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DEPARTMENTS
RECORD PRODUCTS BUILDING TYPE STUDY 1,059
18 EDITOR’S LETTER 77 Introduction ARTS & CULTURE
21 CURRENTS: A New Home for the 78 Furnishings & Decorative 92 Aviva Studios, Manchester,
Whitney Museum’s Independent Study Hardware England OMA By Josephine Minutillo
Program 100 Musée national de la Marine, Paris
80 Walls & Ceilings
23 TRIBUTE: George Baird (1939–2023) H2O & SNØHETTA By Andrew Ayers
82 Outdoor
By Leopoldo Villardi
83 Flooring & Textiles
25 TRIBUTE: Anthony Vidler (1941–2023)
By Suzanne Stephens 84 Lighting FORUM
29 BOOKS: Editors’ 2023 Roundup 86 Kitchen & Bath 63 Heavenly Bodies: The Las Vegas
88 Windows & Doors Sphere By Izzy Kornblatt
35 FIRST LOOK: Kresge College,
University of California, Santa Cruz 89 Building Systems & Components 65 Revisionist History: On MVRDV’s
STUDIO GANG By John King Pyramid in Albania
By Tim Abrahams
41 CLOSE UP: Talaricheruvu Rural School,
Andhra Pradesh, India COLLECTIVE 61 GUESS THE ARCHITECT
PROJECT By Linda C. Lentz 68 EXHIBITION: From White Cube to Dark 107 CONTINUING EDUCATION:
47 HOUSE OF THE MONTH: SA House, Construction By Andrew Holder Daylighting in Museums
By Katharine Logan
Hillsdale, New York LEVENBETTS 70 IN FOCUS: National Museum of
By Leopoldo Villardi Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C. 133 Dates & Events
54 LANDSCAPE: Lynn Wyatt Square for SANDRA VICCHIO & ASSOCIATES 136 SNAPSHOT: South Bohemian
the Performing Arts, Houston RIOS By Pansy Schulman Philharmonic, České Budějovice,
By Matt Hickman Czech Republic A8000 By Pansy Schulman

THIS PAGE: AVIVA STUDIOS, MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, BY OMA.

COVER: THE LAS VEGAS SPHERE, BY POPULOUS. PHOTO © MARCO CAPPELLETTI.
PHOTO © SPHERE ENTERTAINMENT. Expanded coverage at architecturalrecord.com.

9
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From the EDITOR

Culture Shock
FOR SOME TIME, record’s final issue of the
year has examined arts and culture, and this one is no
different. The arts have a unique ability to simultane-
ously reflect the times, give insight into them, and
sometimes offer an escape from them. (A distraction
from reality would be very welcome right about now.)
The coverage in this issue, however, takes a
different tack, as we explore not only buildings for
arts and culture, but also how culture, and represen-
tations of it—both physical and not—continue to
change: the Sphere in Las Vegas immediately comes
to mind. Taking the shape of the earth itself, this
venue for concerts, theater, and film is adorned on
its outer surface with 1.2 million LED nodes that
turn it into a 360-degree digital billboard with dramatically different
looks. It is unabashedly of our time. Yet, as contributing editor Izzy
Kornblatt points out in this month’s Forum, its simple form and fantas-
tical yet sometimes apocalyptic message, is rooted in history.
The smooth, digital sheen of the Sphere is contrasted by the gritty
and haptic Pyramid of Tirana in Albania, also in Forum. That project
turns history upside down. Originally built as a museum dedicated to
that country’s Communist dictator Enver Hoxha, it has been trans-
formed by Dutch architects MVRDV, who added steps to the building’s
sloping facades, allowing the people of Albania, in no uncertain terms,
to walk all over the former dictator’s monument.
As we move into 2024, we will be making some changes in the choices
of topics we feature. For example, our January issue is focusing on trans-
portation instead of schools, taking a particular look at how outdated
infrastructure can be converted into parks and urban oases—a trend that
can be seen across the globe.
And with very few exceptions in the recent past, Record Houses has
always been featured in April. A favorite issue among many readers of
the magazine, it is always eagerly anticipated. In 2024, the anticipation
will last a little longer, as we move Record Houses to September.
You may ask why. The reason is pragmatic, and has long been dis-
cussed among the editorial team. record is one of the last publications
on architecture where the writer actually visits the projects we select for
each issue—especially Record Houses. One year, I went to see a house
in upstate New York where the landscape and a striking subterranean

PHOTOGRAPHY: © JILLIAN NELSON

feature were key aspects of the design. Production schedules for an April
issue meant the visit would have to be in February, and those parts of
the house were unfortunately buried under several feet of snow. That
was a shame.
So, have a look at our 2024 editorial calendar on our website—you’ll
Photograph: Cervin Robinson

find some other changes for the year ahead. Still others may come as
surprises. As with most things, we are hoping to acknowledge our history
while solving certain problems, and emphasizing flexibility.

Josephine Minutillo, Editor in Chief

IN THE GALLERY AND ONLINE | 39 Battery Pl, New York | skyscraper.org

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 Record CURRENTS

Art doesn’t transform—it just plain forms.

―Roy Lichtenstein, in a 1963 interview

Four blocks south of its 8-year-old Renzo Piano–designed building in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District,
the Whitney Museum of American Art finally has a permanent space for its decades-old Independent Study
Program (ISP) in Roy Lichtenstein’s former home and studio. The brick-clad pile, originally a metalworking
shop that Lichtenstein purchased in 1987, was donated to the Whitney by the artist’s family. The now 11,000-
square-foot structure, erected in 1912, was renovated and added to by Los Angeles–based architecture firm
Johnston Marklee. Lichtenstein’s painting studio on the ground floor has been turned into a collection of 15
individual studios that take the form of differently sized white boxes—their studs left exposed on the inside to
PHOTOGRAPHY: © MAX TOUHEY

echo Lichtenstein’s wood easel racks lining the perimeter walls (pictured). Also on the ground floor, his former
office has been adapted to become ISP’s fabled Seminar Room. Items that the artist and his wife, Dorothy,
collected over the years, including an ornamental metal screen from a 19th-century theater, are incorporated
in the refurbished interiors. On the second floor, the former living room accommodates communal spaces for
meeting and research. A planted terrace on that level features Lichtenstein’s painted aluminum sculpture
Garden Brushstroke (1996/2009). Set back from the historic facade, a new third-floor addition, in contextual
brick, includes an apartment for potential artists-in-residence. Commented former Whitney director Adam
Weinberg at the new space’s unveiling, “It’s a jewel.”

21
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 Record TRIBUTE

George Baird (1939–2023)

BY LEOPOLDO VILLARDI

DISTINGUISHED Canadian architect, George Baird, sitting in his

scholar, and educator George Baird died of office (left); his firm submitted
this entry to the Edmonton
kidney failure, in Toronto, on October 17. He City Hall competition in 1980
was 84. (below).
Baird’s decades-long teaching career began
in 1967 at the University of Toronto, where he
had received his Bachelor of Architecture The award-winning firm
degree four years prior. He remained an inte- has since grown, undertaking
gral part of the faculty there until his 1993 educational and cultural
appointment as professor of architecture at the facilities, research and
Harvard Graduate School of Design, where visitor centers, private and
he later directed the M.Arch. I and M.Arch. public housing, and master-
II graduate-degree programs. In 2004, Baird planning.
returned to his alma mater in Canada to serve “Baird developed a very
as dean of the John H. Daniels Faculty of strong stance, keeping one
Architecture, Landscape, and Design, a foot in practice, the other in
position he held until 2009. By that time, he theory,” adds former record
was widely recognized as an accomplished deputy editor Suzanne Ste-
practitioner and theorist: “It is the rare archi- phens. “He was able to write
tect whose voice and contributions straddle about theory—whether it was
the worlds of practice and theory so signifi- semiotics at the beginning of
cantly,” the school said in a statement, “but his career or ‘criticality’
Baird’s very much did.” decades later—in a manner
According to Baird, historian and philoso- essays, Meaning in Architecture (1969), that that was clear to the nonacademic reader and
pher Hannah Arendt’s The Human Condition helped lay the groundwork for Postmodern- respected by the academic one. His analytical
(1958) significantly shaped his thinking. He ism, notably featuring a coterie of heavy- abilities provided him with an overview
learned of her work in the 1960s as a post- hitting and up-and-coming theorists includ- guided by a sober wisdom. When theoretical
graduate student at University College Lon- ing Reyner Banham, Geoffrey Broadbent, issues came under attack in the early 2000s,
don, where Baird also met Charles Jencks. He Françoise Choay, Alan Colquhoun, Kenneth Baird wrote that architects needed to under-
and Jencks collaborated on a collection of Frampton, Joseph Rykwert, Christian stand the real-world aspects of designing, but
Norberg-Schulz, and Aldo van Eyck. Baird’s they should not jettison theory; it should be
own oft-cited text, “ ‘La Dimension Amoureuse’ included, keenly examined, and integrated
PHOTOGRAPHY: © ANDRE BENETEAU (TOP); COURTESY BAIRD SAMPSON NEUERT ARCHITECTS (BOTTOM)

in Architecture,” was indebted to French thoughtfully into an enriched practice.”

literary theorist Roland Barthes. A prolific writer, Baird frequently contrib-
Baird founded George Baird Architects uted to record, reviewing scholarly works
(now Baird Sampson Neuert Architects) in and architecture exhibitions. Confidently
1972. Early collaborators included Barry spanning theory, history, biography, and
Sampson, who later became a principal in urbanism, he wrote and edited several books,
1982, and Bruce Kuwabara, who went on to including Alvar Aalto (published in the U.S.
cofound Toronto-based architecture firm in 1971), Queues, Rendezvous, Riots (1994),
KPMB. “I always tell all my students, where and The Space of Appearance (1995). In a re-
they work is important,” Kuwabara, a former view in record of Baird’s more recent an-
student of Baird’s, told record. “I really thology Writings on Architecture and the City
valued my time at George’s office. Frankly, it (2015), Kenneth Frampton wrote that it was
was like being back in school. Even though, “impossible to do justice in the space available
in those early days, we only ever had small to the critical writing of the distinguished
projects and renovations, our conversations Canadian architect-theorist.”
about design were intense and lively. Some of A Fellow of the Royal Architectural
our friends would ask if they could come over, Institute of Canada and a Member of the
just to sit in on our internal reviews.” Order of Canada, Baird received the Royal
With Kuwabara, Sampson, John van Architectural Institute of Canada’s Gold
Nostrand, and Joost Bakker, Baird led the Medal, that organization’s highest honor, in
development of significant public projects, 2010, and the AIA/ACSA Topaz Medallion
including “Onbuildingdowntown,” the City for Architectural Education in 2012.
of Toronto’s first urban-design guidelines. Baird is survived by his wife, Elizabeth. n

