Archinect - News

New studioMDA-designed Phillips HQ will open this May

2020-03-05T18:41:00-05:00

The new 55,000 sf studioMDA-designed Phillips headquarters is due to open this May. Located in New York City, the opalescent structure will illuminate the corner of 432 Park Avenue, providing a space that will feature private galleries, an auditorium, cafe, and more. To inaugurate the opening day, Phillips' 20th Century and Contemporary sale will open along with auctions and exhibitions.

Phillips will commandeer a large underground space free from columns, allowing the housing of exhibitions and auctions. Enveloped by glass, this milky-lit transparent cube will allow pedestrians to peer into the happenings of the building.

"Having worked on numerous cultural spaces, I believe we can create a new kind of auction house with a more exciting relationship to the city to present Phillips' ever-changing exhibitions," said Markus Dochantschi, founder of studioMDA in a statement, speaking to the design focus to create a flexible space that will be able to provide a seamless level of freedom ...

New photos of Álvaro Siza's first U.S. building in NYC

2019-12-10T15:00:00-05:00

Archinect has received new photos of 611 West 56th Street, the first state-side building by Portuguese architect and 1992 Pritzker Prize winner, Álvaro Siza.

Currently under construction in Manhattan, the 37-story luxury condo tower is being jointly developed by Sumaida + Khurana (the group behind Tadao Ando's first New York City project at 152 Elizabeth Street) and LENY.

Photo: João Morgado

In a recent NYT interview, the 86-year-old Siza shared his response to winning this commission. "I didn’t expect to have the opportunity to build in Manhattan. Now, at my age, I thought I had lost the opportunity. I was very happy to be invited and thought, 'Well, let’s see if I still have energy for this project.'"

Photo: João Morgado

"Located at 823 11th Avenue at the corner of 56th Street in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, 611 West 56th Street measures 172,000 SF, over 450 feet tall and to be 37 stories," explai...

Heatherwick Studio releases new interior visuals of Lantern House

2019-12-05T18:19:00-05:00

Debuting his first residential building in the U.S., the London-based designer has released more visuals for the site-specific sculptural glass lobby pavilion within the Lantern House.

Aimed at merging sculptural forms with a homely appeal, Heatherwick and his team intend for the lobby of Lantern House to create a space "minimizing corners and edges to develop seamless transitions from the street to the indoors while offering unbostructed views of the surround outdoor courtyard."

Lantern House Lobby. Rendered image courtesy of Related Companies

Rendered image courtesy of Related Companies

Heatherwick shares, "People love to live in memorable places. As the High Line’s amazing riveted steel structure goes straight through the middle of our site, we knew we mustn’t miss the chance to borrow all its texture and character to make an idiosyncratic arrival experience for the building’s residents. To not compete with the soulful materiality of thi...

Empire State Building's new observatory culminates $165 million renovation

2019-12-05T11:11:00-05:00

Thinc Design and Empire State Realty Trust (ESRT) have announced the completion of the reimagined Empire State Building Observatory, marking the culmination of the final phase of a four-year $165 million-dollar transformation of the iconic tower. Acting as Experience Designer on the project, Thinc Design led and collaborated with a cross-disciplinary team of individuals specializing architecture, travel, technology, and entertainment to curate, design, and realize the comprehensive rework.

The 80th-floor, which is now the first viewing level of the observatory provides a wide range of interactive exhibits along with panoramic views of the New York City skyline, dynamic "smart" lighting that modifies its levels based on exterior lighting conditions, virtual reality binoculars that introduce users to augmented views of New York landmarks, and much more.

"The Empire State Building brings people together from all around the world. We’ve had the extraordinary opportunity to create an un...

Restoration of Philip Johnson's New York State Pavilions in Queens is underway

2019-11-09T18:00:00-05:00

The iconic New York State Pavilion observation towers in Flushing, Queens are being restored. The New York City Parks Department broke ground on the project this week.

Designed by Philip Johnson and Lev Zetlin, the two flying saucer-topped observation towers as well as an adjacent pavilion will receive a $24 million upgrade that includes waterproofing for each structure's base, as well as exist stair replacements, electrical upgrades, and other conservation work, AM New York reports.

The structures were originally designed as temporary structures within a much larger installation for the 1964 World's Fair in the burough's Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Despite the costly restoration, the structures will not be made publicly accessible, according to Curbed.

