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Church officials, who have created what they are calling a “stone cemetery” from fallen masonry, say the cathedral remains safe to visit.
Entry is free and the French state, which owns the building, devotes €2m (£1.9m) a year to repairs. But that is not enough to embark on major restoration works, the last of which were carried out during the 1800s, officials at the cathedral and charity said.
— The Guardian
The archbishop of Paris launched a €100m fundraising campaign for Notre Dame's extensive restoration works. The 12th century cathedral on the Seine river—one of Paris' biggest landmarks, is visited by up to 14 million people visit per year. “Gargoyles are what people want to see when they... View full entry
“You can argue that any sculpture is art in some way, but it’s a loose argument,” Schoonmaker said Tuesday. “I don’t know that these statues are worthy of preservation as art objects so much as historical objects – made to preserve a lost cause, a lost war. They weren’t made with great artistic intent, but with political intent. And intent matters in this case.” — The New Observer
With the tragic events occurring in Charlottesville, much ink has been spilled over the topic of Confederate memorials: Should we keep them? Should we take them down? Is keeping them up a celebration of slavery and is taking them down erasing an important part of our past that we must face? With... View full entry
In 1966, a 24-year-old architect who had just graduated from Tehran University hesitantly entered a competition to design a monument to mark the 2,500-year celebration of the founding of the Persian empire. [...]
The architect, Hossein Amanat, had no idea that his hastily prepared design, which went on to win the competition, would one day become a focal point of the Iranian capital’s skyline, serving as a backdrop to some of the country’s most turbulent political events.
— The Guardian
The Azadi tower, he said, was an opportunity to “design modern architecture using old language, to preserve the good things about a culture, leave aside the meaningless parts and create something new and meaningful”. View full entry
Last week, we covered the newly released designs for a landmark sculpture that would be built at Flint Castle in Wales. The sculpture, designed by George King Architects, was to be a cantilevered bridge structure made of weathering steel and engraved with words chosen from the local community. At... View full entry
In announcing the stamps, Royal Mail said that they celebrate excellence in contemporary architecture and engineering in the United Kingdom and “the renaissance in architecture of the past two decades in Britain.” — Linn's Stamp
One strip of five pictures includes Zaha Hadid's London Aquatics Center, the Library of Birmingham by Mecanoo, Glasgow's SEEC Amadillio by Foster + Partners, Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh designed by EMBT and RMJM, and the Giant’s Causeway Visitor Center in Northern Ireland by Heneghang... View full entry
As many onlookers cheered Friday, a crane hoisted the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from the top of a monument in New Orleans.
It is the fourth, and final, Civil War-era landmark the city has removed since late April.
The effort to remove New Orleans' monuments has been part of a nationwide debate over Confederate symbols, which some argue represent slavery and injustice and others say represent history and heritage.
— CNN
On Friday, the final Civil War-era landmark in New Orleans, a statue of the Confederate general Robert E. Lee, was taken down. This was the fourth, and final, Civil War monument that the city has removed since late April after voting in 2015 to remove the Confederate markers. Many have argued that... View full entry
Frrank Lloyd Wright was never one to fret about meeting deadlines, sticking to budgets or roofs that leaked. So there is something fitting about the delayed, but altogether triumphant, restoration of Wright's Unity Temple, [...] the finest public building of Wright's Chicago years and home to one of the most beautiful rooms in America.
Instead of finishing on schedule last fall, the $25 million project is wrapping up just in time for the 150th anniversary of Wright's birthday, June 8.
