Archinect - News

Los Angeles Conservancy CEO Linda Dishman explains the resurgence of preservation efforts in the last 30 years

2023-11-03T17:38:00-04:00

Preservation has really become more of a commonly held value. I think of my first years, when we were fighting to save the Herald Examiner building. Fighting to save the Ambassador Hotel. Fighting to save the May Company. The Herald Examiner was going to be torn down for a parking lot, which seems so strange now. But that’s how little value people placed on these buildings and their history.

Linda Dishman’s tenure at the helm of the Los Angeles Conservancy has seen major gains for the preservation of Paul Revere Williams’ nearly forgotten legacy, the LA Coliseum, and several important Welton Becket designs, among other newsworthy accomplishments. Adrian Scott Fine will replace her in December. Dishman said she anticipates a better climate for her predecessor, adding that she personally counts the Ambassador Hotel’s demolition and preservation of the Cathedral of Saint Vibiana downtown as the LAC’s biggest wins and losses, respectively.

Sydney Opera House builders reflect on historic job as the icon turns 50

2023-10-20T16:55:00-04:00

The construction of the Sydney Opera House was a famously fraught saga, but as the city’s landmark turns 50, former workers remember a quite different atmosphere on the site itself.

Trade unionists and other workers were not the only sources of labor disputes on the site, as Jørn Utzon memorably quit midway over a payment dispute on the 14-year construction project that became essentially the Brooklyn Bridge of the Southern Hemisphere when it finally opened on October 20, 1973.

A design known for its engineering breakthroughs, it also was historic in terms of the concessions made to workers, says Solidarity Online. Their execution of Utzon’s complex vision went over schedule and budget by ten years and $95 million dollars. The result, as Frank Gehry said, was “a building that changed the image of an entire country.”

“The work was precise. You can see it in the building today. Everything is perfect,” one worker told The Guardian. The BBC also has a retrospective look back in pictures here.

Philly's infamous police headquarters faces an uncertain future as a symbol of brutality

2023-02-06T18:51:00-05:00

The city of Philadelphia is prepared to release a report detailing a months-long community engagement effort officials say will inform the fate of the Roundhouse, the unusual concrete building that served as police headquarters for more than six decades. Many of the residents who participated in that process said they want to see the shuttered building at 7th and Race streets repurposed as a community hub that recognizes the site’s long history of police abuse.

Philadelphia has a long-frayed relationship between its police department and the community, including most notably the 1985 MOVE Bombing that claimed the lives of 11 activists while displacing another 250 people and destroying 61 homes. The Roundhouse has a central role in this fraught history, and now opinions are split over its proposed future redevelopment.

Robert Geddes, one of the building’s three designers has chimed in to say he feels it should be given a second life as a font for social justice activities and other types of community-based activism. The 125,000-square-foot Brutalist-style structure has also been floated as the potential site of affordable housing, though its layout remains difficult to convert by most estimates.

A final decision on its fate is expected sometime within the calendar year.

Ennead completes dome rehabilitation for NYC's historic Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine

2022-12-28T12:03:00-05:00

But now, after a painstaking three-year, $17 million rehabilitation — and just in time for Christmas festivities — the dome’s 113-year-old aches and pains have been tended to. Its striking terra-cotta tile has been repaired, and a new copper exterior has been added. “The new roofing could easily last 50 to a hundred years and there’s no reason it couldn’t last for centuries with good maintenance,” said Kevin Seymour, associate principal of Ennead

The project follows a 2019 addition and related work to finish the entryway and roof of the unfinished north transept, which was left incomplete after construction was halted in response to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. The new copper dome covers the also incomplete south transept and was originally designed in 1909 by Rafael Guastavino. Costs for the three-year project are estimated to be about $17 million.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by St. John the Divine (@stjohndivinenyc)

Notre Dame's 'shocking' interior cleaning is sparking a debate about methods used in architectural restoration

2022-11-22T14:19:00-05:00

The current cleaning phase involves the application of a latex paste to the interior stonework. After a few days, the latex can be peeled off, bringing with it accumulated dust and dirt. Speaking to The Times in September Philippe Villeneuve, the chief architect of French national historic monuments, said that once completed the cathedral would be “luminous”.