The project is expected to be completed by March 2021.

NOMA International Conference celebrates diverse architectural leadership and excellence

2019-11-07T13:16:00-05:00

In October, the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) hosted their 47th Annual NOMA Conference in Brooklyn. With more than 1,200 registered attendees, this year's event was the largest for the organization.

To conclude the conference, the organization celebrated a banquet dedicated to architecture leadership and excellence awards. With NOMA President Kimberly Dowdell, AIA, NOMA, NCARB, LEED AP presiding over the evening, the special event highlighted some of NOMA's long-time members, such as NOMA’s last surviving founder, Jeh Johnson, an architect who has made tremendous contributions to the organization and the industry.

NOMA founder Mr. Jeh Johnson with NYCOBA NOMA President Samantha Josaph at the 2019 NOMA Honors Banquet and Phil Freelon Professional Design Awards . Image courtesy of nycoba NOMA

A highlight of the evening was recognizing the work of beloved architect, industry leader and long-time NOMA member Phil Freelon, who recently passed away, with the inaugura...

Photographer captures a desolate New York City

2019-10-28T12:28:00-04:00

What would a picture of architecture, devoid of people, automobiles, animals, and all of the other urban seasonings we experience each day look like?

'Edge of the West Village'

'Hudson on My Mind'

In his exhibition New York Unseen, on view at ClampArt through mid-November, the artist/photographer Marc Yankus, presents a fantastical response.

'The Met Breuer'

The artist's ethereal portraiture of New York's architecture taps into the hidden qualities we often miss, looking down at our smartphones, or rushing to catch the next bus. This exhibition highlights the elegance and novelty of the city's architecture, encouraging viewers to look upon the structures with a fresh perspective. Through intricate post-production, Yankus has omitted all signs of human life, seeking to home in on what's left behind and leaving a pensive capturing of New York's architecture.

'One Fifth Avenue'

'Flatiron from Above'

'NY Historical Society'

ClampArt writes about the exhibition:

"Marc Yankus’s newest photogr...

The windowless basement apartments of Queens

2019-10-24T19:32:00-04:00

In New York, hope sometimes comes at the price of the sun. The city welcomes poor immigrants, but its housing does not. Most rents are far beyond the means of people like Amado, who arrive looking for a better life or to make money to send back home. So they turn to the basements of Queens.

The New York Times has produced an interactive photo essay profiling New York City residents in the borough of Queens who live in some of the city's windowless basement apartments. The arrangement, derived out of economic necessity and rooted in a desire to stay out of sight, provides newly arrived immigrants with a much-needed (and extremely dangerous) place to get settled in America.

According to the article, there is no accurate count available detailing how many of these units exist, but estimates run into the tens of thousands.

Archinect's Must-Do Picks for Archtober 2019, Weeks 4 & 5ish (Oct. 25–31)

2019-10-21T15:08:00-04:00

We are entering the home stretch of Archtober 2019, New York City’s annual Architecture and Design Month, and there's still so much to do!

Archinect & Bustler have partnered with Archtober for the ninth year in a row and present you our weekly highlights from a packed calendar. Below are our event recommendations for Archtober Week 4 and the remaining days of Week 5, October 25–31.

Having trouble locating the nearly 30 Buildings of the Day? Use Archinect's handy interactive map to easily spot them, especially while on the go.

Oct 25: The Museum of Modern Art Renovation and Expansion, Architects: Diller Scofidio + Renfro in collaboration with Gensler, Rendering: Diller Scofidio + Renfro.

Building of the Day: The Museum of Modern Art Renovation and Expansion | October 25

The Museum of Modern Art is undergoing a renovation and expansion that will increase gallery space by 30% and will enhance public spaces. The first phase of renovations on the east end is now complete, and the next ph...

Central Park's unjustly demolished Seneca Village honored with new plaque

2019-10-21T13:30:00-04:00

In Central Park, about a mile from land that was once home to Seneca Village, a mostly black community forced out by the park’s creation in the 1850s, the city is planning a privately funded monument to a revered black family from that time. The new addition to New York’s landscape, honoring the Lyons family, is part of the de Blasio administration’s push to diversify the city’s public art and recognize overlooked figures from its history.