23
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Record TRIBUTE

Tribute: Anthony Vidler (1941–2023)

BY SUZANNE STEPHENS

ANTHONY VIDLER, a much- Walls: Architectural Theory in the Late

heralded architectural historian, theo- Enlightenment (1987); The Architectural
rist, and academic, died at his home in Uncanny: Essays in the Modern Unhomely
Manhattan on Thursday, October 19. (1992); Warped Space: Architecture and
His wife of 39 years, Emily Apter, a Anxiety in Modern Culture (2000); James
professor of French and comparative Frazer Stirling: Notes from the Archive
literature at New York University, (2010); and The Scenes of the Street and
said he had been ill with B-Cell Non- other Essays (2011).
Hodgkin lymphoma. Vidler became perhaps best known
Vidler, a contributor to record, was for his book Claude-Nicolas Ledoux:
raised in Essex, England, and received Architecture and Social Reform at the
his B.A. and Dipl. Arch from Cam- End of the Ancien Regime (1990), the
bridge University, and much later, a recipient of the Alice Davis Hitchcock
Ph.D. in architectural history and Award from the Society of Architec-
theory from the Delft University of tural Historians. Subsequently, in
Technology in the Netherlands. 2005, he revised an earlier book on
At Cambridge, Vidler was taught by Ledoux in French (1987). He then
Colin Rowe, who, as he recalled in a again revised and expanded this 2005
recent lecture, “From Soane to Ledoux version, titled Claude-Nicolas Ledoux:
and Back Again,” had deeply influenced Architecture and Utopia in the Era of the
the young student with his “ability to French Revolution, with a second
abstract from history the lessons of edition in 2021.
composition and formal interpretation.” Vidler’s work was hailed for enlarg-
Vidler also met an American at Cam- ing the perception of this Enlighten-
bridge who would be instrumental in his ment architect by defining Ledoux’s
career path—Peter Eisenman, then working on architecture from 2015 to 2022, says of Vidler’s thinking and practice within a social and
his Ph.D. and Vidler’s instructor in the First legacy, “As a dean, Tony presided over an era political context. In his research, Vidler
Year Design Studio. “We became buddies,” that can be described as next to impossible, found a series of drawings stashed away near
recalls Eisenman. Later, after Eisenman re- with John Hejduk having cemented the Ledoux’s famous factory, the Royal Salt-
turned to the U.S., he asked Vidler to come school’s [artistic] ethos for three prior decades. works, at Arc-et-Senans, in eastern France.
work on a project called the New Jersey That Tony maintained that ethos while also Eventually, he helped organize and design an
Corridor—a 20-mile linear city—that he was finding strategic ways to imagine it in an installation for an exhibition on Ledoux in
designing with Michael Graves. Fairly soon, expanded field is a testament to his creative the Saltworks in 1990. As architectural histo-
Vidler was teaching at Princeton’s School of intellectual capacity.” rian Barry Bergdoll says, Vidler “reinvigorated
Architecture, where both Eisenman and Mary McLeod, professor of architecture at the study of the architecture of the Enlighten-
Graves were ensconced. (Soon other Brits, Columbia University’s Graduate School of ment, drawing out from close readings of
Kenneth Frampton and Alan Colquhoun, Architecture, Planning and Preservation, design the overlapping filters of intellectual,
would arrive at Princeton, further enriching the recalls her days as Vidler’s student at Princeton. economic, and political history.”
U.S. architectural culture in the late 1960s.) He was “a brilliant teacher,” she says. “Not only Curatorial predilections spurred Vidler to
Vidler is regarded as a prominent educator was his historical and theoretical knowledge mount other exhibitions, such as out of the box:
in the United States, owing to his many aca- broad and all-encompassing, but he had a price rossi stirling + matta-clark (2003–04) at
demic affiliations here: professor of architec- highly synthetic and original mind, which, the Canadian Centre of Architecture in
ture and department chair at Princeton with incredible speed, could formulate connec- Montreal, and James Stirling, Architect and
University’s School of Architecture (1965–93); tions and interpretations . . . More than any- Teacher (2008) at the Yale University Center
chair of the department of art history at thing, he taught me how to think.” for British Art and the Canadian Centre for
UCLA (1992–2002); dean of Cornell Univer- Vidler’s accomplishments went beyond his Architecture. “Tony Vidler was a protean
sity’s College of Architecture, Art, and Plan- professorial responsibilities. He published a character, occupying many roles with sub-
PHOTOGRAPHY: © ALAN CHIMACOFF

ning (1997–98); and dean of the Irwin S. number of books, including the incomparable stance and style,” notes Yale professor of
Chanin School of Architecture at Cooper Histories of the Immediate Present: Inventing architecture and urbanism Alan Plattus.
Union (2001 as acting dean, then the official Architectural Modernism (2008), where he Clearly, in spite of a commitment to the
dean, from 2002 to 2013). Vidler also taught analyzes the approaches of four architecture 18th century, Vidler looked at contemporary
architecture at Brown University (2013–14) critics in the mid-20th century—Emil design to see how it could absorb lessons from
and at Yale University’s School of Architecture Kaufmann, Reyner Banham, Colin Rowe, history without falling into the trap of copy-
(2015–19). And he kept teaching at Cooper and Manfredo Tafuri. ing or wallowing in nostalgic clichés. His
until recently. Nader Tehrani, Cooper’s dean of Other notable books are The Writing of the participation in the Institute of Architecture

25
 Record TRIBUTE

Architectural historian and academic Anthony Recently, he was guiding me through some-
Vidler is pictured in the months before his thing I’m writing on Alberti. I miss him.”
passing on October 19, at the age of 82. At the same time, Vidler’s appetite for
investigating how other disciplines affect
and Urban Studies (IAUS), founded in New architecture remained intense. As Andreas
York by Peter Eisenman in 1967, testified to Huyssen, professor emeritus of German and
his being drawn to both history and moder- comparative literature at Columbia Univer-
nity. At the IAUS, Tony was one of the edi- sity, sums up, “Tony’s contribution to that
tors—along with Eisenman, Kenneth whole cross-disciplinary realm will continue
Frampton, and Mario Gandelsonas—of to inspire future generations.”
Oppositions, the theoretical journal. Yet Vidler Architect Diana Agrest, who worked with
was also the editorial director of Skyline, Vidler both at Cooper Union and the IAUS
another, newsier IAUS publication, aimed at states: “Tony’s death has left a terrible void in
a wider audience. Here Vidler worked with our world . . . but a void that will be filled with
Skyline’s editor (me) to create a tabloid-style the power of his extraordinary legacy as an

PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY EMILY APTER

monthly from 1981 to 1983. Thanks to Tony, exceptional human being who profoundly
Skyline published articles by Carl Schorske, touched so many lives, as an intellectual, a
Peter Brooks, and Thomas Bender, and ar- historian, teacher, and mentor.”
ranged an interview with Michel Foucault. In addition to wife Emily Apter, Anthony
Eisenman and Vidler remained friends Vidler is survived by his son Nicolas Apter-
through the years, at Cambridge, then Vidler, his brother, Richard, and two daughters
Princeton, the IAUS, and Yale. “Tony would from his first marriage, Anna and Sarah, and
read what I wrote and knew the academic three grandchildren (Sam, Penni, and Tobey,
sources, so we could have a discussion. children of his late son, Ben). n

26 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3
YO U R I N D U S T R Y VA L U E S YO U R E X P E R T O P I N I O N

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BOOKS

Record Editors Round Up Notable Books of 2023

The Iconic British House, by Dominic
Bradbury. Foreword by Alain de Botton.
Thames & Hudson, 320 pages, $65.

“This book should leave us inspired,

and a little angry, in a fruitful way,”
writes Alain de Botton in his foreword
to this hefty, decade-hopping survey of
modern domestic architecture in
Britain. Kick ing off with an Arts and
Crafts treasure in Surrey designed by
Edwin Lutyens as a rural retreat for
“ladies of small means,” the book’s 50
featured domiciles—lushly photo-
graphed by Richard Powers—are point-
edly diverse in style and context but unified
by their creative flair, ingenuity, and ability
to induce acute house envy. Don’t say you
weren’t warned. Matt Hickman

Building Practice, edited by Kyle Miller and

Molly Hunker. Applied Research + Design
Publishing, 400 pages, $35.

Molly Hunker and Kyle Miller assemble a

veritable who’s who of up-and-coming archi-
tects, designers, educators, and fabricators in
Building Practice. Short, thematic essays,
followed by interviews with 32 contributors
explore what it means to build a practice, as Designing the Forest and other Mass rian of modern architecture.” Published post-
well as how to practice the skill of building. Timber Futures, by Lindsey Wikstrom. humously, Paris Moderne, 1914–1945 surveys
Far from a run-of-the-mill compilation of Routledge, 246 pages, $35. French design culture, from the overlooked to
flashy projects, this reader on the profession’s the widely known. Bookended with photo-
next generation offers up valuable insight Mass timber is often seen as an ecologically essays by Antonio Martinelli, this encyclope-
that many young practitioners would be wise responsible alternative to concrete and steel. dic volume would feel at home in the library of
to heed. Leopoldo Villardi But this is not a given, since building at scale any historian or Francophile. LV
with wood introduces a whole set of new
Aino + Alvar Aalto: A Life Together, by challenges. This is why Lindsey Wikstrom’s The Advanced School of Collective
Heikki Aalto-Alanen. Thames & Hudson, book is so welcome. While advocating use of Feeling: Inhabiting Modern Physical
352 pages, $150. mass timber for its carbon-storing capabilities Culture 1926–38, by Nile Greenberg and
and potential to be nonextractive, she de- Matthew Kennedy. Park Books, 176 pages, $40.
Even though Alvar Aalto remains one of the bunks misguided assumptions and probes
most studied subjects in architectural his- ethical and environmental considerations. From the scantily clad figures on its cover to a
tory, his grandson Heikki Aalto-Alanen Designing the Forest provides a deep dive ribbon bookmark that doubles as an architec-
brings readers something new and unexpect- into the material’s complexities and its tural scale, The Advanced School of Collective
ed—a love story. This deeply personal ac- opportunities. Joann Gonchar, FAIA Feeling is every bit as playful as it is a book
count of Aino and Alvar’s life together, about play. This jog through the history of
replete with sketches and photographs, is Paris Moderne: 1914–1945, by Jean-Louis physical culture vis-à-vis modern architecture
told through never-before-published letters Cohen and Guillemette Morel Journel. features a series of drawings (beautifully
that reveal Aino’s often overlooked role in Flammarion, 356 pages, $65. rendered in metallic ink over black paper) and
the creative partnership. As Sigfried Giedion an impressive assortment of archival imagery.
wrote in 1949, after her unexpected death: When Jean-Louis Cohen unexpectedly died in Taking the book over the finish line: a collec-
“Their true secret is perhaps that, as people, August, Gwendolyn Wright wrote in record tion of somersaulting, weight-lifting, and jeté-
while they are the complete opposites, they that the profession had lost “the most insight- ing silhouettes that are bound to elicit more
are also equals.” LV ful, wide-ranging, lyrical, and prolific histo- than a few smiles. LV