The peel-off material is similar to the Arte Mundit product that was used controversially in a restoration of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London 20 years ago, although The Art Newspaper reported it does not include the EDTA or harmful ammonia that is often mixed in with latex as a stabilizer.

Image: David Bordes, via Rebâtir Notre-Dame de Paris/Facebook

The “shock” described by the restoration's leader, French Army General Jean-Louis Georgelin, that comes after its removal could prove too much for hardcore originalists, combing with equally derided LED lighting and other new age interior features designed by Father Gilles Drouin to create a Disney-like atmosphere they claim is a distortion of the 850-year-old relic and the Catholic tradition.

Image: David Bordes, via Rebâtir Notre-Dame de Paris/Facebook

“The really important questions in restoration are not, in essence, technical, they are aesthetic and historic and artistic,” ArtWatch UK director Michael Daly told The Times. “The quest...

Two Midwesterners on the quest to document the untapped potential of America's rural architecture

2022-06-22T13:34:00-04:00

It's fascinating to document how architectural and cultural trends are deployed across the country, but we've seen that widespread disinvestment — as well as patterns of renovation and repurposing — add to an already palpable sense of impermanence.

Chicagoans Zach Huelsing and Jon Lehman’s Rural Indexing Project was first launched during the Obama administration and has grown to an archive of more than 1,200 locations spread across 25 different states. Huelsing and Lehman both studied architecture and urban planning respectively, and their backgrounds have been useful in guiding their realization that the built environment in many cases, offers more than suburbanites and city dwellers are exposed to in the easily repeatable, clickbait-laden news cycle.

“So many of the images that are propagated from rural parts of the country focus on decay or on destruction or abandonment, and we're very interested in the ways that buildings, in particular, continue to serve and continue to be adapted in ways that meet the needs of communities," he said. "I think we can actually learn some lessons ... the stories that our photographs tell are stories of adaptive reuse."

World Monuments Fund announces its 2022 watch list of endangered heritage sites

2022-03-01T16:52:00-05:00

An important designation has been granted to several of the globe’s most important underrepresented cultural landmarks after the World Monuments Fund (WMF) today announced its biannual World Monuments Watch list.

The list represents a group of endangered heritage sites in dire need of preservation as their local stewards attempt to prevent them from falling victim to climate change, crowded tourism, overdevelopment in urban areas, natural disasters, and war.

Heritage Buildings of Beirut, Lebanon: The vibrant coastal city of Beirut, devastated by the blast of August 2020, needs further recovery support to protect and rehabilitate the historic buildings essential to its identity. Pictured: A French-mandate building in the upper part of the Fouad Boutros corridor after the blast. Image courtesy WMF.

The 25 sites comprising this year’s list are made up of a diverse cadre spanning across a time period of 12,000 years and from countries as far-ranging as the United Kingdom and Nepal. Thei...

Dig this: Lipton Plant reimagines a WWII bunker as a holiday home on England's Jurassic Coast

2021-08-27T17:08:00-04:00

A unique restoration is turning an old war relic into an offbeat holiday destination on England’s Jurassic Coast thanks to the work of Lipton Plant Architects.

The London-based firm, which specializes in residential projects, has been granted planning approval for a scheme that would transform a Grade II-listed bunker from the Second World War into a private abode for vacationers with a Paul Virilio-esque palette.

The restoration will entail the conversion of the former RAF radio squadron bunker into a two-bedroom retreat thanks to the installation of a glazed “bomb blast” opening and renovation of its 76-square-meter interior complete with exposed original concrete walls, a terrace patio, and full kitchen.

Concept illustration. Image © Lipton Plant Architects

Per the architects: “We hope to celebrate the significant historic yet redundant structure as a historic ruin. By ‘blasting’ a new opening in the elevation, not only can the space be enjoyed as a holiday home, but views of the...