The privately funded plaque, paid for by the Ford, JPB, and Andrew W. Mellon Foundations and the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund, will become the second monument to Seneca Village in the park, following a public plaque erected in recent years. At its height, the village stretched from 82nd to 89th streets and was home to roughly 350 individuals, two-thirds of whom were Black.

The settlement is considered the first significant community in New York City made up of African American property owners; Seneca Village was demolished in 1857 to make way for what is now Central Park.

Alloy Development pushes Brooklyn’s skyline higher with new tower proposal

2019-10-21T12:50:00-04:00

100 Flatbush, a proposed 482-foot-tall mixed-use development, is headed for downtown Brooklyn, where developer-architects Alloy Development have filed permits for for a skyscraper that will add to the borough’s growing skyline.

The 374,336-square-foot development will rise 40-stories and will contain 262 residences, according to New York YIMBY. The tower is also set to include 111,000 square feet of commercial spaces and over 100,000 square feet of community functions.

The tower joins a growing cluster of sky-piercing developments slated for the borough, including SHoP's 9 DeKalb, set to rise 1,066-feet, KPF's 745-foot Brooklyn Point tower, and Studio Gang's 620-foot 11 Hoyt, among many others.

Alloy is also developing 80 Flatbush, a 74-story tower set to rise 986-feet on an adjacent site.

Triboro train connecting Brooklyn, Queens, and The Bronx could become a reality

2019-10-18T15:17:00-04:00

It's been 95 years since passenger trains rumbled down the tracks of the Bay Ridge Branch. The MTA has decided to study whether it makes sense to restore passenger service to the line, which is owned by the Long Island Rail Road, runs from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn to Ridgewood, Queens, and is only used by freight trains now. "We first proposed this in the '90s," says Kate Slevin, of the Regional Plan Association.

If built, the proposed Triboro Line could eventually run for 24 miles and connect the boroughs of Brooklyn, Queens, and The Bronx.

Describing the plan, Kate Slevin of the Regional Plan Association tells Spectrum News, "We don't have unlimited resources here in New York City, as we know, so the fact that we already have tracks there, that are underutilized, really means a lot."

Aside from finding a way to pay for the initiative, backers of the plan must work out a use agreement so that the city's transit agency can use the rails, as portions of the tracks in question are owned either by Amtrak or commercial rail entity CSX.

NYCHA swaps air rights for $25 million, 21 affordable units in Brooklyn

2019-10-18T12:31:00-04:00

A first-of-its-kind deal to sell the air rights at a Fort Greene NYCHA development is nearing completion after months of negotiation. The deal would transfer nearly 100,000 square feet of building rights from the Ingersoll Houses to a yet-to-be-built private development next door. In exchange, developers would provide nearly $25 million for maintenance at Ingersoll as part of NYCHA’s new long-term strategy to leverage private funds for the repair of its beleaguered housing stock.

The deal will help a 183-unit mixed use development located next door to Brooklyn's Ingersoll Houses grow to 400 units in size. In exchange, the number of affordable housing units designed into the project will increase from 79 to 100, New York YIMBY reports.

The proposed 202 Tillary Street development as designed before the acquisition of additional air rights. Image courtesy of New York YIMBY.

The landmark deal is a preview of NYCHA's long-rumored plans to monetize unused development rights in exchange for funds that could help address unmet capital needs like maintenance and repairs.

The $25 million garnered through the deal, however, falls far short from the projected $300 million in repairs the Ingersoll Houses will require over the next decade.

The lawsuit against SOM's alleged plagiarism of WTC continues by "the skin of its teeth," says judge

2019-10-18T11:03:00-04:00

Park claimed the design, construction and marketing of the tower ripped off a design he planned and modeled for his thesis at the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1999. He said his thesis adviser was an associate partner at SOM and a second senior partner from the architectural firm also reviewed his work... The judge, however, wrote in a September order that these claims survive “only by the skin of their teeth, owing principally to the highly deferential standards on a motion to dismiss.”

Jeehon Park, a Georgia-based architect, sued Skidmore, Owings & Merril, Tishman Construction, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and The Durst Organization back in 2017.

According to The Real Deal, an SOM spokesperson said, "While it is positive that so much of the case was dismissed, SOM is still in the position of having to defend itself against these specious claims." He went on to express it "inexplicable" that "Park filed his suit after Tower One was completed and a full decade after the building's design was first unveiled," reports The Real Deal.