29
 BOOKS

alternative to its typical The World Green Building Council estimates

“take-make-waste” model. that the built environment is responsible for
But, so far, circular pro- 40 percent of global carbon emissions—10
cesses are extremely diffi- percent stemming directly from embodied
cult for most architects to carbon from new materials and construction.
implement. Reuse in Con­ Reclaimed offers an alternative to the status
struction is intended to help quo, demonstrating how to reuse materials for
address this problem with contemporary residential design. Divided into
an in-depth documentation four material categories—brick, timber,
of K.188, a building-expan- metal, and postconsumer waste (denim repur-
sion project in Winterthur, posed as insulation, or recycled-plastic coun-
Switzerland, that relied tertops, for example)—this thoughtful guide
almost exclusively on reused catalogues 24 houses and apartments across
components. In addition to the world. Matthew Marani
this case study, the book
Reuse in Construction: A Compendium discusses the long history of circularity in Hamptons Modern: Contemporary Living
of Circular Architecture, edited by Eva architecture, as well as a range of practical on the East End, by David Sokol. The
Stricker, Guido Brandi, Andreas Sonderegger, concerns, including legal, economic, and Monacelli Press, 224 pages, $65.
Marc Angst, Barbara Buser, and Michel energy-related issues. JG
Massmünster. Park Books, 344 pages, $75. Intrepid New Yorker and record contribut-
Reclaimed: New Homes from Old ing editor David Sokol travels the East End
Green-building advocates agree that the Materials, by Penny Craswell. Thames & of Long Island, exploring how the area’s
construction industry is in dire need of an Hudson, 272 pages, $45. roots in Modernism are shaping its contem-

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30 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3
porary residential archi­
tecture (apart from the
manses for the rich and
famous). Highlighting
18 houses, on both the
South and North Forks,
Sokol organizes this
richly illustrated work
into three sections:
Stewarding the Past,
Extending the Legacy,
and Setting New Prece­
dents. Infused with
history, anecdotes, and
interviews, this engaging Shayle™ Wall Panels

ode to a design movement’s

influence in time and place
would be an asset to many
libraries—and it’s a pleasure to
read. Linda C. Lentz

John Ike: 9 Houses, 9

Stories, by John Ike and
Mitchell Owens. Vendome
Press, 304 pages, $75.

A chartreuse cloth cover with

blue and tangerine lettering
make this eye­catching showcase of residen­ sanitization campaign that followed,
tial work difficult to miss on a bookstore Columbia University professor emerita
shelf. Nine dwellings—deeply contemporary Lynne Sagalyn doesn’t confine herself to the
yet full of historical references—slowly broad strokes of financial deals or political
unfold over 304 pages, accompanied by the machinations. She emphasizes the street­
personal stories behind their making. But, level humanity that has persisted at the
reflecting on the collaborative nature of “crossroads of the world,” throughout the
practice, the storytellers are just as varied as fluctuations in its identity. Pansy Schulman
Kahn™ Wall Panels
the houses. Among them are clients and
Ziggy™ Screen Wall Block
contractors, as well as former firm partners Norman Foster: Complete Works 1965–
Tom Kligerman and Joel Barkley. “9 Houses, Today, by Norman Foster. Taschen, 1,064
9 Stories is intended as a salute to our work,” pages, $350.
Ike writes in the introduction. “It also marks
the official end to the 34­year run of Ike Accompanying the Norman Forster retro­
Kligerman Barkley.” Each of the three archi­ spective held at Paris’s Centre Pompidou
tects has now gone out on his own, and earlier this year, this monograph is undoubt­
readers will need to patiently wait to see edly the heavyweight—literally, at 26
what’s next in store. LV pounds—of architecture­book offerings in
2023. Neatly packaged in a 19" by 15¼" by
Times Square Remade: The Dynamics of 5½" cardboard carton, this two­volume
Urban Change, by Lynne B. Sagalyn. The edition (one is titled “works” and the other
MIT Press, 440 pages, $40. “networks”) presents the Pritzker Prize–win­
ning architect’s life, work, and personal
Take a front­row seat to the detailed chroni­ interests in XXL format, with writings by
cle of the making, remaking, “ruin,” and Taschen regular Philip Jodidio and Foster
revival of New York’s “symbolic soul.” From himself. Not suitable for those who prefer to
Times Square’s Gilded Age inception as a travel light! LV
highbrow arts destination to its working­
class takeover as a carnivalesque playground, For other notable books, peruse our book reviews
then its decline into a destination for por­ on architecturalrecord.com or in previous issues
nography and prostitution and the 20­year of the magazine. modular components in natural gypsum

modulararts.com 206.788.4210 Made in the U.S.A.

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 FIRST LOOK

New Growth
Amid a dense grove of redwoods, Studio Gang completes a quartet of new
buildings in a campus revamp of Kresge College at UC Santa Cruz.
BY JOHN KING

Kresge College’s new

academic center is
anchored by the
largest lecture hall at
UC Santa Cruz.

IF THEY STOOD in isolation on a hori- within the large public university is located on and rebuilding as required, while adding
zontal city block, the three new residential the northern edge of Monterey Bay, nestled in desperately needed undergraduate housing as
halls at the University of California, Santa the woodlands above a fabled beach town. well as classrooms and a lecture hall that
Cruz, might seem imposing—five-story The theme of Kresge when it opened in 1973 could serve the entire university. Further,
curved bars clad in dark wood, with flat was participatory democracy, often pushed to large parts of Moore’s almost willfully idio-
facades and orderly stacks of relatively small such extremes as a 1990 effort to secede from syncratic enclave were inaccessible to anyone
windows. the rest of the university over pressures to with limited mobility.
PHOTOGRAPHY: © JASON O’REAR PHOTOGRAPHY

Place them on a ridge above a ravine, amid replace written evaluations with regular letter “We tried to really think about what we
tall stands of redwood trees, and the stocky grades (grades, alas, were introduced campus- could bring to the campus now,” Gang says.
trio takes on a very different aura: an inven- wide in 2001). At the same time, “we wanted to hang onto
tive pairing of built forms and nature where, Fittingly, the remake is led by an equally the original spirit of the Moore-Turnbull
if anything, the existing beauty is energized imaginative 21st-century practitioner. Jeanne design.”
by the addition of urban-scaled academic life. Gang and her Chicago-based firm Studio That spirit—playful but also attuned to
The three buildings are part of a remake of Gang designed the residential trio, plus a place—infuses Gang’s large academic center
Kresge College, the theatrical Postmodern large academic building that opened to stu- at the north end of the eight-acre campus.
take on an Italian hill town conceived by dents in September. The project’s completion The building replaces Kresge’s “town hall”
Charles Moore and William Turnbull in the comes nearly six years after the firm began and bears little visual resemblance to the
late 1960s. This small residential college work on their design, restoring what it could angled Postmodernism of Moore’s linear

35
 FIRST LOOK

36 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3
The academic center features a central atrium
(right) and a classroom (bottom) looking out to
one of three new residence halls (opposite).

village, other than the use of white plaster on

the outer walls; instead, the billowing form
has an almost unreal naturalism as it spills
down two levels toward the ravine.
According to Gang, the inspiration was the
mushrooms that grow on the trunks of red-
wood trees in the dense, moist forests that
surround the campus, spreading wide in layer
after sinuous layer.
“I love how this building turned out,” she
confesses. “We worked really hard on the
curves, to make it more organic. When we
first put it on the site, it felt huge.”
The academic center’s height tops off at
only 31 feet, equal to its predecessor, yet it
contains a 600-seat lecture hall that ranks as
the largest at UC Santa Cruz. The lower
levels of the building offer fairly conventional
classrooms and staff spaces, albeit with large
windows that showcase the redwoods edging
the ravine. But the gentle descent of the
auditorium, and the clerestory-lit passageways
along it, pull the earthy flow of the exterior
into the building itself. So does the over-
lapped drama of stairways and corridors that
swell to allow seating nooks, the occasional
table, or spots to lean against a railing and
trade gossip with a friend.
There’s an entirely different tone to the
new residential halls that begin southwest of
the academic building and together contain
400 beds, in addition to the 365 in the origi-
nal housing structures that are being rebuilt
as part of the master plan’s second phase.
These new buildings run along a section of
Kresge’s ridge that hadn’t yet been developed,
which meant cutting down roughly 40 trees of
varying size. Distinctive clusters were retained
where possible, which meant bending each
rectangular block into forms that Gang and
her colleagues liken to elbow macaroni. The
upper floors cantilever out from the base,
creating shielded pathways that also lessen the
structures’ presence on the ground. Similarly,
the stub ends of each hall are clad in glass for
common areas at the ground level as a gesture
toward porosity and community; Halloween
morning, students could be seen carving
pumpkins in one ground-floor lounge.
The new residential halls show hints of the
strain involved in working to maximize the
number of student beds while confining each
structure to as small a footprint as possible:
the hallways are narrow, with exposed over-
head ductwork painted vibrant orange to try

37
39
 CLOSE UP

Team Spirit
Collective Project’s Talaricheruvu Rural School in southern India demonstrates how government, private
enterprise, and good design can work to serve a greater good.
BY LINDA C. LENTZ

AFTER COMPLETING the transforma- The right opportunity arrived in 2016 tion of the family-run cement maker. Having
tion of an abandoned watch factory into a when the Penna Foundation, a philanthropic seen Collective Project’s work for Montessori,
much-publicized Montessori school in its arm of Penna Cement, one of the largest they realized better facilities would attract
home city of Bengaluru, India, in 2014, archi- privately held cement companies in India, better teachers, provide a higher-quality
tecture firm Collective Project received tons of approached the architects with a brief to education, and ultimately be a positive force
inquiries for schools, says partner Eliza devise a prototype scheme to re-envision on the remote factory communities.
Higgins. Most were from for-profit institu- three existing schools, all in various stages of Located in Andhra Pradesh, a hot, dry
PHOTOGRAPHY: © VIVEK EADARA

tions. Having designed one elite private disrepair, built for the children of the com- region of southern India, the 40,000-square-
school, Higgins and partner Cyrus Patell pany’s factory workers. Penna’s request—initi- foot pre-K through 10th-grade Talaricheruvu
wanted more meaningful work. “Finding the ated through a government corporate social Rural School is the first of these projects to
right project as architects who want to have an responsibility (CSR) mandate requiring be realized. According to Patell, the two-
impact is difficult, especially in education,” businesses of a certain size to invest a percent- story L-shaped building was around 15 years
Higgins explains. “Schools here are typically age of their profits in public works—was old and sound, so its reinforced-concrete
seen as an opportunity to make money.” embraced by the incoming younger genera- structure was maintained. Substantial revi-