Chicago's Vautravers Building makes a move, literally

2021-08-09T14:37:00-04:00

On August 2, Chicago's Vautravers Building was moved to make way for the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)'s Red and Purple Line modernization. Thanks to Preservation Chicago, the building was pushed to be a city landmark since its location makes it a part of the Newport Avenue District. Homes that were built between 1891 and 1928 received landmark status and are protected from being demolished. To preserve the building and improve transportation within the area, the CTA made careful plans for the move.

According to a report by Nina Molina from The Chicago Sun-Times, "The move is necessary because when the Red Line tracks were built in the early 1900s, the owner of the three-story building refused to sell, so the tracks were built around it. Red Line trains traveling between Belmont and Addison now must slow down around the bend that curves around the structure at 947 Newport Ave."

The CTA's Red-Purple Modernization Twitter profile provided footage of the historic move.

The Historic #...

Apple's restored Tower Theatre opens in Downtown LA thanks to Foster + Partners

2021-06-26T09:00:00-04:00

LA’s newest Apple Store is now up and running, showcasing a multimillion-dollar restoration project that brought an icon of cinema past to life in a push to stimulate post-pandemic business downtown with what promises to be the city’s latest tourist lure.

The Apple Tower Theatre officially opened this week after a three year overhaul brought the then-vacant landmark back to life.

Foster + Partners were behind the restoration effort aimed at converting the 94-year-old building into retail space CEO Tim Cook called a “testament to a city rich in culture and diversity” in a Twitter post on Thursday.

Today we opened the doors to our new store in downtown LA — Apple Tower Theatre. It’s a testament to a city rich in culture and diversity. We’re so excited to be a part of DTLA! pic.twitter.com/l4UQmZQ5x4
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) June 24, 2021

Piggybacking off a similar palazzo restoration recently in Rome, the firm worked with Apple and design director Doo Ho Lee to preserve elements of the...

Interactive museum opens in historic DC building

2020-11-02T11:31:00-05:00

Planet Word is a new interactive museum in Washington DC dedicated to words and language. Designed by international firm Beyer Blinder Belle, the museum is housed in the Franklin School, a National Historic Landmark in the city. The building was originally designed by Adolf Cluss, a DC-based 19th century architect who also design The Castle, the Smithsonian's renowned HQ.

Beyer Blinder Belle was hired to rehabilitate and restore the five-story, 50,000-square-foot building. The task included restoration of the Great Hall, the building's original frescos, in addition to two grand staircases.

Planet Word holds nine immersive learning galleries that were designed by Local Projects, an interactive exhibit design firm. Some exhibit highlights include a massive word wall, composed of over 1,000 three-dimensional words that speaks and asks visitors questions. "It uses its voice to address stereotypes and misconceptions about how language works — challenging, for example, the idea that “ain'...

The archived works of Cape Cod-style architect Royal Barry Wills are now publicly available

2020-03-13T13:08:00-04:00

Historic New England, one of one of the oldest and largest regional architectural heritage organizations in the United States, has announced that the archives of Boston-based architecture firm Royal Barry Wills Associates will be made available to the public for the first time. Founded in 1925, Royal Barry Wills, FAIA is famously known for its mastery of the iconic Cape Cod-style house, in addition to other notable projects reflecting Colonial Revival designs.

The collection was made possible by Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and Wills' son, who donated a majority of the firm's archives to Historic New England in 2013. Consisting of architectural drawings, photographs, negatives, and other firm documents dating between the 1920s and 2003, the collection is another example of organizations aiding in providing access to pieces of architectural history.

By digitizing and cataloging the collection, Historic New England will provide the public with an account of Wills' ...

Philadelphia moves to allow ADUs in historic buildings

2019-08-28T21:00:00-04:00

A bill allowing these “accessory dwelling units” (ADUs) on historically designated properties won approval Tuesday from the city’s Planning Commission. The nod advanced a policy change that backers hope could help ease the burden of preserving creaky old houses while addressing growing demand for both affordable housing and dwellings suitable for aging in place.