Park's design on the left. WTC on right.

New photos of the Diller Scofidio + Renfro-designed MoMA expansion have been released

2019-10-16T11:34:00-04:00

The ongoing rennovation and expansion of the Museum of Modern Art will culminate in its opening on Monday October 21, 2019.

Installation View of the Marie Josée and Henry Kravis Studio, The Museum of Modern Art. Photo by Iwan Baan, Courtesy of MoMA

The expansion was designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DSR), in collaboration with Gensler and adds more than 40,000 square feet of gallery spaces allowing the museum to exhibit a larger collection of works. The project also aims to provide visitors with a more welcoming and comfortable and also seeks to better connect the Museum to the urban fabric of midtown Manhattan.

Flagship Museum Store. Photo by Brett Beyer, Courtesy of Diller Scofidio + Renfro

Blade Stair, Level 3 Landing. Photo by Brett Beyer, Courtesy of Diller Scofidio + Renfro

The Studio in the heart of the Museum will feature live programming and performances that will explore histories of modern art and the current cultural moment. Up on the second-floor, a Creativity Lab fo...

Archinect's Must-Do Picks for Archtober 2019, Week 3 (Oct. 17–24)

2019-10-14T20:00:00-04:00

We're halfway through October, but Archtober 2019, New York City's month-long architecture and design festival, is showing no signs of slowing down.

Having trouble locating the nearly 30 Buildings of the Day? Use Archinect's handy interactive map to easily spot them, especially while on the go.

Oct 17: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, Original architect: Carrère & Hastings (1911), Rose Reading Room Renovation: WJE Engineers & Architects with Evergreene Architectural Arts (2016), Photo: Jonathan Blanc/New York Public Library.

Building of the Day: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building | October 17

The Rose Main Reading Room and Bill Blass Lending Room are located in the New York Public Library’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. Designed by Carrere and Hastings in 1911, they conta...

Empire State Building set to open revamped 102nd-floor observatory

2019-10-10T19:19:00-04:00

[...] the Empire State Building, which has just spent $165 million and four years meticulously revamping the experience of getting to — and appreciating — the views from its two vertiginous observatories on the 86th and 102nd floors. Simultaneously, its designers have tried to banish the things visitors hate about the observation-deck trek: the lines, the crowds, the congestion.

The 102nd-floor observation deck of New York City's most iconic skyscraper will reopen this weekend with floor-to-ceiling glass windows, a 360-degree panorama glass elevator to the top, and an overall updated experience.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Empire State Building (@empirestatebldg) on Oct 10, 2019 at 2:20pm PDT

New renderings of Thomas Heatherwick's High Line condo towers, Lantern House

2019-10-08T13:46:00-04:00

The Related Companies has released new renderings and a new name for Thomas Heatherwick’s High Line project at 515 West 18th Street: Lantern House. The pair of residential structures is located along Tenth Avenue between West 18th Street and West 19th Street and flanks both sides of the High Line [...]. The development is Heatherwick’s first residential project in New York City and in the United States. SLCE Architects is the architect of record.

Thomas Heatherwick is expanding his foothold in New York City: after creating quite a stir with the Vessel at Hudson Yards and the under-construction floating Pier 55 park, the London-based studio is teaming up with developers Related Companies again for the practice's first residential project on this side of the Atlantic, called Lantern House.

Prices for the 181 residences will start at $1.7 million for a one-bedroom unit, reports NY YIMBY.

Rendering courtesy of Related Companies

David Chipperfield Architects to build Rolex USA HQ

2019-10-08T11:50:00-04:00

After emerging triumphant in an international design competition, David Chipperfield Architects have received the commission for the Rolex USA headquarters in New York. It will be located on the corner of 5th Avenue and 53rd Street and will replace an existing building that has been occupied by Rolex since the 1970s.

At 25 stories and 165,000 square feert, the new structure will hold new office areas, a new Rolex store at the ground level. According to a recent press release, the building will provide brand experiences across a wide range of the company;s interest and become an important symbol of Rolex's legacy of excellence, quality, and precision.

"We are proud to have been selected to design the Rolex USA headquarters building. Our team is committed to creating an exemplary building befitting the heritage and culture of the Rolex brand, as well as its prominent 5th Avenue location.," expressed David Chipperfield about the new project.