41
 CLOSE UP

sions were necessary, however, to improve and

expand its layout and systems. Bathrooms, at 6
the perimeter of the two-acre site, were dif-
ficult to reach. The building’s 16 classrooms
were too big, poorly planned, and in need of
natural light and ventilation. And—due to
the intense sun and heat of the region, where
temperatures can exceed 109º Fahrenheit—
lack of shade deterred outdoor activity. 5
Working with the cement factory’s engi-
neers, the design team first cut through the
building, opening it at central locations on the
ground level to create a larger, more fluid area
at grade. They then erected a series of pavilions
3
to serve various functions. Two are bath- 4
rooms—one for boys, one for girls—now easily

PHOTOGRAPHY: © BENJAMIN HOSKING (TOP AND OPPOSITE, TOP); VIVEK EADARA (OPPOSITE, BOTTOM)
4
reached near each of the building’s wings and
adjacent to the new open-air passageways 3 3

(which double as library zones). The additional 3 3

small-scale structures house an entrance with
seats for waiting caregivers and bicycle park-
ing, pre-K and kindergarten classrooms, stor- 2
age, art, and multiuse spaces, and a cafeteria/
teaching kitchen. (The school is also a voca-
tional training ground for trades like cooking
and carpentry.) The extant school’s interior
was reworked, with 24 classrooms, two faculty
lounges, and three labs on the two levels, plus
more bathroom facilities on the upper floor—
all punctuated by large windows and delicate
jali screens to maximize daylight and airflow, AXONOMETRIC
and surfaced with Kadappa black limestone 1
floors, made with the waste of stone processed 1 ENTRANCE PAVILION
in surrounding villages. 2 MAIN BUILDING
Outside, an expansive locally sourced– 3 LEARNING PAVILION
bamboo canopy supported by a lightweight 4 BATHROOM PAVILION
metal framework—Collective Project’s most 5 CANOPY
visually striking intervention—hovers around
6 FUTURE LEARNING LANDSCAPE
the perimeter of the old and new buildings

42 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3
and over roofless bathroom and entry pavil-
ions, introducing shaded exterior corridors
and plazas for gatherings and play that, when
combined with the new structures, effectively
doubles the usable space of the school’s origi-
nal square footage. The firm also worked
with nearby nurseries to plant pockets of local
flora and trees around the grounds and on
pavilion roofs, irrigating them with water
from sewage treated at the neighboring fac-
tory. “Everything came from that area and
was made there. Even the cement wash we
used on the facade,” says Higgins.
Occupied during construction, which was
largely completed in 2022, the school—with a
capacity for 600 children—is still waiting for
new furniture, smart-classroom equipment,
and courts for sports like tennis and basket-
ball, as well as a “learning landscape” on the
roof. (At times, the architects had to share the
engineers with their client. Further, the CSR
funding is distributed annually, so when
money ran out, work stopped until the next
year.) “But, while the process has been slow,”
says Patell, “the Penna Foundation didn’t cut
anything. And they are already talking to us
about the second school.” Higgins adds, “I
think it’s just a matter of time and cash flow. Located near the client’s factory, the school now has an entry pavilion (opposite, top), expansive
And when they’re ready, we’ll be here.” n bamboo shading (top), and large windows paired with jali screens (above).

43
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 HOUSE of the Month
LEVENBETTS PUTS NATURE—FLORA, FAUNA, AND GEOLOGY—ON DISPLAY AT A HOUSE IN UPSTATE NEW YORK. BY LEOPOLDO VILLARDI

WHEN Jorn Ake and Claudia Salomon amazing,” Leven says, “and we thought a lot A WEATHERING-STEEL sculpture juts into the
sought a quieter life outside the noise of New about how the architecture should sit in these shale outcropping that cuts across the upstate
York City, they set their sights north. In fact, surroundings.” For Ake, a writer and amateur New York site of SA House (above).
the couple was particularly enamored with a naturalist, restoring the ecology of the cou-
house, clad in dark corrugated metal with ple’s wooded 80-acre property, portions of translated their catalogue of 102 species into a
luminous white interiors, in rural Columbia which under different stewards had accom- palette, specifying native plantings that would
County. The owners, though, were still quite modated a gravel pit, an auto graveyard, and a thrive around the house. That process, Leven
attached to it. Deflated, Ake and Salomon sheep farm, has been an ongoing but reward- adds, was a boon to thinking holistically
asked themselves: “Why not track down the ing effort. The cars have been cleared, though about site. “It has completely changed how we
architects?” it’s not unusual to still stumble upon a ran- approach our houses.”
That question led them to husband-and- dom part or two. Invasive plant species are A winding pathway in picturesque coun-
wife team Stella Betts and David Leven, of routinely uprooted, and a creek is being rem- tryside leads to the modest 2,500-square-foot
Manhattan-based LEVENBETTS, who edied to reduce sedimentation. Not surpris- SA House (so called for its owners’ surnames).
were commissioned to design what would ingly, when it came time to build, architecture From the vestibule, nature suddenly disap-
become Ake and Salomon’s new primary and landscape were carefully considered in pears. Solid, white interiors replace dappled
residence in Hillsdale, New York. Unlike the tandem. foliage; the crunch of loose gravel underfoot
PHOTOGRAPHY: © NAHO KUBOTA

clapboarded Colonials and shingled saltboxes Ake and Salomon enlisted a botanist and becomes a hearty thud on polished-concrete
that line the town’s streets, the new house is an ecologist from the Farmscape Ecology pro- floors. But this obfuscation is only momen-
tucked away in a clearing beyond a veil of gram of the Hawthorne Valley Associ- tary—with every turn into a new room, one
towering, spindly white pines. There, it stands ation—a local nonprofit with programming sees the outside world come back into full
proudly in the center of an idyllic plat—a that integrates agriculture, education, and view through floor-to-ceiling glass walls. To
machine for living amid nature. art—to survey flora on the vast property. In the west, the kitchen and living room over-
“Jorn and Claudia’s care for this land is turn, landscape architect Jamie Purinton look a valley through the same pines en-

47
 HOUSE of the Month

shrouding the house on approach. To the

northeast, the corner bedroom suite looks
5 uphill into a dense woodland. “It’s better than
7 television,” Ake says of the wildlife on display.
“We wanted fresh air, light, and privacy—and
we got two out of three,” he adds with a
laugh, noting the many feathery and furry
visitors that he and his wife encounter.
Ten rectangular volumes—some conceal-
1 ing storage, others inhabitable, one encasing a
fireplace and chimney flue—are the devices
that script movement, define space, and
4 provide shear support on the ground floor.
2
3 Each is clad in panelized fiber cement, af-
fixed with button-head screws; this tectonic
language is repeated continuously, inside and
out. Overlaid atop this strictly orthogonal
organizational system, 21 slender columns
stipple the main level like saplings, structur-
ing the roof and a boomerang-shaped covered
FLOOR PLAN 8
patio. And overhead, as part of the lighting
0 10 FT. scheme by Suzan Tillotson, integrated down-
3 M. lights dot the ceiling like a constellation.
More striking is a 32-foot-long sculpture
1 ENTRY VESTIBULE 4 LIVING 7 DEN/GUEST SUITE by Czech-American artists Kristyna and
2 KITCHEN 5 PRIMARY SUITE 8 COVERED PATIO Marek Milde, which juts out from the east-
3 DINING 6 LIGHT COURT facing light court directly into a dramatic,

48 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3
A LIGHT COURT (above) brightens interiors.
Slender columns echo the forest (opposite and
above, right). From the second floor, the house
seems to disappear into the landscape (right).

striated shale outcropping to which the

house’s foundation is pinned. This plinth of
weathering steel slots perfectly into the jagged
stone, and circular cutouts accommodate
ferns, moss, and a small pond frequented by
amphibious critters.
At the house’s core, a steel staircase leads
up to a tranquil second-floor study. From this
elevated crow’s nest, a second vanishing act
unfolds—densely planted sedum on the roof
blurs almost indistinguishably into the sur-
rounding meadow of sedge, rush, and aster
(save an abstract smattering of openings and
skylights). In the warmer months, the buzz of
pollinators amid a sea of yellow blooms makes
for a mesmerizing spectacle. But this roof-
scape, with thick wool padding underneath,
serves a practical purpose too—with a mea-
surable R value of 46, it acts as a “thermal
sponge,” helping regulate the temperature of
living spaces below. Out of view, a blind spot
referred to by the architects as the “Bermuda
Trapezoid” conceals a dryer vent and the

49
 HOUSE of the Month

CALIBRATED to solar angles, the covered patio

widens at the house’s southwest corner.

stove exhaust from most vantage points—a Credits Sources

clever solution to a perennial problem for ARCHITECT: LEVENBETTS — David Leven, Stella CLADDING: Cement Board Fabricators
houses experienced in the round. Betts, principals; Andrew Luy, project manager; ROOFING: Kemper
Felipe Colin, You Chia Lai, Sasha Urano, Sungwhan
Now that Ake and Salomon have put WINDOWS: Fleetwood; Glazing Vision (skylights)
Jean, Andrea Chiney, design team
down roots and settled in, attention has DOORS: Fleetwood (exterior); Centor Screens
ENGINEERS: Brett Schneider, Guy Nordenson
shifted deeper into the woods. About 10 and Associates (structural) (integrated concealed screens); Solid Core
minutes away on foot, LEVENBETTS is (interior)
CONSULTANTS: Tillotson Design Associates
busy developing a timber folly—a moment (lighting); Jamie Purinton Landscape Architect, HARDWARE: Accurate Pulls (locksets)
of respite along meandering trails. It’s a sign Garden Tenders (landscape); Claudia Knab-Vispo, INTERIOR FINISHES: Benjamin Moore Aura
Conrad Vispo (survey) (ceiling paint); Dupont Corian (kitchen counter);
that the client-architect relationship is
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Richard McCue Cement Board Fabricators (interior wall panels)
thriving, and that the house is just as per-
CLIENTS: Claudia Salomon and Jorn Ake LIGHTING: Lucifer (downlights); Bega, B-K
fectly attuned to its environs as it is to the Lighting (exterior); Lutron (dimming)
occupants. Says Ake: “We asked Stella and SIZE: 2,500 square feet
PLUMBING: MGS, Duravit, D Line
David to design the house that we never COST: withheld
knew we wanted.” n COMPLETION DATE: June 2023