— chicagotribune.com
"Success, it's often said, has many fathers, and so it is with here," Kamin writes. "A team of consultants led by Chicago's Harboe Architects has lavished exacting care on every aspect of this project, from the restoration of jewel-like art glass to the recreation of textured plaster walls." View full entry
“Gateways to Chinatown” is a newly launched initiative seeking design proposals for a new neighborhood landmark at New York City's Canal Street Triangle, between bustling Chinatown and the southern entrance to Little Italy’s Mott Street. The NYC Department of Transportation, the Chinatown... View full entry
Built in the 14th century on the Jutland peninsula in Denmark, the Kalø Castle ruins is one of the country's most iconic landmarks and tourist hotspots. But the medieval tower was largely inaccessible to the public, and lacked any internal structure for centuries. That all changed with a crafty... View full entry
The Midtown building formerly known as Citicorp Center has just been designated a city landmark. ... The 59-story office and retail tower, designed by Hugh A. Stubbins & Associates, was completed in 1978 [and] was considered quite innovative for its time, with distinctive features that included a 45-degree angular roof and a base of four stilt-like columns. The latter allowed it to cantilever over Saint Peter’s Church, also on the site. — 6sqft
Pictures of a planned £10m revamp of a Manchester landmark described as a "concrete monstrosity" have been revealed.
Manchester City Council said it had taken public opinion into account to remove the current wall and pavilion in Piccadilly Gardens.
It said it will improve the quality and safety of the area.
The plans, to be funded by leaseholders Legal & General, will go before the executive committee on 16 November.
— bbc.co.uk
Read more UK related stories here:Zaha Hadid Architects to design new stadium for the Forest Green RoversConstruction of the 'Pinnacle' to continue despite referendum resultZaha Hadid Architects just opened a new office in DubaiBritish transport minister decries "cult of ugliness" in brutalism... View full entry
Mr Shan Jixiang, head of the Chinese Society of Cultural Relics, said many of the selected structures tell abundant stories and are witnesses to key events in the nation's history.
He added that the new list will make people aware of the need to preserve more recent architectural sites for future generations. [...]
"Masterpieces of the 20th century prove that Chinese architects' spirit and techniques are well inherited. And they deserve to be passed on to modern times."
— straitstimes.com
98 sites make up China's first 20th-Century Chinese Architectural Heritage List, issued by the Chinese Society of Cultural Relics and the Architectural Society of China. The announcement comes about half a year after the country declared an official end to "weird" architecture.It's not exactly... View full entry
Richard Herber, owner of the [Frank Lloyd Wright-designed] home at 3901 N. Washington Road, said he wanted the [historic] distinction pulled because he wanted to sell the house for the best price.
Getting the property off the historic list was the only way to “cast a wider net to the widest number of people,” he said. [...]
Not everybody is a candidate for buying a home that’s historic, ... but those who are know exactly what they’re doing.
— journalgazette.net
More on the sticky business of historic preservation:The Seagram Building after the Four Seasons: maintaining a costly landmarkFrom Minnesota to Pennsylvania: moving a Frank Lloyd House halfway across the countryRIP: Bruce Goff's Bavinger House demolishedNo guarantees for historic residential... View full entry
Architects and non-architects alike sent their boldest ideas on how they would revive the Philip Johnson-designed [New York State Pavilion] into a contemporary public space.
From a burger museum to a Metro station to variations of botanical gardens, after reviewing over 250 submissions the jury awarded the coveted first prize to “Hanging Meadows” by Aidan Doyle and Sarah Wan of Seattle.
— Bustler
The results are out for the New York State Pavilion Ideas Competition! As expected, the open ideas competition attracted an interesting mix of submissions envisioning how the New York World's Fair icon should be repurposed. Here's a glimpse of the top three prize winners.1ST PLACE: Hanging... View full entry
Mr. Rosen would not mind getting a little credit for maintaining the 59-year-old building, a landmark inside and outside, designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Philip Johnson. With its rich materials and exquisite detailing, the building demands scrupulous attention. And money.
RFR executives estimated that it cost about 20 percent more to maintain the seemingly spartan Seagram Building than it would a typical office tower of roughly the same size and age. Less is more.
— nytimes.com
Related stories in the Archinect news:Iconic furniture, art, tableware and even a sausage grinder: hundreds of lots from Philip Johnson's Four Seasons head to auctionModernist treasures from Philip Johnson's iconic Four Seasons Restaurant headed for auctionLandmarked Four Seasons restaurant must... View full entry