Archinect's Must-Do Picks for Archtober 2019, Week 2 (Oct. 9–16)

2019-10-07T14:34:00-04:00

Archtober 2019, New York City's month-long architecture and design festival, kicked off last week with an impressive lineup of events in Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island.

Archinect & Bustler have partnered with Archtober for the ninth year in a row and present you our weekly highlights from a packed calendar. Below are our recommendations for Archtober 2019, Week 2, October 9–16.

Having trouble locating the nearly 30 Buildings of the Day? Use Archinect's handy interactive map to easily spot them, especially while on the go.

Oct 9: Pratt Student Union, Original architect: William Tubby (1887), Renovation architect: Matiz Architecture & Design (2018), Photo: Hide Abe, Studio Abe.

Building of the Day: Pratt Student Union | October 9

The Student Union features three interconnected levels of open areas that encourage its use as a key campus circulation element. A large stepped platform acts as a piazza within the main volume, providing circulation to the mezzanine...

Calling all junior architects and designers! Here are 9 New York-based firms currently hiring on Archinect Jobs

2019-10-06T09:55:00-04:00

As part of Archinect's Spotlight on New York, we have decided to focus on firms that are searching for junior architects and designers looking to start their careers. This week, we feature nine New York-based firms specializing in residential housing, urban design, and interiors.

Cooper Robertson seeks a Junior Designer
The firm seeks a a highly motivated Junior Designer who takes initiative and will excel in an atmosphere of exploration, research, and design. The office operates as a collective of architects who work closely together to wed practicality and architectural rigor with art and design. Responsibilities include prepare design and construction drawings for a range of project types and develop presentation graphics, reports, 2d and 3d analytic and conceptual drawings, digital and physical models. Must have a professional architectural degree; advanced degree and degree / concentration in urban design or planning a plus.

Sguera Architeecture PLLC seeks a Junior Revit Archit...

Introducing Archinect’s Spotlight on the New York Metropolitan Region

2019-10-03T17:30:00-04:00

When it comes to trends in design, real estate, and urbanism, New York City is often a bellwether for the country as a whole. As “The City” goes, so too go the nation’s cities, if you will. To highlight this special status, for the month of October, Archinect is placing its Spotlight on the New York Metropolitan Region, America’s most populous urban agglomeration, and home to some of the country’s largest, costliest, and most complex architecture and infrastructure projects currently underway.

In conjunction with the city’s annual Architecture and Design Month (Archtober) celebrations, we will embark on a deep dive into what’s going on across the New York City metropolitan area, extending our focus across the city’s five boroughs and over into adjacent areas in New Jersey, Connecticut, and lower New York State. Along the way, we will profile some of the region’s most exciting firms, check-in with architecture school deans, and highlight the area’s most interesting projects.

The fo...

Archtober 2019 starts tomorrow! Our Must-Do Picks for Week 1 (Oct. 1–8)

2019-09-30T16:50:00-04:00

It's that time of the year again, New York City: Archtober is here! The month-long festival celebrates the city's architecture and its presence in everyday life with a varied offering of exhibitions, lectures, workshops, talks, conferences, film screenings, and insightful tours across the five boroughs.

For the ninth year in a row, Archinect & Bustler are proud to partner with Archtober and present you our weekly highlights from a packed calendar of events. Below are our recommendations for Archtober 2019 Week 1, October 1–8.

Having trouble locating the nearly 30 Buildings of the Day? Use Archinect's handy interactive map to easily spot them, especially while on the go.

Oct 1: Hispanic Society Museum & Library, Original architect: Charles Pratt Huntington (1906), Renovation Architects: Selldorf Architects + Beyer Blinder Belle (ongoing), Photo: Nicholas Venezia/Selldorf Architects.

Building of the Day: Hispanic Society Museum & Library | October 1

While the building is closed for ren...

Check out Archtober 2019's Buildings of the Day (and our handy map to find them all)

2019-09-26T15:21:00-04:00

Archtober 2019, New York City's month-long festival of architecture & design, is only days away now.

As in previous years, the festival calendar also features exclusive tours and events again at nearly 30 Buildings of the Day in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. Registering early is recommended — many events sell out fast.