50 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3
STUDENT
DESIGN
COMPETITIONS
Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture continues its long precedence in creating and providing
design competitions for students and faculty. ACSA international competitions offer unique opportunities to
investigate, develop, and challenge systematic approaches to design. Entries are critiqued and judged by a
jury of experts. Competitions also assist instructors with developing a range of design challenges for use in
their courses.
STEEL DESIGN COTE TOP TEN TIMBER IN THE CITY
Competition for Students Competition Urban Habitats Competition
The 2024 Steel Design Student Given their long lifespan, new The program is intended
Competition will offer architecture buildings must be designed to to challenge students to
students the opportunity to address solutions to climate reimagine the boundaries of
compete in two separate change and to respond to its wood construction in the urban
categories: projected impacts, well into the environment, leading to the
Cat. I: Steel Innovation Center second half of the 21st Century transformation of our existing
Design a Steel Innovation and beyond. The COTE cities through constructing
Construction Center in downtown Top Ten for Students allows sustainable buildings made
St. Louis, MO. The site is part of designs to be characterized in from renewable resources,
the Construction Innovation District terms of 10 measures ranging offering expedient affordable
& Master Development just south from Community to Water to construction, innovating with new
of the Gateway Arch. Program Wellness. and traditional wood materials,
spaces include areas for exhibition, and designing healthy living and
fabrication, training, and community working environments. This is the
outreach. Steel is the primary fifth competition in the TIMBER
material. IN THE CITY series, and this
Cat. II: Open year provides an opportunity
This category offers architecture to meet urban housing needs
students the opportunity to select through the addition of an
a site and building program using overbuild, or vertical extension,
steel as the primary material. This made of wood to an existing
competition category permits the building or structure.
greatest amount of flexibility for
any building type.

acsa-arch.org/competitions
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 LANDSCAPE
RIOS SETS THE STAGE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS WITH A TRANSFORMED PUBLIC PLAZA IN DOWNTOWN HOUSTON. BY MATT HICKMAN

54 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3
 TRUE TO the overused—but not inaccurate— Major Houston cultural venues like Jones Hall
phrase that describes the magnitude and breadth flank the plaza (opposite); it has a cascading
of everything in Texas (hats, hair, sky, etc.), water feature at the northwest corner (above).
arts and cultural institutions enjoy an outsize
presence in the state’s most populous city, the venues. Separated from the street by high walls
intensely sprawling and diverse Houston. and largely devoid of greenery except at its
The city’s de facto epicenter for the perform- corners, the plaza’s primary programmatic
ing arts can be found in the Theater District, an function, pre-renovation, was as an open-air
appropriately plus-sized stretch of downtown party zone—but only on Thursday evenings.
populated by an assemblage of architecturally “Hundreds of bikers and office workers would
disparate venues. They include Ulrich Franzen’s go every week—it was kind of a messy party
Brutalist Alley Theatre (1968), home to Hous- scene—and that was its only use,” says Peter
ton’s oldest professional theater company; the Emerson, director of RIOS’s landscape archi-
glassy Hobby Center for the Performing Arts tecture studio.
(2002), designed by Robert A. M. Stern In its reimagining of the old plaza as a
Architects; William Wayne Caudill’s white- programmed green roof for the underground
marble-clad New Formalist masterwork Jones parking structure, RIOS packs a plethora of
Hall (1966), erected for the Houston Symphony new features into the site. Now laced with
Orchestra; and the imposing redbrick Wor- meandering footpaths, the space is elevated
tham Theater Center (1987), designed by above the site’s 500-year-flood line and
Eugene Aubrey and cohabited by the Houston extends the sidewalk along Texas Avenue
Ballet and Houston Grand Opera. With its northward. Here, a switchbacking ramp—
debut in September, the new Lynn Wyatt the Garden Walk—serves as a distinctive
Square for the Performing Arts serves as the entry point, with an overlook jutting out
PHOTOGRAPHY: © PAVEL BENDOV/ARCHIEXPLORER

new al fresco anchor for these high-profile above the downtown streetscape. At the
institutions—an inclusive green space that center of the site, an expanse of open lawn
brings music, theater, and dance outdoors, provides space for gatherings large and small,
liberated from darkened auditoria and thrust planned and impromptu. The well-shaded
into the public realm. Gateway Gardens at the square’s busy south-
Designed by Los Angeles–based RIOS, east corner cater to the lunchtime office-
Lynn Wyatt Square is located within the nearly worker crowd, and a cascading water feature
two-acre footprint of the former Jones Plaza, an with an integrated ramp on the northwest
Parum faccabo. Nis autatecti quatem et aut underutilized swath of concrete located at the side of the plaza adds visual interest and a
aperuptasit elessim excessed quibus non
foot of Jones Hall and atop a vast subterranean cooling mist that provides relief on swelter-
comnihilit,
parking complex that serves the surrounding ing days.

55
 LANDSCAPE

Distributed throughout the $26.5 million

project, including one that lets you experience
the spray of the water feature from within, are
four flexible performance configurations that
together set the stage for year-round program-
ming such as concerts, film screenings, and
dance—events meant to draw Houstonians and
visitors downtown, even when the neighboring
theaters are dark. (Client Houston First Cor-
poration, a local government entity that oper-
ates venues including the Jones Hall and the
Wortham, oversees Lynn Wyatt Square’s
public-programming calendar.)
“It was an intentional decision to move away
from one singular, large stage,” says Emerson
of the emphasis on creating intimate outdoor
performance spaces—all connected to electric,
audio, and video infrastructure—that enable
multiple events to happen simultaneously in
different areas of the redeveloped plaza.
Befitting a public outdoor venue celebrating
the performing arts, the design of Lynn Wyatt
Square is inspired by a placemaking concept
referred to as “urban choreography” by RIOS.

Alley Theatre
Wortham
Theater

Texas Avenue

3 1 CENTER GREEN

2 GATEWAY GARDENS

3 GARDEN WALK

4 SPRING STAGE/

4 CASCADING
FOUNTAIN
Louisiana Street

5 RESTAURANT &
EVENT SPACE
1
6 OUTDOOR DINING
Smith Street

Jones Hall
Bayou for the
Place Performing 7 PARKING ACCESS
Arts

Capitol Street

0 40 FT.
SITE PLAN
10 M.

56 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3
 Amphitheater seating along the north side of the restaurant pavilion pavilion that floats above the underground parking garage, on the
faces the central lawn (opposite), with Garden Walk (above) beyond. western edge of the site. Clad in glass and textured concrete, the
bilevel building—designed by RIOS with executive architect
“It’s about creating intersections and places where people are going to HarrisonKornberg Architects—is topped by a timber roof structure
interact,” Emerson explains, noting that by relocating two of the buried with a free-flowing form that pays homage to the fluidity of dance.
parking garage’s large exhaust shafts from the corners of the plaza to less Although the structure’s soaring, column-free interior offers an
conspicuous locations on the edges of the site made the space more air-conditioned respite from Houston’s notorious humidity and oppres-
welcoming and visible. “We’ve created a place where people can merge.” sive temperatures, the newly landscaped plaza outside—previously a
As Emerson says, the plaza’s new entrances from the street are consid- literal heat island—has cooled down considerably within this urban
PHOTOGRAPHY: © PAVEL BENDOV/ARCHIEXPLORER

ered as accessible-to-all “experiences” and not “just paths to travel.” environment dominated by towers of concrete, stone, and glass.
As with any proper performing arts space, Lynn Wyatt Square has According to RIOS, the project reduced the plaza’s hardscape by 19
abundant seating—a roughly 60 percent increase from Jones Plaza. percent, increased its plantings by 92 percent, and added 27 percent
Terraced benches, movable tables and chairs, and swing seats (a “hit” more trees—among them 14 mature live oaks that provide abundant
with users, per Emerson), provide places to relax, unwind, and take in shade. In addition, the park’s lush landscaping—local firm Asakura
the show(s); the square’s outdoor furnishings, designed by RIOS, are Robinson served as executive landscape architect for planting design—
bright yellow, as are the multifunctional media towers that line the helps to manage stormwater runoff, improve air quality, and foster
Proscenium Walk at the northern end of the site. biodiversity.
The transformation of Jones Plaza into Lynn Wyatt Square also An urban green space that acts as an outdoor extension of the per-
yielded what proved to be the most technically complex part of the forming arts venues surrounding it, Lynn Wyatt Square proves that
project from an engineering standpoint: a 7,400-square-foot restaurant second acts are worth sticking around for. n

57
 Unlimited Online Access
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 Industrial
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Photo: alanblakely.com

Colorful metal panels mimic signature sculpture

Parc Haven features industrial-style PAC-CLAD Highline B2 metal cladding
that references the adjoining train tracks. A punch of colorful Flush panel
highlights nod to Symphony Park’s Pipe Dream sculpture sited directly
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THIS THEATER, COMPLETED JUST AFTER THE END OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR IN A
EUROPEAN CAPITAL CITY, WAS DERIDED AS A FAILURE BY CRITICS AFTER IT OPENED.
BUT ITS SPECTACULAR EXPRESSIONIST DESIGN SPOKE TO THE AMBITION OF CREATING
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 FORUM

Heavenly Bodies architects at Populous, has constructed a $2.3 billion,

17,600-seat venue enclosed within a sphere that, with a
Just east of the
Las Vegas Strip,
Izzy Kornblatt looks to the Enlightenment for insight diameter of 516 feet, is by far the world’s largest, and the the Sphere serves
as a giant digital
into Las Vegas’s new Sphere. first to exceed the diameter of the Cenotaph for Newton.
billboard.
Like the Cenotaph, the Sphere (as it is known), is extreme
“O NEWTON! With the range of your intelligence and in its apparent formal simplicity; unlike the Cenotaph, it is
the sublime nature of your genius, you have defined the an unabashedly profit-seeking venture, and as a consequence
shape of the earth; I have conceived the idea of enveloping is adorned with 1.2 million LED nodes that make it into a
you with your discovery. That is as it were to envelop you in 360-degree digital billboard.
your own self.” So the French architect Étienne-Louis This digital display is also what enables the Sphere to
Boullée described his 1784 proposal for a Cenotaph for become, via a fluid blue-green image, a more vivid represen-
Isaac Newton, an enormous, unadorned sphere, some 500 tation of the earth than Boullée could have thought possible.
feet in diameter and rising out of a tiered base, its interior This image, Sphere as earth, features in the renderings of
empty apart from a sarcophagus and a pattern of tiny the Sphere put out by its owners, as well as in many of the
openings representing the constellations of the night sky. videos and photos that have circulated in the press and
PHOTOGRAPHY: © SPHERE ENTERTAINMENT

Monument as earth, scientist at the center of the cosmos: online since its September opening: the Sphere, it seems, is
this is the imagery of the Enlightenment, awesome and broadly understood to be an enormous miniature, the
terrible in its hubristic scale. world’s largest scale model. And we are meant to occupy it.
It would take another 150 years for the scientific trajec- Actually, we are meant, as Boullée suggested, to be envel-
tory of the Enlightenment to reach its terrifying extreme in oped within it. For within the Sphere is a lavishly immersive
the form of world-destroying nuclear weapons. And it “4D” theater, equipped, as the press materials have it, with a
would take even longer, more precisely until earlier this fall, wraparound display that is the “highest-resolution LED
for Boullée’s monument to be completed—not as cenotaph screen on earth,” a “beamforming” audio system, artificial
but as entertainment venue, set along the Las Vegas Strip. scents and breezes, even seating equipped with an “infra-
There, the owner of Madison Square Garden, working with sound haptic system.”

