Laura Amaya published an interview with Alfredo Brillembourg, founder and co-director of Urban-Think Tank.

 Therein he signed off with this hopeful statement "I would say we are, now in the 21st century, in the expanded field of architecture. We are challenged, but we believe that this is one of the most exciting times in history to be an architect".
 

News
The NYT reported Pratt Institute’s Architecture School will begin offering a master’s program in "Urban Placemaking and Management", led by David Burney FAIA, who was also recently appointed interim Executive Director of AIANY and the Center for Architecture. 

Lightperson let it be known "I'm all for placemaking in urban space if it is local (^) and isn't just high-line-washing or bike washing. Unfortunately this doesn't sound like a complete system of thought, but a trendy commodification and repackaging of what's hip".

Reacting to the newest updates on plans for the Mecanoo led redesign of DC Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library (designed by legendary German-born architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe), Menona quipped "Well thankfully they got the cafe in...I mean what was Mies thinking?...Thankfully civilization has finally reached the Nation's Capital".

kcet.org’s Lyra Kilston wrote about Star Apartments and The Evolution of Low-Income Housing in L.A. Although some commentators wondered "Why can't low-income housing ever look like luxury?" Orhan Ayyüce pointed out "star apartments are quite good. It is partially prefab and has a built in running track with other community services and it has a well-developed financing strategy...Aren't you tired of being self-appointed aestheticians so your little bourgeois taste buds are catered to oblivion?"

In a press release, Fentress Architects announced their LAX's new Tom Bradley Terminal is officially "the largest LEED Gold airport terminal in the United States". Mr_Wiggin wasn’t impressed "Turning the public spaces in the ticket hall into the TSA checkpoint totally ruined this place.  It used to be, to me, a destination".
 

Firms/Work Updates
For those looking for work BIG | Bjarke Ingels Group is looking to hire a Senior Architect (10+ years of experience), specifically one with "Tower Experience". Or, (asap) a collaborative design practice in buffalo, new york is seeking a summer intern for 2015. Take note, it is a full-time position paid hourly.

David de Céspedes shared eight "major epiphanies", from his participation in a Built-In: Architecture & Entrepreneurship Meetup on Digital Marketing in Architecture in NYC.

Brooklyn Row House 2 in New York, NY by Office of Architecture and United States Courthouse in Salt Lake City, UT by Thomas Phifer and Partners are just two of the projects found in the latest Ten Top Images on Archinect's "Stairs" Pinterest Board.

natcheng noted his latest post inspired by the Offices Of Silicon Valley, was basically an "open fan letter to Mike Judge".
 

School/Blogs

jp88 summarized a lecture at UM by local Miami architecture firm R & R Studio.

Nicole Doan is "extremely tired of people telling me that a particular architect, movement, building, or method is irrelevant to today's design world and to my own work".

carolineblackburn looked back over Year One of UCLA’s IDEAS campus and the work of SUPRASTUDIO.
 

Discussions/Threads
Novice  is looking for advice about how to handle Abusive Faculty. curtkram cautioned "part of the basic structure of the student-teacher relationship actually puts the teacher in a position of authority over the student...its just as likely that you're the problem rather the professor, especially if what you find to be unprofessional is actually the established norm in the institution you chose to attend." 

Donna Sink argued "there can also be instances of professors not sexually harassing but just taking a dislike to someone...Personal and highly confrontational interactions aren't acceptable, even within the faculty-student dynamic" anonitect added "If it is a problem with the instructor, the school needs to know about it". After Novice provided additional details TED concluded "while it might not be 'sexual harassment' don't underestimate that it may be a form of racism if it is being done only to you.  By racism, I don't mean colour of skin alone….Bullying shouldn't be tolerated"

Kozumelle  wanted to know what was wrong with designing based on your intuition in school? As opposed to always having some "in-depth, disingenuous response about algorithms and formulas or indepth research". davvid advised "There are always reasons behind our decisions. We need to interpret our own intuition and articulate the reasons behind our decisions to the team we work with" rationalist explained "when you've been practicing for years and have amassed a wealth of information about what works and what doesn't, intuition can serve as a great shortcut. It doesn't cut it in your academic work because…"

Contrarily, Volunteer wrote "if it looks good to you it most likely will look good to others as well. Trust your instinct".

Finally, Donna Sink started a thread to discuss microhousing, privacy and sex. jw468 had previously done some research into "living arrangements in single-pen houses a while back and something that stood out to me, regarding this issue, was that one of the people interviewed said that one’s spot in the bed...was viewed as totally private and that anything that occurred in that spot was viewed as unobservable". Later Olaf Design Ninja_ opined "micro-housing shouldn't really be a goal, but I guess it's more of a survivalist solution?"
 

Additionally
Evan Troxel answered the call of the AIA’s #ILookUp campaign, telling in 89 tweets "a story of why we do architecture. What's real & what matters, not magazines & stars".

h/t @Donna Sink