The push to formalize Accessory Dwelling Units in historic buildings comes as the Philadelphia Planning Commission also moves to lower parking requirements and allow a greater number of uses for historic structures.

Chernobyl’s nuclear “sarcophagus” to be dismantled

2019-08-19T07:00:00-04:00

Workers are taking down Chernobyl's "sarcophagus," once meant to keep the reactor's radioactive materials locked inside, before it falls on its own accord. The dismantling will begin after the New Shelter Containment (NSC) is in full working operation. Currently, the NSC controls part of the confinement. Earlier this year, the European Union handed off control of the NSC to Ukraine.

The steel and concrete containment structure, hastily erected following the nuclear disaster at the Chernobyl power plant in 1986, is being replaced by internationally funded and coordinated effort. The new shelter, a €1.5 billion complex considered to be the largest work of movable architecture in the world, has been in the works for several years.

Plans call for the old “sarcophagus” to be fully replaced by 2023.

Does America still need classical architecture?

2019-08-18T14:00:00-04:00

Perhaps, as a real-estate developer, President Trump might appreciate the richness of America’s heritage of classical public buildings. It’s not inconceivable that he would support reform of the Guiding Principles. Otherwise, U.S. senators and representatives should do all they can to ensure that classical principles guide future federal architecture projects. In doing so, they will be contributing to a renewal of American civilization.

During the administration of President John F. Kennedy, sociologist, politician, and diplomat Daniel Patrick Moynihan drafted the "Guiding Principles for Federal Architecture," a set of architectural guidelines that inform the design of building projects undertaken by the Public Building Service (PBS) and the General Services Administration's Design Excellence program.

For Moynihan, the principles reinforced an ideology of good design in federal building projects. Moynihan expressed, "The belief that good design is optional, or in some way separate from the question of the provision of office space itself, does not bear scrutiny, and in fact invites the least efficient use of public money."

Writing for City Journal, Catesby Leigh voices support for reinvigorating federal buildings through classical architecture and traditional design, which, Leigh argues, have already produced the U.S.'s most prominent civic structures.

Leigh writes: "The design of federal buildings should be guided...

London's muscular supermarket makes history

2019-07-26T14:29:00-04:00

History has been made in England, where the Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners-designed Sainsbury complex in London has become the country's first historically-recognized supermarket.

Sainsbury’s supermarket in London. Image courtesy of © Historic England DP251196

Built between 1986 and 1988, the muscular complex is designed in the High-Tech style of the time, a mode that combines technological advances in industrial materiality with the formal and structural clarity of Brutalism to create a particularly expressive variant of late modern architecture. The complex was developed by the Sainsbury grocery chain as a mixed-use project that matches a sizable supermarket with a group of row houses and apartments. Both buildings have been recognized as having Grade II significance, the country's third-highest level of significance.

The long, rectangular supermarket is articulated as a series of bays framed by massive structural steel members. The steel, coated in a fire-proof paint typically use...

Microsoft plans to preserve cultural heritage sites through AI

2019-07-17T13:17:00-04:00

The plan is the fourth pillar in a five-year philanthropic effort dubbed AI for Good, which already includes previously announced target areas centered on the earth, humanitarian action and accessibility. The $10m cultural heritage initiative will focus on finding ways to celebrate people, language, places and historic artifacts,

Microsoft, a leader in the tech industry, has initiated a new extension to their $125M AI for Good program. The company aims to use artificial intelligence as a way to preserve cultural heritage. According to an announcement made by Microsoft President Brad Smith, "We want technology to advance, but we all want, and should want, to preserve timeless values around the world." Microsoft has teamed up with two French companies, HoloForge Interactive and Iconem.

Both specializing in 3D digital renderings to help recreate photo-realistic models of historic cultural sites, this new collaboration is exploring interactive experiences with 3D model making.

HoloForge Interactive used these 3D renderings to travel back in time by using the HoloLens augmented reality headset. Image courtesy of Microsoft

By preserving these sites, new opportunities for cultural exchange and interaction grow. Iconem's co-founder Yves Ubelmann shares, "3D digital models will allow people to travel not only throug...