63
 FORUM
sphere, Fuller’s still-standing
U.S. Pavilion for the 1967
Montreal Expo, where visitors
ascended a 135-foot escalator
to enter an exhibit on NASA’s
plans for the moon landing—
and from there to the Fuller-
inspired Biosphere 2 experi-
ment of the late 1980s, in
which a group of scientists
occupied an artificially consti-
tuted ecosystem as a trial run
for off-world settlement.
Aronofsky’s film aside, the
Sphere lacks such an explicitly
pseudo-utopian program.
Nonetheless, like those earlier
projects, the Sphere oscillates
between the twin poles of
representing earth (through its
exterior symbolism) and repro-
ducing it (through its immer-
sive interior), and it does so at
The Immaculate The tension between this all-encompassing fantasy and yet another moment of anxiety. In the end, it doesn’t mat-
Conception, a the bleakness of the future facing the real earth is not lost ter much whether the suggestion is that we save our world
2023 illustration
on the Sphere’s owners. They have responded by commis- or go build another one; either way, the promise is that we
by Yaxuan Liu,
depicts Boullée’s
sioning Darren Aronofsky to direct a 50-minute film, will find a way to redeem ourselves. Nowhere is this final
1784 cenotaph as produced to take advantage of the Sphere’s special capabili- point made more poetically than in yet another phantasmal
incorporating the ties and appropriately titled Postcard from Earth, that pres- image of the Enlightenment, Claude-Nicolas Ledoux’s
Sphere (top). An ents a story about humans who have left the planet after 1804 elevation drawing for his cemetery at the imagined
1804 engraving having ruined its environment. Those who go to see the ideal city of Chaux. In plan and section, the project ap-
after a Ledoux film will indeed be enveloped by themselves—enveloped pears as an orthogonal structure centered around a spheri-
design imagines a
by their fears about the future blown up into an experience cal void. But in the engraving that Ledoux marked as an
cemetery of
Chaux (below). so intense that the building is equipped with sensory rooms elevation, the void has turned solid and become earth
for patrons who have panic attacks or otherwise need a itself, and the rest of the building has fallen away, as have
break. Tickets start at $49. its worldly surroundings. Here in the afterlife, the sun
As the late Anthony Vidler noted, Boullée’s Cenotaph shines brightly and the miniature planet floats on a gentle
became in the 1960s a kind of poster project for Buck- bed of clouds. Far away from the ruination of the old earth,
minster Fuller’s Spaceship Earth movement. Conscious of the dead live on in a new world, different from our own
the threat of nuclear annihilation and of the risks of and yet exactly the same. n
environmental degradation,

IMAGES: © YAXUAN LIU (TOP); © BIBLIOTHÈQUE NATIONALE DE FRANCE (BOTTOM)

Fuller and his acolytes sought to
present earth as a delicate, scien-
tifically constructed mecha-
nism—a spaceship hurtling
through the void—that could
only be preserved through the
collective efforts of all its occu-
pants. This is also the moral
lesson suggested by Aronofsky’s
film. But the film’s plot also
illustrates how closely tied
Spaceship Earth was to a more
self-important idea, that of
humanity finding salvation
through the discovery or cre-
ation of new habitats, new
earths. In this way, Spaceship
Earth takes us to another great

64 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3
 Revisionist History formed from splayed diagonal concrete beams supporting
steeply inclined triangular planes of stone cladding, it is
The Pyramid, a
Communist-era
monument in
Tim Abrahams considers the layered significance of legibly pharaonic—a primitive image of power, expressive of Tirana, has been
what once was a memorial to an Albanian dictator. Hoxha’s domination of all political and social life in Albania revamped by
during his four-decade regime. After the fall of Commu- MVRDV and
THE SYMBOLISM of the newly renovated Pyramid in nism in 1991, the statue of Hoxha it had contained was now houses a
Tirana, Albania, might at first seem straightforward. demolished, and the building was used variously as an im- technology
Unveiled in mid-October, just as leaders of the European promptu exhibition space, a nightclub, a radio station, and school for teens.
Union’s largest nations arrived in the city to discuss when even a NATO base. But nothing stuck. Lacking any long-
Albania and other Balkan states might become members of term purpose, the structure slowly decayed: it was frequently
that organization, Tirana’s youthful mayor, Erion Veliaj, vandalized, the glazing broken, and the concrete began to
PHOTOGRAPHY: © OSSIP VAN DUIVENBODE

declared that the revamped Communist-era monument, deteriorate. The building was taken over by the homeless.
formerly “a house of oppression and dictatorship,” is now “a It wasn’t until 2017 that the city government came by the
house of freedom.” funds to convert the Pyramid into a school. The Dutch
The history of the Pyramid, however, is far from simple. practice MVRDV, already working in Tirana, won the
Called “Piramida” by locals, the building was originally design competition with a simple proposal: retain the con-
completed in 1988 as a memorial to Albania’s longtime crete shell and leave it open to the public and, partially, to
dictator, Enver Hoxha. The 70-foot-tall structure, part the elements, then insert new structures inside it. The old
shrine, part Constructivist sculpture, is not technically a ground floor, where the statue had once stood, would be
pyramid. It is generally circular in plan, reading from the removed. Previously hidden back-of-house entrances in the
rear as a ribbed drum. But from the front, with a portico former basement would be enlarged, creating a new double-

65
 FORUM
2015 study determined that, although Tirana’s citizens
had no desire to return to the days of dictatorship, they
wanted to keep the structure. The Pyramid’s slopes had
long been co-opted by local children, who treated it as one
of the world’s longest, steepest, and very likely most dan-
gerous slides. A small section of inclined roof surface has
been retained as a slide on the renovated building.
It is to this in-between period—the time when local
people co-opted the building—that the haphazard array of
boxed rooms speaks. In place of a home for squatters, some
new form of inhabiting the structure was needed if it was to
be retained. Renovations of degraded buildings do not come
cheap, after all, and it wasn’t until the Armenian educa-
tional foundation funded a large part of the $12.9 mil-
lion construction cost that saving it was possible. Ultimately,
the technology school housed within the cube assemblage is

PHOTOGRAPHY: © OSSIP VAN DUIVENBODE (BOTTOM); AVISHAI TEICHER, VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS (TOP)
After the fall of height ground floor open on four sides. The concrete struc- secondary to the Pyramid’s new symbolism for a nation
Communism, ture—including the series of radial elements that rise to a coming to terms with its past. MVRDV’s refurbishment
the Pyramid
ring beam—has now been repaired and encapsulated in works as a sculpture, an urban activator, and a memorial to a
deteriorated
(above). The thick white polyurethane paint. Skylights have been long and complicated history, rather than merely as a piece
now-renovated reglazed and new fixed-glass louvers added to the portico. of conventional architecture.
structure includes On the outside, the building now has 14 sets of concrete In the years immediately following Hoxha’s death, Ismail
an irregular stack staircases that cover the structure and lead up to a small Kadare, considered Albania’s greatest living writer, wrote a
of brightly colored platform encircling the central skylight. The Pyramid was political parable called The Pyramid. Ostensibly set in an-
volumes (below).
public in the days of Hoxha, but the public was subservient cient Egypt, but with a nod to the Hoxha memorial, which
and passive. Now there is a different relationship with visi- was almost complete when Kadare began writing, the novel
tors: the Pyramid is open at ground level and on the roof was a test of a dawning democracy. It confounded the cen-
providing views to the city around it. Most strikingly, sors by apparently telling a story of the construction of the
MVRDV, to inhabit the old shell, has designed a four-story older pyramids, but with veiled analogies to Albania’s pre-
irregular assemblage of concrete climate-controlled boxes. dicament. Kadare’s book focuses on the great squares of
Each volume is about 13 feet high and between 19 feet and stone that constituted these symbols of total power and
46 feet on a side. They are almost exclusively given over to explores how political systems are built by those they op-
the new technology school for teenagers run by TUMO, an press. It asked Albanians whether they wanted to maintain
Armenian educational nonprofit, and have been stacked in the structures of totalitarianism or not.
such a way that their roofs become balconies and gathering The revamped Pyramid demonstrates that structures can
spaces for students. be maintained, but their significance transformed. In be-
The boxes are an interesting strategy. In total, 45 of them tween the rhetorical symbolism of the old regime and the
occupy both the building and the surrounding landscape, new one, the re-inhabited memorial acknowledges other
with most of the exterior volumes intended as spaces for histories, other meanings. n
technology start-ups, the farthest some 200 feet from the
base of the main building. One larger, green box, located by
the main road, has been given over to the EU-funded
College of Europe, where Albanians can earn a master’s
degree in European Transformation and Integration. It is a
colorful, cheery, but slightly disconcerting move, given that
the range of colors calls to mind the Google logo. It is all
very deliberate, a signifier that one regime has been given
over to another.
And yet, at a deeper level, there is a more subtle symbol-
ism at work. Although the pyramid was conceived in the
last years of Hoxha’s rule, with the aid of his architect
daughter, Pranvera, it was finally completed in a strange
interregnum: three years after the dictator’s death but three
years before the first multiparty elections to be held in
Albania in over seven decades, an event that began the
exhilarating, and occasionally violent, process of disman-
tling the totalitarian state. Remarkably perhaps, the
Pyramid is locally associated as much with the chaotic
period of transition after 1991 as with Hoxha’s reign. A

