has a conflict of interest policy stating that employees "must not engage in private or personal activities that might conflict, or appear to conflict, with Smithsonian interests, such as using Smithsonian employment for pri...

Forbes portraits David Rockwell on his 30th firm anniversary

2014-12-26T12:54:00-05:00

David Rockwell has got the art of theatrics down pat. His world is a stage complete with cuts, scene changes, sequences and transitions, where he is the director presiding over the action between performer, audience and space. [...] “The emphasis on arrival, procession, lighting and the all-encompassing power of a live theatrical experience have really impacted how I think about my designs.” He counts on his audiences buying in emotionally to his designs [...].

Watch the trailer for "Briefly", a short film on the creative brief

2014-09-22T15:18:00-04:00

Briefly, a new documentary short film by Tom Bassett (Bassett & Partners), explores the relationship between creative professionals and the brief. Featuring interviews with Frank Gehry, Yves Behar (Fuseproject), David Rockwell (Rockwell Group), Maira Kalman, John C Jay (Weiden + Kennedy) and John Boiler (72 & Sunny), Briefly tries to understand the secrets behind a compelling brief, and its potential to innovate.

The full film will be available online on September 30.

IIDEXCanada 2014 expo to feature David Rockwell and Daniel Libeskind as keynote speakers

2014-09-03T17:43:00-04:00

IIDEXCanada, the country's national architecture and design expo and conference, will be celebrating its 30th anniversary at the Metro Toronto Convention Center, North Building on December 3-4.

The two-day event will include over 350 exhibitors, over 50 accredited seminars, and special feature exhibitions on multiple disciplines in the architecture and design community -- making the expo a great big opportunity to network, exchange ideas, and socialize. Another thing to make note of: David Rockwell and Daniel Libeskind are this year's keynote speakers.

"Attendees include professionals from the fields of interior design, architecture, construction, project management, property management, facility management, real estate, development, lighting, healthcare, hospitality, institutional, education, workplace, landscape, retail, industrial, textile and materials. Our 350 exhibitors feature products and services in the same fields...The event embodies all areas of design, real estate and con...

Otto + David Rockwell

2012-08-31T18:37:00-04:00

“I think the age of totally specific specialization as a designer is less interesting. I think what’s more interesting is to merge different interests and passions and invent something new.” - David Rockwell, Rockwell Group

The Architecture of the Great GoogaMooga: David Rockwell Dishes on the Food Festival's "Carny" Design

2012-05-22T14:02:00-04:00

After 26 years of designing restaurants in New York City, David Rockwell has become a go-to for gourmands. [...] This weekend, however, Rockwell showed off his set-design skills at Googa Mooga, the massive two-day outdoor food festival that debuted Saturday in Brooklyn's Prospect Park.