A strange new hotel might soon be built in the Historic Core of Downtown Los Angeles by 2022

2019-07-12T19:02:00-04:00

A slim hotel tower slated to rise on a Historic Core parking lot is slated to begin construction in spring 2020 and wrap up in 2022. The Spring Street Hotel is developed by Lizard Capital and designed by Asap/Adam Sokol Architecture Practice. It would hold 170 rooms—20 of them suites—as well as a restaurant, bar, conference rooms, a screening room, and a gym.

Downtown Los Angeles has seen a significant revitalization in the last twenty years, with much of the change happening in its central Historic Core, the dense area of early 20th century buildings now largely occupied by wealthy residents. A striking new addition to the Historic Core might soon be on its way, in a form that decidedly goes against the grain of the neighboring edifices.

Rooftop of the proposed Spring Street Hotel, by Asap/Adam Sokol Architecture Practice.

Asap/Adam Sokol Architecture Practice is behind the distinct design, which has already received trenchant criticism. Curbed LA's Bianca Barragan writes that "it somehow appears both very ancient and modern, and it kind of looks like a potato." If it's future visitors are turned off by its design, however, they may be delighted by its wealth of amenities, including a multi-tiered rooftops featuring a pool and bar.

Interestingly, the rooftop is designed to face away from the financial district of Downtown Los Angeles, a...

Michael Kimmelman reflects on NYC's old Penn Station: 'The gateway it deserved'

2019-04-29T14:49:00-04:00

Conceived to handle fewer than 200,000 passengers, the replacement Penn Station is today the busiest transit hub in the Western Hemisphere, through which more than 600,000 commuters pass each day — an experience as humiliating and bewildering as Grand Central remains inspiring and exalted.

NYT architecture critic Michael Kimmelman takes a look back at the triumphal arrival of the former Pennsylvania Station by McKim, Mead & White in 1910, its steady decline in the following decades, the consequential replacement with the current solution—a disappointing product of mid-century modernist pragmatism—followed by a call for a better gateway.

Aerial view of the former Pennsylvania Station shortly after it opened in 1910.

"When Penn Station became during the mid-1960s a subterranean rat’s maze, the city seemed to be heading very definitely south," Kimmelman writes. "The historic preservation movement, which rose from the vandalized station’s ashes, was born of a new pessimism."

Studio Lotus uses adaptive re-use practices to transform a 15th century fortress precinct in India

2019-03-25T18:40:00-04:00

The New Delhi based practice, Studio Lotus, creates a winning project design that applies adaptive re-use techniques to transform the historic Mehrangarh Fort precinct in Jodhpur, India. The new Visitor Centre and Knowledge Centre is set to create an alternative entrance to the Mehrangarh Fort. By using a metal and dry stone construction, the new design helps soften the site's high footfall with a low ecological impact. According to the studio, "it was pertinent that any additions or modifications to this dense fabric intertwined with the existing structure through expressive and adaptable additions that make the most of modern construction technology, yet stand deferential to the historic site’s timeless magnificence."

Visitor Centre and Knowledge Center at Mehrangarh Fort Image © Studio Lotus

Visitor Centre and Knowledge Center at Mehrangarh Fort (overhead view) Image © Studio Lotus

The center consists of a series of interconnected decks that descends from the entrance of the Palac...

WeCompany confirms its purchase of Manhattan's Lord and Taylor building

2019-02-15T18:21:00-05:00

The completion of this transaction, which will see us bring new life to the iconic Lord & Taylor building, reflects the evolution of the We Company, the diversification of our real estate strategy and the company’s ongoing transition from an occupier to an operator of space

WeCompany, formerly known as WeWork made significant company transitions earlier this year. Now venturing beyond the shared workspace and leasing office business model, the WeCompany closed and confirmed its purchase of the historic Lord and Taylor flagship in January. News of the building purchase was announced in October 2017. Since then, the global enterprise has made moves that have public watching.

