Paul Keskeys examined the the state of residential development across The Pond, and asks the question: How can we rock the status quo? Therein he diagnoses the root cause "They will tell a tale of mass production, of value engineering, and of misguided nostalgia...It is economic pragmatism gone mad".

Perhaps predictably, Thayer-D commented "The reason traditional architecture persists in the residential realm to a much larger degree than the institutional or commercial one is that home buyers, aka, individuals chose it...What's with the faux historical meme?", while Chris Teeter opined "this dilemma is about the medium of finance dominating all mediums of existence, There is nothing more we Architects can do, frankly,  than educate each client one at a time".

Plus the latest edition of Screen/Print: featured Future Anterior, the first American academic journal for historic preservation, published by University of Minnesota Press.

midlander thought it was a "great article, quite relevant to some of the discussions here lately...It brings up the interesting idea that historic preservation is an act of design - which immediately seems obvious - but I hadn't quite thought of in that way before".
 

News
Amelia Taylor-Hochberg pointed out NCARB’s announcement that over 30 accredited architectural schools have indicated interest in the proposed Integrated path to Licensure Initiative. Donna Sink corrected a misconception "There is no intent to eliminate IDP/ARE. Read the article".

The Urban land Institute was in the news twice in the last 10 days; first a ULI panel, released a new report on role of micro units in particularly high-density, expensive metropolitan markets such as Boston, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.. Later another panel, its preliminary recommendations for the aging Astrodome.

Researchers discovered the secret to Roman concrete is "in situ crystallization of platy strätlingite, a durable calcium-alumino-silicate mineral that reinforces interfacial zones and the cementitious matrix". Thayer-D stated "As long as we don't revive any of the forms Romans built with this concrete, I'm ok with bringing back the technology".

The NYT took a closer look at Coop Himmelb(l)au's new Musée des Confluences in Lyon. davvid thought it strange "how these NYTimes pieces that feature a specific architect are almost never written by Michael Kimmelman, the NY Times Architecture critic". Lightperson replied "But there's always Kimmelman to write about the "architecture of McDonald's" (real article) as if the world needs more of that".

Firms/Blogs/Work Updates
In his second post on the theme of seeing Nature Everywhere, Orhan Ayyüce explained "Sure, there are exceptionally idyllic places everywhere but I am happier when I can read the ordinary".

studio roosegaarde created Rainbow Station to mark the celebration of the 125th anniversary of the historic Amsterdam Central Station, and the start of the UNESCO International Year of Light 2015.

Eleonore Levieux recently worked on SEEKO'O HOTEL - BORDEAUX Exposition "Voyage.

Isabelle Kellogg highlighted the fact that JacobsWyper Architects' recently completed a state-of-the-art SWAT, Bomb, K-9 training facility for the Philadelphia Police Department's tactical response departments.
 

School/Blogs
Maria Ornelas reflected on her Final Review for a new School of Medicine for UCLA.

Assistant Professor Nikole Bouchard of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee won the 1st Place Award for the Baltic Thermal Pool Park 2014 International Design Competition.

Kevin Clement started a blog dedicated to ongoing happenings in and outside the Advanced Design Studies Program at the University of Tokyo. His first posts focused on the program’s yearly small pavilion project, the latest example being the "STIK" project.

Stephan Plishka documented the results of the second installment of Jennifer Bonner’s “Dirty South” studio at Georgia Tech, which immersed itself in the culture and history of New Orleans. After looking at the images, balanca wondered "why all the projects are rendered in that stark black-white-gray axon heavy graphic style. Is this a requirement for consistency across projects? Or are students simply pushed in that direction during desk crits?"
 

Discussions/Threads
quizzical started a thread to discuss the editorial published in NYT by Steven Bingler and Martin C. Pedersen, regarding How to Rebuild Architecture. bugsmetoo was tired of architects getting the all the blame, since they "have no real power" and thinks it is high time "to stop thinking architecture is this savior of sorts for all the wrongs...Most of it is political. And cultural. And social".

baotloi has been researching the "idea of an architect as a developer role". null pointer recommended "looking into: Cary Tamarkin" and citizen chimed in "Development (as a professional field) is difficult and risky...When we oversimplify it we demonstrate our ignorance". Responding to some commentators Miles Jaffe clarified "Development is controlled by one factor: economics".

Finally, gruen was looking for tips on how to supply power and data to desk from above while avoiding "a power pole". mightyaa suggested "Medreel.  You can get power, teleco, cat 5, etc. in there.  Track systems too". Saint in the City had used similar products and offered up some post-occupancy feedback from clients, though in terms of "flexibility, it's like a 10...the aesthetics were more like a 2".
 

Additionally
Raphael Sperry (president of Architects/Designers/Planners for Social Responsibility) penned a response to the AIA’s recent decision re: it’s code of ethics and torture concluding;

"The unwillingness of American's leading architectural association to prohibit the design of torture facilities is a shocking, shameful and deeply troubling statement. It refuses to place any limit on the potential role of design in human rights violations, even the most egregious."

h/t @subtopes