Take a look at the full Building of the Day list below and use Archinect's handy interactive map to easily locate each building. The map also allows to rediscover 2018's buildings, in case you missed some of them last year.

Oct 2: Brooklyn Children’s Museum. Photo: Chuck Choi/Rafael Vifioly Architects.

Oct 1: Hispanic Society Museum & Library
Original architect: Charles Pratt Huntington (1906)
Renovation Architects: Selldorf Architects + Beyer Blinder Belle (ongoing)

Oct 2: Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Original architect: Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates (1977)
Renovation architect: Rafael Viñoly Architects (2008)
Rooftop canopy: Toshiko Mori (2...

Archtober is coming! Here's what you need to know

2019-09-25T15:30:00-04:00

New York City's month-long architecture and design festival is upon us! Starting on October 1st, the city will be buzzing with a long list of design activities and events for the public to enjoy.

In its ninth year, the annual festival is a celebration organized by the Center for Architecture with over 80 collaborating partners and sponsors. In addition to lectures, film screenings, and design workshops, Archtober has launched a new initiative with three influential public library systems - Brooklyn Public Library, New York Public Library, and Queens Public Library.

Image courtesy of Archtober.

Benjamin Prosky, Assoc. AIA, who is the Executive Director of AIA New York and the Center for Architecture, shares in a statement, "Archtober looks forward to showcasing the work of more of our collaborators than ever before! We are excited for our growing network of partners, both institutional and professional, to be bolstered by the addition of NYC's library systems, allowing us to reach a...

New York City has a $54 billion blueprint for fixing the subways

2019-09-18T08:00:00-04:00

New York's public transportation system isn't perfect, but its proper, punctual functioning is critical to the city's existence. Flaws and all, millions of New York natives and visitors log over 1 billion trips on the subway and bus systems each year.

On Monday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced a $54 billion plan to renovate "the city's floundering transit network," according to Emma G. Fitzsimmons of the New York Times. The MTA's proposal announcement presents a detailed "wish list" of improvement projects to undertake over the next five years.

Plans include: modernizing subway signals along the Lexington Ave. Line, adding elevators to 70 stations to improve wheelchair accessibility, and extending the Second Ave. Subway north towards East Harlem.

In a recent news statement, MTA chairman Patrick J. Foye said, "At the end of this five-year period, New Yorkers will see a revitalized and modern system for the 21st century and beyond." While the idea of fixing the ...

World's tallest residential building tops out in New York City

2019-09-17T13:15:00-04:00

The Central Park Tower, Adrain Smith + Gordon Gill's 1,550-foot supertall tower in New York City, has topped out.

The 131-floor, 179-unit complex, created for developer Extell, now reigns as the tallest residential building in the world, New York Yimby reports. Wrapped in rippled floor-to-ceiling blue-glass curtain walls, the tower is one of several new supertall structures currently under construction at the southern end of Central Park.

Ground-level view of 217 West 57th Street. Image courtesy of Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill.

Neighbors include KPF's 1,401-foot One Vanderbilt tower, the SHoP Architects-designed 1,066-foot 111 West 57th tower, and Jean Nouvel's 1,050-foot 53W53 tower.

When completed, the Central Park Tower will include a triplex penthouse totaling more than 17,000-square-feet in size. The base of the building will be occupied by a 320,000-square-foot Nordstrom flagship store that will occupy seven levels. Floors eight through eighteen of the tower will house the bui...

Architects lobby for bird-friendly glass as NYC overhauls cladding regulations

2019-09-09T20:30:00-04:00

It is estimated that up to 1 billion birds die every year in the United States due to collisions with glass facades and buildings, according to experts at the American Bird Conservancy and the Smithsonian.

This worrisome statistic has prompted municipalities to institute "bird-friendly" glass standards for certain types of buildings in cities as diverse as Minnesota, Oakland, Portland, Oregon, San Francisco, and Toronto.

New York City is poised to become the latest municipality to try and reduce the number of bird collisions by adopting new rules that would require up to 90-percent of glass on new and altered buildings to be treated with films, coatings, and other decorative elements to ensure that birds can see and avoid the expanses.

FXCollaborative's Center for Global Conservation uses bird-safe glass. Image courtesy of David Sundberg/ESTO.

As the New York City Council's Committee on Housing and Buildings continues to debate the proposed regulations, architects are speaking out...