Built by Starrett and Van Vleck Architects in 1914, the 11-floor building is considered one of New York's iconic structures. The firm is heavily responsible for New York department store design during the early 20th century. The Lord and Taylor Building was the firm's first major department store project and in 2007 was cited as a historic New York City landmark. Upon the building's purchase, the WeCompany stated on their company blog that the renovation will "build new life while honoring the past."

Lord and Taylor building historic photo, courtesy of WeCompany

Earlier this month th...

Russia's historic wooden airports are still in use today

2018-09-12T14:47:00-04:00

This is the era of the glass and steel airport. As if made from the same mold, shiny, glittering terminals have become a status symbol for any city with aspirations. But all of this is a world away from the remoteness of Russia's Arctic regions and the Siberian wilderness [...] built in the mid-20th century when the Soviet Union saw in air transport a way to expand the state's reach to every corner of its territory, even if that meant little more than a dirt runway and a radio shack.

A collection of Russia's historic wooden airports are the antithesis of our current experience of most urban airports. Rather than immense glass and steel constructions, these old structures are made of simplistic wooden designs.

While many may look dilapidated, several are still in operation with regular airline service. Take a look at some of these unique transportation hubs below:

Mar-Kyuyel' Airport, located in Russia's Far East. Image: Russian Platinum.

Solovki Airport, located near Russia's Solovetsky Islands. Image: Wikimedia Commons.

Seymchan Airport, located in Magadan Oblast, Russia. Image: Sever.Aero.

Mezen Airport, located in Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. Image: Shutterstock.

Check out the full collection of Russia's wooden airports here.

KAAN Architecten completes Utopia, a library and academy for performing arts in Belgium

2018-06-26T16:06:00-04:00

Utopia, the Library and Academy for Performing Arts, has recently opened in it's new building designed by KAAN Architecten. Located in Aalst, Belgium, the brick structure incorporates a historic school building from 1880 embedded within.

Taking its cue from Thomas More’s acclaimed book "Utopia" (first printed by a citizen of Aalst), KAAN Architecten's building features an entrance located on an intimate square between the reading café and the auditorium.

Moving through tall, wide openings in the brickwork the structure opens to several thick concrete floors that appearing to float. Hanging at...

Farewell John Hancock Center — Hello 875 N. Michigan Ave.?

2018-02-13T15:26:00-05:00

The John Hancock Center is getting a name change, nearly a decade after another of Chicago’s most beloved skyscrapers — the Sears Tower — switched identities and caused a civic uproar. Owners of the 100-story John Hancock Center said the building’s namesake, the insurance company that built the tower almost five decades ago, asked that its name and logos throughout the building’s interior be removed immediately.

Until the owners of the building, Chicago-based developer Hearn Co., find interested buyers for its naming rights, the iconic landmark tower will be known simply by its address, 875 N. Michigan Ave.

Deborah Berke Partners completes luxurious Wardman Tower renovation in Washington D.C.

2018-01-31T15:35:00-05:00

Deborah Berke Partners recently completed the two-year renovation of Washington D.C.'s iconic Wardman Tower. First built in 1928 by developer Harry Wardman and architect Mihran Mesrobian, the 9-story Georgian Revival tower was once home to Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson, Herbert Hoover, and Marlene Dietrich. In 1984, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Photo credit: Wardman Tower.

Aiming to maintain the tower's original luxurious aesthetic, the original window configurations, balconies, and doors were reintroduced. Thousands of square feet of the facade were also renovated with brick, stone, metal, and cast iron.

Front portico. Photo credit: Wardman Tower.

Club Room I entrance + bar. Clubroom. Photo credit: Wardman Tower.

Club Room I. Photo credit: Wardman Tower.

The renovated tower features 32 two- to four-bedroom homes ranging from 2,200-4,600 square feet, and whose interiors were designed by Deborah Berke, Darryl Carter, and Jeff Akseizer. The...

Frank Lloyd Wright's Lockridge Medical Clinic demolished after owner rejects buyout offer from preservationists

2018-01-11T17:37:00-05:00

Building owner Mick Ruis had set a Jan. 10 deadline for preservation groups to raise $1.7 million in cash to buy the building that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Local business leaders, the Montana Preservation Alliance and the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy all were working toward a deal that would have spared the building [...] It is the first viable Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building to be lost in more than 40 years.

