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Eight buildings by Frank Lloyd Wright, including the Prairie style masterpiece of the Robie House in Chicago and the bold concrete structure of Unity Temple in Oak Park, were named Sunday to the United Nations’ list of the world’s most significant cultural and natural sites. — Chicago Tribune
As architecture critic for the Chicago Tribune Blair Kamin writes, American Modernism is finally getting its due, at least, in the eyes of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which has named a collection of Frank Lloyd Wright-designed structures to its... View full entry
Platform, a new website dedicated to hosting conversations, writings, and perspectives on the built environment, has taken off. The venture, billed as an "open digital venue for exchanging ideas about working with, researching, teaching, and writing about buildings, spaces, and landscapes,"... View full entry
A spectacular footbridge that will link the Cornish mainland with the island fortress of Tintagel is beginning to take shape thanks to technology usually employed for challenging construction projects in the Swiss Alps. [...]
The 70-metre-long bridge is to comprise of two cantilevers, one reaching out from the mainland to the island where according to legend King Arthur was conceived.
— The Guardian
Image: Ney & Partners, William Matthews Associates, Hayes Davidson, Emily Whitfield-WicksThe new Tintagel footbridge at this historically significant site in Cornwall, England was envisioned by Belgian bridge designers Ney & Partners Civil Engineers in partnership with UK architecture firm... View full entry
The World Monuments Fund (WMF) is celebrating a milestone in its ongoing work at the Angkor archaeological park in Cambodia: the completion of a decade-long $4.8m conservation effort on the eastern side of Phnom Bakheng, one of the site’s oldest temples. — The Art Newspaper
Restoration work on the eastern half of the ancient temple is now complete. Image courtesy of WMF."WMF’s work at Angkor began with a 1989 field mission to evaluate the damage it had suffered following 20 years of civil strife and international isolation," explains the World Monuments Fund... View full entry
Eleven churches and chapels in Piedmont, northwest Italy, that have normally been closed to visitors will now be accessible to anyone downloading the app Chiese a porte aperte (Churches with open doors). [...]
It enables the visitor to register and book entry to any of the churches, which is automatic and without charge. A guided tour in Italian, French or English is thrown in as well.
— The Art Newspaper
Fresco interiors in one of the participating churches. Image via Fondazione CRT/Facebook"The buildings have been chosen for their architectural or historic interest and because they are on hiking routes, such as the Via Francigena, in the mountains, or near other notable sites," reports The Art... View full entry
The legislation would bring more value to historic tax credits and improve access to the credit and investment for smaller rehabilitation projects.
The legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressmen Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Darin LaHood (R-PA), Terri Sewell (D-AL) and Mike Kelly (R-PA). Senate introduction of similar legislation is expected within the next few weeks.
— ntcic.com
Efforts to expand the Historic Tax Credit (HTC) program have earned bipartisan support in the United States House of Representatives, where last month Congress members Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Darin LaHood (R-PA), Terri Sewell (D-AL) and Mike Kelly (R-PA) introduced the Historic Tax Credit growth... View full entry
Notre Dame is not stable and urgently needs reinforcing. [...]
The collapse of a part of the vaults has severely reduced the safety of its structural system, which, in the case of a Gothic cathedral, does not rely on the heavy mass of the walls, as in classical architecture, but on discharging weight through clustered columns, external flying buttresses and counter-supports—a structural “exoskeleton” that until now has been extremely effective and resilient.
— The Art Newspaper
A new assessment of the Gothic cathedral's structural system after the devastating April 15 fire shows that the stability has been severely weakened by various factors and warns that the walls could now fail to withstand strong wind gusts. The morning after the incident: Notre Dame's spire is gone... View full entry
Heritage experts warn that restoring Notre Dame de Paris after the devastating fire of 15 April will be so complex that it could take a decade or more, despite President Emmanuel Macron’s vow to “rebuild the cathedral more beautiful than ever” within five years. — The Art Newspaper
While President Emmanuel Macron has an obvious political interest in reopening the severely damaged Notre Dame Cathedral for the Paris Olympic Games in 2024, experts call for patience and reject improbable deadlines. Notre Dame's north rose window dates back to around 1250. Image: Wikipedia.A... View full entry
L.A. has a reputation for being a progressive city architecturally, and a city that’s always transforming itself. We have an amazing amount of architecturally significant historic buildings. I think people have grown to appreciate what those have to offer.” — Metropolis
The city of Los Angeles is a city filled with several renovated buildings and historical structures that have been turned into must-see stops. Although this city isn't the first to revive unused historical buildings, Los Angeles' ever-evolving knack for finding "beauty in the reuse" has given many... View full entry
News of the Notre Dame fire has been an ongoing topic as of last week. Despite the loss of one spire and a destroyed roof, the cathedral still stands. The public has expressed strong views and opinions regarding the amount of attention and proactiveness many have made towards its rebuild. Social... View full entry
Footage showing smoke and fire emerging from the roof of a structure known as the Marwani Prayer Room, or Solomon's Stables...The Palestine News Agency, the official outlet of the Palestinian National Authority, cited a guard as saying Monday that "the fire broke out in the guard's room outside the roof of the Marwani Prayer Room, and the fire brigade of the Islamic Waqf handled the matter successfully."
No injuries or damage was reported during the short blaze.
— Newsweek
On the same day that a harrowing fire damaged the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, some nerves were rattled at the fire that broke out yesterday in the Marwani Prayer Room in Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam. The fire is said to have occurred above the prayer hall in an... View full entry
The cause is not yet clear, but officials say it could be linked to renovation work. [...] Last year, the Catholic Church in France launched an urgent appeal for funds to save the cathedral, which was starting to crumble. A major operation is under way to tackle the blaze, which broke out on Monday afternoon, and an area surrounding the building in central Paris has been cleared, officials said. — BBC
8:18 PM EST: French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to have the beloved landmark rebuilt, and announced that a fundraiser will be launched tomorrow. The Paris prosecutors' office says investigators are treating the fire as an accident and have ruled out arson, “including possible terror-related... View full entry
In case you haven't checked out Archinect's Pinterest boards in a while, we have compiled ten recently pinned images from outstanding projects on various Archinect Firm and People profiles. (Tip: use the handy FOLLOW feature to easily keep up-to-date with all your favorite Archinect profiles!)... 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 250-year-old retirement digs of an 18th-century Chinese emperor are getting a face-lift.
The World Monuments Fund announced Monday that the New York-based architect Annabelle Selldorf and her firm, Selldorf Architects, will design an interpretation center at the Qianlong Garden in the Forbidden City in Beijing.
— The New York Times
According to the World Monuments Fund, "the interpretation center will be located in an existing, restored structure within the second courtyard of the Qianlong Garden." Juanqinzhai theater room after conservation. Image courtesy World Monuments Fund."Selldorf and her NYC-based firm, Selldorf... View full entry
