The Arkansas-based architect is undergoing a court case regarding his work and designs for the Saracen Resort Casino in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Blackwell filed a suit against HBG Design, Saracen Development and John Berrey, chairman of the Quapaw tribe’s business committee.
A distinguished architect who recently won the AIA's highest honor for his work earlier this month claims that his designs were "stolen." According to a recent report from the Arkansas Times the lawsuit explains, "the agreement wasn’t honored and Blackwell’s copyrighted designs were “stolen” for use on the project and Blackwell wasn’t paid. The suit says further that HBG had “poisoned” the Blackwell firm’s relationship with the Quapaw tribe and Blackwell had been removed from the project."
Max Brantley, of the Arkansas Times, was able to receive a prepared statement from John Berrey, chairman of the Quapaw tribe's business committee.
"We think that Mr. Blackwell is a very talented boutique architect. But functionality and constructibility were lost in our process. We had hoped he was able to mold our specific needs into a great expression of the history of the wonderful Pine Bluff community, but it became very clear he didn’t share our vision. We are very surprised by this litigation, but we plan to defend ourselves and a very needed and community-minded successful project."
well, this was dumb. everyone involved looks dumb. (i'm talking about the complaint, not the renderings...)
i hope it turns out the defendants were using part of the 'recaptured' architecture fees to pay kickbacks to the owner's rep, bro. otherwise this was just all so pointless.
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FOH .... if you don’t want to work with Blackwell anymore, don’t use his design work. Apparently this “boutique architect” is good enough that you can steal his work, then you try to railroad him? In Arkansas? Don’t they know who they are messing with?
Very nice design by the way. Blackwell know how to use color as an architecture composition, not a gimmick.
literally nothing in hbg's portfolio to suggest they'd be capable of the above pictured rendering.
also the original article links the text of MBA's complaint, which is a delightful read.
here ya go
Damn, that's exhaustive, and exactly how, as an architect, I'd want it to read. They fucked.
I, too, read the whole damn thing. Love that they quoted (extensively!) all of the AIA Code of Ethics violations! But bummed to read that the Owner demanded no reimbursables. I hate being nickel and dimed like that.
The countersuits will tell a wildly different story, probably the design being too complicated, unworkable, behind schedule, etc. The "boutique" slam in the statement to look like the project was over MBAs head. Same approach Princeton is doing with TWBTA. How much is a concept worth?
When the contract states 35%, then it's worth 35%.
wow, the TWBTA complaint is much worse: https://www.docketalarm.com/cases/New_Jersey_District_Court/3--19-cv-21248/THE_TRUSTEES_OF_PRINCETON_UNIVERSITY_v._TOD_WILLIAMS_BILLIE_TSIEN_ARCHITECTS_LLP_et_al/1/
Thanks for posting that, Dangermouse.
well, this was dumb. everyone involved looks dumb. (i'm talking about the complaint, not the renderings...)
i hope it turns out the defendants were using part of the 'recaptured' architecture fees to pay kickbacks to the owner's rep, bro. otherwise this was just all so pointless.
This is where you need an architecture critic and informed culture to make your case. Unfortunately you wonder if the public/media/gov is gonna be like derrr derrr whats design ... cad is the real work
You're thinking too big. The complaint demands a jury trial. You've only got to educate 12 people in making your case. The defense only has to create enough doubt in one though.
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