Rafael Viñoly to renovate former National Academy building in NYC

2020-02-12T15:30:00-05:00

One of the Upper East Side buildings that was once home to the National Academy of Design will soon get a starchitect-designed revamp. At a hearing this week, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to approve a Rafael Viñoly-designed plan to renovate one of the museum’s former holdings, with some modifications.

Plagued by financial troubles in recent years, the National Academy had sold, among other properties on Fifth Avenue, its historic building on East 89th Street to Salon 94 art gallery in 2016

"The owner of the gallery, Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn, hired Viñoly to restore the landmarked building’s facade, replace windows and doors, enlarge some areas of the structure, and add two stories to the roof area of the building," reports Curbed New York.

Existing building (left) and proposed expansion (right). Image courtesy of NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Click here to take a look at Viñoly's detailed renovation and expansion proposal which the New York Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to approve this week.

Preston Scott-Cohen Honored as National Academy Academician

2014-11-03T15:04:00-05:00

Tonight, Preston Scott Cohen is being honored at the National Academy in New York. Each year, a select group of prominent artists and architects is elected into the National Academy. Election as an Academician recognizes exceptional creative work and contribution to the arts. These artists and architects represent some of the most distinguished practitioners in their respective fields.

Preston Scott Cohen, principal of Preston Scott Cohen, Inc., was awarded the notable distinction of academician of the National Academy in New York. Cohen is also the the Gerald M. McCue Professor of Architecture at Harvard Graduate School of Design.

Cohen's work is known for his use of geometric transformations to define the physical experience of the human observer. Derived from descriptive geometries of the 17th century, he materializes oblique projections with the aid of computer technology.

Preston Scott Cohen, Inc., are the architects of the Nanjing Performance Arts Center in China, which utilized "the techniques and economy of local construction practices."

Another notable project by the firm is the Tel Aviv Art Museum. Finished in 2011, the museum consists of hyperbolic parabolas, an innovative solution to the design challenges of a small site and the need for large, rectilinear galleries.

Currently under construction, the Datong Library in China is designed around a large centr...

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Rafael Viñoly to renovate former National Academy building in NYC

Preston Scott-Cohen Honored as National Academy Academician