66 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3
 Record EXHIBITION

From White Cube to Dark Construction

BY ANDREW HOLDER

FIRST PUBLISHED in 1976 as a series of

three essays in Artforum, artist and art critic
Brian O’Doherty’s “Inside the White Cube”
took stock of modern art’s relationship to the
ubiquitous white gallery. In short, the context
of the gallery had become, in his view, the
actual content of the art. To view art was no
longer to stroll through a 19th-century salon
packed with painted scenes, but to experience
the relationship of art to its conditions of
display. Marcel Duchamp’s 1,200 Coal Bags
(1938)—with coal bags on the ceiling and a
chandelier-like lamp on the floor—was a
primordial example of the antagonism: it
turned the artwork into the experience of
occupying a room upside down. Rather, in
the presence of the work, there were effec-
tively two galleries: one where observers were
standing upright, and another, inhabitable by
kinesthetic imagination, where spectators
were pinned to the ceiling. The coal bags and
lamp, pretty much worthless in themselves,
were valuable because they created a distant
vantage from which the spectator could
interrogate the real physical scenario.
Devastatingly powerful questions could be
launched from this newly made place. How
should galleries be oriented? Who makes
spaces for art—the gallerist or the artist? For
whom? And what are this subject’s capacities?
While asking these questions carried the
spark of new agency for the gallery-goer, Eternal Medium: Seeing the World in Stone is on view at LACMA until February 11, 2024.
O’Doherty thought a series of purifying
exclusions had to be made as a price for the keep the white cube but how to reconcile it carving, which is a technique of making
gain. Galleries had to stay white, blank, and with the requirements of a contemporary pictorial illusions that lean equally on the
sealed up against the intrusion of life from curatorial program. The imperative now is to shape of carving and a rock’s as-found prop-
the outside. Art had to jettison content in survey global culture and bring its artifacts erties. An image advertising the exhibition,
order to produce a proper meditation on into the museum and gallery with maximum for instance, shows a pug dog carved out of
context, leaving a void to be filled by art’s fidelity to their source. Crafts are as likely to moss agate, where mineral inclusions in the
new tendency to physically engage walls, be displayed as “art” or modern art, and the rock look like furry spots. While specific at
floor, and ceiling. notion of excluding an artifact because the the level of technique, hard stones are cultur-
O’Doherty meant “Inside the White dirt of its terroir would mess up the mu- ally and chronologically expansive. Carving
Cube” as a critique, but his essay’s description seum—that now feels almost illegal. As a flourished in Florence, Mughal India, and
has become prescription and is now fully model for architecture, can the white cube be Qing dynasty China in the 17th and 18th
naturalized as rule of thumb for designing repurposed to center artifacts, be earnest, centuries, but examples date back at least to
exhibitions of all kinds, not just private spac- include things that originate outside the the second century BC, and artists like
es for modern art in New York. In this ex- exhibition, and allow those things to repre- Richard Blow and Analia Saban have carried
panded domain of the white cube, architecture sent themselves as entities separate from the it to the present. If all of this work across
for art is measured against the presumption context of the institution? Further, can it do epochs, cultures, and geographies converges
that it should be rectilinear and blank; when it this while retaining something of its power? neatly in one medium, diversity explodes
deviates from cube standard, it’s criticized as This was the basic situation of our office’s again in the sheer variety of formats for
“too present” or “competing with the art.” exhibition design for Eternal Medium: Seeing artifacts in the show. The pug dog is actually
While architects like to debate this presump- the World in Stone at the Los Angeles County a snuffbox, only 3½ inches long. Also in the
tion as appropriate or as disabling constraint, Museum of Art (LACMA). Curator Rosie gallery is an entire tabletop, about 4 feet long,
I would argue the question is not whether to Mills conceived a global survey of hard stone covered with hard stones depicting flowers

68 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3
 and a parrot. The first ingly powerful questions
assumes close contact, as enabled by the white cube
though the snuffbox could can return, without ex-
be grasped or tucked away cluding or destroying the
in the cabinet, while the artifacts. Thinking of the
second imagines a whole oblique display table as a
scene in the round, with support gives it permission
the horizontal tabletop an to pass, continuously, like a
accessory to other objects train, through three dis-
and goings-on. tinct compartments of
This diversity of format the exhibition. Like
became the logic for Duchamp’s swap of floor
making the show coher- and ceiling, the table, seen
ent. Instead of inventing as a brace, creates a physi-
cases to position each arti- cal vantage opposite the
fact in a simulacrum of its organization of the plan.
intended viewing situa- From this point of view,
tion, we would give the one can ask: What is in-
artifacts a double life. All cluded? What are the
their idiosyncrasy of size, rigors of curatorial sorting?
position, and orientation Who decides?
would be scrupulously These questions flow
observed, but would also from the architecture of
locate them as physical the exhibition, but also in
lynchpins in the assembly the other direction, back
display. The first life of toward the stuff of the
each artifact would be real museum. The large panels
and information-driven, in “Stone for Stone” rest
the other imaginary and on flat display pads that in
physical. Exhibition turn rest on a leaning
would come very close to wall—not as static wall
construction. We would pictures but the last in a
paint everything black to series of thick surfaces
suppress any lingering that accumulate toward
differences. the flat surface of the
These double lives of picture plane. A stone
artifacts play out together trompe l’oeil portrait of
as the construction details Pope Clement VIII stares
in an assembly of walls. back from this. Seen in
The walls themselves are 8-foot panels, but it also suspends a series of tiny snuffboxes one direction, the whole machinery of the
withdrawn from the perimeter of the existing above the floor and just below chest height, institution mobilizes, plane by plane, so the
museum, organized in a nine-square grid where visitors can bend slightly to get within portrait can hang there, offered as far for-
following the curator’s nine thematic catego- breathing distance of the lids. A bit farther to ward as possible, like a stabilizing counter-
ries—groupings of pictorial content like the right, a hard stone desk weights a thick weight that locks the arrangement in a
“Flora and Fauna,” and material properties of plinth, arresting the downward slide of an posture of maximum generosity. Looked at
the stones like “Sourcing Specimens.” inclined wall. It is a joint secured by fric- from the other direction, the habit of seeing
Artifacts fasten the corners of these walls and tion—the desk imitating a paperweight—but rocks as illusions gets tested out on the
buttress their edges. At the far corner, a 17th- also a technique of superposition: the plinth walls, so the black planes resolve into some-
century jade bowl from the Mughal empire recesses the desk just far enough from people thing like furniture—maybe a cabinet or an
pins in place the intersection of two walls. It to eliminate the need for a plexiglass shield; it altar. Questions pour from this newfound
is effectively a piece of blocking that secures sits in the open air, just under the cantilever- perspective. What should the museum
PHOTOGRAPHY: © MARTEN ELDER

two perpendicular planes, but it is also thrust ing snuffboxes, so one can see desktop and furnish? Is blankness an analogy for being
out toward its viewer, cantilevering from the box tops bear nearly identical scenes of still- maximally open? Or can its dark walls con-
walls for maximum visibility at a height to life flowers. struct goods? n
accommodate visitors either standing or Although each artifact retains these two
sitting in wheelchairs. To either side of this, a lives, sometimes alien to each other, black-on- Andrew Holder is co-principal of the The LADG
continuous display table of snuffboxes and black brings them together in composites of and Associate Professor at the Harvard Graduate
carved chalices obliquely skewers both walls imaginary-on-real and physical-on-informa- School of Design, where he is M.Arch. I program
as lateral support. It is construction bracing, tional. In these combinations, the disquiet- director.

69
 IN FOCUS

Women’s Work

PHOTOGRAPHY: © KATE WICHLINSKI (TOP); THOMAS H. FIELD (BOTTOM), BOTH COURTESY NMWA
The National Museum of Women in the Arts, in Washington, D.C., gets a head-to-toe makeover.
BY PANSY SCHULMAN

AFTER TWO YEARS, the $70 million renovation of the National

Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) is now complete. Located
just blocks from the White House, the wedge-shaped Neoclassical
building was originally built in 1908 as a Masonic temple—which
banned women members—by Waddy Wood’s eponymous firm. It
was purchased in 1983 by D.C. art collector and socialite Wilhelmina
Holladay and opened in 1987 as the world’s first museum dedicated
solely to women artists. Mrs. Holladay, as she is still reverently referred
to by museum staff, died at the age of 98 in 2021, four months before
the museum shuttered for renovation.
The building’s extensive makeover was overseen by Baltimore-based
Sandra Vicchio & Associates and prioritized long-overdue moderniza-
tion—the building hadn’t been fully renovated since it originally
changed hands four decades ago. Vicchio, who was initially brought on
in 2015 by NMWA to assess the building’s needs, devised a top-to-
bottom plan that updated the building’s accessibility, lighting, and
climate-control systems, and restored the building’s facade and historic

70 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3
 The project restored the building’s facade and
Grand Hall (above and opposite page), while
modernizing and expanding upper-floor
galleries (right).

spaces. Redesigned upper-floor galleries were

expanded by nearly 2,500 square feet. The
team also rearranged office spaces to create a
“Learning Commons” that accommodates a
wide range of programmatic ambitions of the
museum’s, and updated a performance hall on
the fifth floor.
Entering through the newly revamped
reception lobby via New York Avenue, the
visitor is immediately confronted with art: an
PHOTOGRAPHY: © ELYSE COSGROVE, COURTESY NMWA

opulent and dramatic chandelier by Portuguese

artist Joana Vasconcelos, featuring a tangle of
crochet, lace, and tassels, studded with beaded
ornaments and Murano glass bulbs. The 6-foot
piece dangles from the primary stairwell in the
rotunda, framing the entrance to the restored
Great Hall, with its twin stair, sweeping white
balustrade, and floor (all marble), and Classical
wall moldings offering a more traditional
grandeur. The mezzanine walls feature selected
portraits from the permanent collection, from
Eva Gonzalès’s 1874 Portrait d’une jeune femme

71
 IN FOCUS

The third-floor galleries juxtapose pieces from the permanent

collection (this image), while a temporary exhibition on the
second floor (below) surveys large-scale works.

and Frida Kahlo’s famous 1937 self-portrait (dedicated to Leon Trotsky) to Zanele
Muholi’s 2007 photograph of a young South African couple.
The refurbished galleries begin on the second floor, which, as of the October 21
reopening (through February 25) hosts an inaugural special exhibition, The Sky’s
The Limit, a rare survey of 33 large-scale sculptures from 2003 to today. The monu-
mental works—which hang from the ceiling, extend from the walls, or spill out
onto the floors—flaunt the improved technical capabilities of the galleries, which
now feature reinforced interior support. In addition, Vicchio incorporated movable
walls, to open up the formerly cramped gallery space. “I liked the idea of being able
to see the overarching organization of the galleries, and then wandering into the
alcoves where you can have a more private experience with the art,” she says.
On the third floor is a “remixed” display of pieces from the museum’s perma-
nent collection, organized on a variety of themes—most strikingly, in one section,
by color. The diverse range of mediums, styles, and subject matter is accentuated
by richly colored accent walls and a dynamic layout, and points to both the