In a frustrating turn of events, Frank Lloyd Wright's Lockridge Medical Clinic — which was completed after his death in 1959 — in Whitefish, Montana was demolished overnight. The building's current owner Mick Ruis moved up his demolition plans and refused to give more time to preservation groups who were working on a deal to purchase and save the building. Ruis, a developer, plans to replace the FLW building with a three-story, mixed-use commercial facility.

“None of us are aware of why the owner changed his mind and moved up his demolition plans. It left us all scrambling to find a new cash buyer at the last minute. When none could be found, we made several appeals to the owner for more time to mobilize the many small donors from the public who contacted us [...] but he would not grant any more time,” said Barbara Gordon, executive director of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy, on the Daily InterLake.

The 2018 World Monuments Watch announces 25 at-risk sites threatened by human conflict, urbanization, and climate change

2017-10-16T15:39:00-04:00

The monument conservation group, World Monuments Fund, has announced 25 of the world's at-risk sites on its biennial watch list. Threatened by human conflict, climate change, disasters and/or urbanization, the newly listed historical gems span more than 30 countries and territories dating from prehistory to the twentieth century.

Presenting a diverse group of cultural heritage sites, experts in archaeology, architecture and art picked from over 170 nominations made by citizens, activists, and governments. The whittled down selection ranges from a collection of little-known homes, churches and community centers in Alabama where pivotal events of the Civil Rights Movement took place to a collection of vulnerable modern architecture in Delhi; from the last active synagogue in Alexandria, to sites of the Caribbean, the Gulf, and Mexico, recently affected by hurricanes and earthquakes.

In the Souk of Aleppo, with a Mamluk portal leading to a courtyard to the right, 2008. Photo: Adli Qu...

The Parker Center is set for demolition, what other midcentury icons are next?

2017-05-22T20:12:00-04:00

The Parker Center, depending on who you ask, is either a midcentury icon, or a powerful symbol of Los Angeles' racist past. Located downtown, the building was home to the LAPD up until 2009 when they relocated due to expensive retrofits needed on the site. Designed by Welton Becket—the architect behind some of LA's greatest identifiers such as the Capitol Records Building, the Theme Building and the Cinerama Dome—the former LAPD headquarters is seen by historic preservationists, particularly the LA Conservancy, as a historical landmark due to its midcentury stylings. However, beyond being an architectural landmark, the building, as home to the LAPD during an era of racist policing, also serves as a sobering reminder of LA's troubling past. The land upon which the center was constructed had been seized from Japanese property owners less than a decade after Japanese Internment and William H. Parker himself, whom the building was named after, was associated with ushering in policies of...

If Chicago's John Hancock Center gets a new owner, it could get a new name

2017-05-22T18:55:00-04:00

[Hearn's] venture also controls rights to the building's name, which has remained unchanged since John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Co. developed it [...] Hearn has been in talks with companies interested in putting their name on the skyscraper since the structure's namesake no longer pays for that right. "We've had interest in it, but have not made a deal yet," Hearn said. That process could be resumed by a new owner.

Chicago-based developer Hearn Co. currently plans on selling the John Hancock Center's office space, parking garage and, perhaps most interestingly, its naming rights later this summer. According to the Chicago Tribune, Hearn would use the proceeds from the naming rights toward a $10 million redevelopment of the tower's plaza.

The Vanna Venturi house becomes an official historic place

2016-11-15T15:27:00-05:00

After being proposed for addition to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places last year, the iconic Vanna Venturi House has officially joined the list after being voted in by the Philadelphia Historical Commission on November 10th. According to PlanPhilly:

"After a nomination first heard last December, Vanna Venturi House was added to the register with universal glee, although the case dragged on for about thirty minutes as the new owner—who had purchased it to preserve it—quizzed the commission on exactly what they meant by the word 'property' and whether modifications to the grounds would be allowed."

For more on all things Venturi: