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Stan Wischnowski, the top editor of The Philadelphia Inquirer, resigned on Saturday, days after an article with the headline “Buildings Matter, Too,” on the effects of civil unrest on the city’s buildings, led to a walkout by dozens of staff members. — The Philadelphia Inquirer
The inappropriate and offensive headline, conceived for a column written by The Philadelphia Inquirer architecture critic Inga Saffron, drew widespread condemnation from the public and journalists at the newspaper alike, and resulted in the newspaper's editors issuing a public apology for writing... View full entry
The constant cacophony that has trumpeted Philadelphia’s remarkable construction boom has quieted. Towering cranes are still, jackhammers are silent, and construction vehicles have stopped their beeping back-up warnings.
And thousands of people in construction-related jobs are out of work.
— Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Michaelle Bond reports on how Pennsylvania’s strict construction shutdown is impacting building professionals, in-process projects, and, by extension, the state’s regional economy. Unlike other states, including New Jersey and California, where certain types... View full entry
Archinect's Architecture School Lecture Guide for Winter/Spring 2020 It's a new year and a new school term, so that means it's time for Archinect's latest edition of Get Lectured, an ongoing series where we feature a school's lecture series—and their snazzy posters—for the... View full entry
The urban changes that Philadelphia experienced in the first years of the 21st century were gentler and more likely to enhance the city’s existing 20th-century form. The tech-induced trends from the last 10 years have challenged that physical form by radically reconfiguring the way we move through, and interact with, the city. — The Philadelphia Inquirer
Inga Saffron, architecture critic for The Philadelphia Inquirer provides a tech-focused decade-in-review highlighting the impact of smartphone technologies on the city’s urbanism. Highlighting the proliferation of “fast-casual” food, buildings, and development approaches, Saffron... View full entry
A huge stream of water visible from miles away gushed from the tiered west pyramid facade of One Liberty Place early Sunday morning, soaking the Center City Philadelphia sidewalk below.
Identified later by city officials as part of an ill-prepared fire system test, the liquid continued pouring out for approximately five minutes before coming to an abrupt stop.
— Billy Penn
According to Billy Penn, the spill was due to testing of the building's fire protection systems, required annually for certification. A spokesperson with the Philadelphia Fire Department explained that "newer buildings are equipped with special drainage systems that pull off most of the... View full entry
A team led by Foster + Partners has completed work on the Comcast Technology Center in Philadelphia, a mixed-use high-rise complex that sports the city's tallest tower. Image courtesy of © Jeffrey Totaro. Image courtesy of © Jeffrey Totaro. The tower rises 1,121-feet and contains... View full entry
Despite having been closed for several years, the pavilion at 12th and Reed remains a much-loved landmark in Passyunk Square, where it is affectionately known as the “Roundhouse.” The contrast between its heavy stone walls and jaunty modernist roof make it unlike anything else in Philadelphia. Until it was eclipsed by a bigger community center in 2005, it was the place where neighborhood residents went to play bocce and take art classes. — The Philadelphia Inquirer
As Philadelphia gets ready to undertake a $2.4 million renovation of the city's Columbus Square park, a curious stone drum topped by a folded plane roof set to be demolished under the plan has caught the public's attention. Debate over the structure's provenance, particularly, whether the... View full entry
Global architecture firm Snøhetta has completed a sculptural library complex for Temple University in Philadelphia. The Charles Library facility opened its doors for the Fall 2019 semester a few weeks ago and is designed as a collaborative social learning space that reinterprets the... View full entry
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. — PlanPhilly.com
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. View full entry
Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU) and Brandywine Realty Trust have unveiled designs for a pair of aluminum-clad mixed-use towers in Philadelphia. The towers represent a key component of the 14-acre Schuylkill Yards mega-development that is currently taking shape in the city. ... View full entry
The opening of I-95 in Philadelphia 40 years ago cut the city’s waterfront neighborhoods off from their source. For more than a decade, the city has been planning a fix: a new park at Penn’s Landing that would cap a stretch of the highway and again connect Old City with the Delaware River. — inquirer.com
A recent report from The Philadelphia Inquirer recaps the city's long-running effort to build a pedestrian plaza over Interstate-95 linking downtown Philadelphia with an existing waterfront park at Penn's Landing and the Delaware River. Designed by Hargreaves Associates, the proposed 4-acre park... View full entry
American attorneys famous for claims in construction disasters have launched a landmark wrongful death lawsuit in Philadelphia against three US companies on behalf of 69 of the 72 people killed in the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire in London, and 177 who were injured in the tragedy. — Global Construction Review
"They are targeting Arconic, Inc., which they claim supplied the Reynobond Polyethylene Cladding (PE) panels on Grenfell; Celotex Corporation, which they claim supplied the insulation used in the cladding system; and Whirlpool Corporation, which manufactured the fridge-freezer thought to be linked... View full entry
New York City-based architects Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) have broken ground on their first high-rise residential project in Philadelphia. The 47-story glass-and-steel monolith, called Arthaus by developer Dranoff Properties, is designed as a bundled mass made up of four towers that each... View full entry
The loss of this charming pavilion would be a double blow for Philadelphia history. Not only is Columbus Square’s little stone tower a fine example of mid-century modern design, it is also one of a handful of surviving buildings by Elizabeth Hirsh Fleisher, the first woman in Philadelphia to receive a license to practice architecture. — Inga Saffron, philly.com
The crown-roofed cylindrical pavilion designed by Elizabeth Hirsh Fleisher in 1960 is a landmark in South Philadelphia's Columbus Square. Now, the building is slated for demolition as part of a renovation of the park. “Because this is women’s history month, it’s also worth pointing out... View full entry
The past few weeks have been quite "stormy" for the Northeast, no pun intended. However, with tumultuous weather seeming to make its final round and the recent win of a certain sports team, the Northeast can focus on other news worthy topics like architectural job opportunities. For this week's... View full entry