PHOTOGRAPHY: BY JENNIFER HUGHES, COURTESY NMWA

strengths and pitfalls of a museum united solely by gender. The museum was
controversial when it opened, drawing criticism both from feminists for “ghettoiz-
ing” female artists, and by more conservative patrons for “politicizing” art. Mrs.
Holladay, it is said, enjoyed the controversy.
To some who question the museum’s continued relevance, gender has come to
seem too tenuous as a common thread. But, despite the advancement of women in
the arts, even now the work of female-identifying artists only make up 11 percent
of acquisitions at U.S. museums. “The discourse has progressed since the museum
was founded, but gender and intersectional racial inequality remain pervasive in
gallery representation, in museum collections, in exhibitions, and in the art mar-
ket,” museum director Susan Fisher Sterling said at the opening. “The museum is
called to a dual purpose—to exhibit works by women artists and to advocate for
the larger field.” n

72 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3
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amassed a portfolio of Office, where she works on a abroad for notable firms currently leading several Award-winning residential Orleans and Washington,
education and cultural broad spectrum of projects including Richard Meier & projects with aggressive projects. In addition to his D.C. Her work runs the
projects such as the ranging from institutional to Partners and Woods Bagot. sustainability goals, such as role at the firm, he is on the gamut from mixed-use to
Delbridge Center for the residential. She is interim She is an advocate for a net zero energy pavilion board of directors of hospitality design, such as
Arts. Ard is active in the AIA, chair and an associate advancing women in the for Penn’s Landing Park and the A+D Museum in Los the LEED Platinum Center of
and was recently co-chair professor at Pratt Institute’s profession, and co-chairs a LEED Gold life-sciences Angeles. He earned his Developing Entrepreneurs
for its Women’s Leadership graduate architecture AIANY’s Women in Arch- adaptive-reuse project, both M.Arch. and a certificate in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Summit. She earned an program. She received her itecture Committee. She in Philadelphia. He received degree in historic preserva- She earned her Bachelor of
M.Arch. and M.S. from the M.Arch. from the Harvard earned her M.Arch. from his M.Arch. from the Univer- tion from the University of Interior Design at Louisiana
University of Florida. Graduate School of Design. Syracuse University. sity of Pennsylvania. Southern California. State University.

77
 RECORD PRODUCTS 2023

Furnishings &
Decorative Hardware
Seating | Tables | Modularity

Max Chair
Architect Arthur Casas designed this sleek chair for +55
Design, originally with a fiberglass seat. Now it’s available with a
leather-only seat shell. The leather is molded to comfortably
hold the occupant and is available in five tones. The rest of the
piece is composed of aluminum and Forest Stewardship
Council–certified Sucupira wood.
en.55-design.com

“The Oasis collection is rich

in tactility and modernity,
with forms that celebrate their
handmade nature while
Oasis Collection inviting human touch.”
Rocky Mountain Hardware channels natural forms in this Kelly Ard, partner, designLAB
sculptural collection. The line, designed in collaboration with Architects
Robert A. M. Stern Architects, comprises pulls, locks, and
levers for interior doors, as well as pulls and knobs for cabi-
netry. All are cast of recycled bronze and finished in any of 12
tones.
rockymountainhardware.com

Willow Table
Reminiscent of origami and Cubism, this
Rottet Collection table neatly folds into an
abstract 2D piece that’s easy to store away.
The 35" diameter top is available in cerused
oak (in three finishes), natural walnut, and
sustainable macassar ebony, while the base
is offered in dark bronze, bronze, and stain-
less steel.
rottetcollection.com

78 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3
 Active Pony
Humanscale’s Active Pony evokes
a saddle with its triangular seat,
which has a 7º give in all directions
to accommodate body move-
ment, activate core muscles, and
minimize fatigue. Several textile
and color options are available,
while the pneumatic base comes
in three cylinder heights for differ-
ent adjustment ranges.
humanscale.com

Bao
A playful pouf from HBF, Bao is available in six models: small or
medium round drums, large semicircles, stackable units, and
drums with a low or high loop handle. The pieces are available in a
wide range of HBF’s own textiles and full-grain leathers, some of
which can be customized with concentric-circle quilting.
hbf.com

Garça Chair
This chair from Brazilian furniture maker +55 Design
features slim steel legs inspired by egrets, and a
body informed by the iconic midcentury Butterfly
stool by Sori Yanagi. The leather-covered seat and
back come in three shades. The seat is also specifi-
able in three colors of wool upholstery or five colors
of canvas.
en.55-design.com

Semiton
This Arper collection comprises an aluminum platform-like base and a bevy of tabletops, shelv-
ing modules, and cabinets, all of which are reconfigurable as needs change. The system’s
medium-density fiberboard paneling, offered in a range of colored lacquers or wood veneers, is
finished on all sides to allow movement to any part of a room.
arper.com

79
 RECORD PRODUCTS 2023

Walls & Ceilings

Acoustic | Wood

Mono Acoustic
This acoustic-panel system from Rockfon is composed of a stone-wool core with a non-
woven fleece facade, and has an NRC rating of up to 0.90. It is available in three formats up
to 47¼" x 70¾", with a choice of three edge styles, and is resistant to mildew, mold, humid-
ity, and sagging.
Tilt, Trella, and Tempo rockfon.com
Arktura has expanded its SoftGrid acoustic
ceiling-cloud line with three new designs. The
new styles are akin to open-weave textiles, RAUVISIO ingrain
and comprise baffles in varying widths and Wood Fiber
lengths that intersect to create different Laminate
patterns with negative space. They’re made This REHAU laminate is
from 100% recyclable PET plastic and fin- made of sustainable
ished in a range of colors and wood looks. cellulose fibers derived
arktura.com from wood pulp and
vegetable-based adhe-
sives, and presents an
appearance of authentic
timber veneer. The
finished precision-
embossed product, fabri-
cated in sheets of up to
47" x 119", is available in
15 colors, with optional
edge banding.
rehau.com

Infinity
Garnica developed Infinity as a faux-hardwood product using light-
weight poplar plywood and digitally printed wood-grain patterns as a
more cost-effective and ecofriendly alternative to sought-after wood
species such as walnut, oak, and hickory. It is available in 48½" x 96½"
panels, and is suitable for interior walls and casework.
garnica.one

80 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3
 Premium Finish Panels
Architectural ceiling- and wall-systems
manufacturer Arktura collaborated
with metal design studio Pure +
FreeForm to bring the latter’s premium
metal finishes as an addon option to its
collections, such as the customizable
perforated Vapor series (shown). The
panels are constructed with 100 per-
cent recyclable aluminum, and are
offered in nine new finishes (four me-
tallic and five wood-look textures).
arktura.com

Lyra PB with Wood

Look Visuals
Armstrong World
Industries has added
wood-look visuals to its
Lyra PB ceiling portfolio,
which consists of sound-
absorbing panels made
with a plant-based binder.
The mold-, mildew-, and
sag-resistant panels are
composed of lightweight
fiberglass and come in
formats of up to 4' square.
ekoa Modern Series
armstrongceilings.com
Lingrove, a veneer manufacturer, reverse-engineered
the strength of old-growth wood to develop the low-
carbon ekoa, using flax fibers and plant resins. With a
strength-to-weight ratio said to be higher than steel, it’s
ideal for use on walls, ceilings, and case goods, and
Kirei Ink comes in eight colors, in roll, sheet, panel, and edge-
Kirei Ink is comprised of banding forms.
50 customizable patterns, lingrove.com
specifiable for any of the
manufacturer’s acoustic-
felt product offerings— “Ekoa is innovative as a
from wall tiles to ceiling low-carbon natural material
baffles—and can be fur- made from highly renewable
ther customized with fibers, but it comes with the
graphics such as logos and promise of durability that
wayfinding symbols. The rivals plastic and metal.”
panels are made with PET Jon McCandlish, principal,
felt, 60% of which is post- KieranTimberlake
consumer recycled.
kireiusa.com

81
 RECORD PRODUCTS 2023

Outdoor
Furnishings | Kitchen

Cosmopolitan Kitchen
Designed by Daniel Germani, Danver’s Cosmopolitan Kitchen for
outdoor environments channels Piet Mondrian’s primary-color
schemes to deliver an eye-catching composition. The modular
system includes storage units and countertops, along with electric
appliances, in a wide range of dimensions and configurations.
AH603 Outdoor Deck Chair danver.com
This outdoor deck chair is the latest addition
to the Alfred Hoffman–designed series (AH
Outdoor Series) for Carl Hansen & Søn. It
measures 31" x 30½" x 26" and can be cus-
tomized with optional seat and back cush-
ions. Constructed from teak wood, it has
natural water-repellent properties suitable
for outdoor use.
carlhansen.com

Theory
Designed by Scott Klinker for Landscape Forms, Theory is an
array of outdoor furnishings from transit-shelter components
to bench seating systems. The latter are composed of pow-
der-coated steel and aluminum, while the bus-shelter wall and
roof panels are tempered glass. The benches (shown) run 96"
long but can be joined together in longer runs.
landscapeforms.com

“A beautiful intersection of
art, function, and gathering,
the Cosmopolitan Kitchen
Bluff and Limbo invites people to spill into the
These chairs, designed by Hlynur Atlason for Heller, are sculp- outdoors while enjoying a
tural organic forms, with swooping contours that comfort a sitter playful, modern, and
whether outdoors or indoors. They’re made from a recycled customizable amenity.”
plastic polyethylene blend, which resists moisture-related decay Kelly Ard, partner, designLAB
and microbial growth, and are available in a choice of six colors. Architects
hellerfurniture.com

82 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3
 Steelcut Beat
Textiles Danish textile producer
Kvadrat has added a check
Upholstery pattern to its Steelcut uphol-
stery series. Whereas the origi-
nal Steelcut was a wool-nylon
blend, Steelcut Beat is made
from 100% post-consumer
recycled polyester. It is
Greenguard Gold certified and
Healthier Hospitals and
REACH compliant. Steelcut
Beat is available in two differ-
ent-size check patterns and 21
colorways.
kvadrat.dk

“I so appreciated the tailored look of

this Steelcut Beat and its layered
designs. The notion of this as a fitted
Silicone Symphony ‘coat’ to be ‘worn’ by furniture is
This high-performance fabric developed by Designtex is made powerful.”
entirely of silicone and comes in more than 100 solid colors, as well Duan Tran, partner, KAA Design
as an array of complementing patterns. It exceeds various industry
standards for nontoxic fabrics, being Healthier Hospitals–compli-
ant and Greenguard Gold–certified, with low VOCs, and is free of
PVC, PFAS, and flame retardants.
designtex.com

Flooring
Resilient | Porcelain Tile

NadaRx
This PVC-free resilient flooring line
by ECOsurfaces is easy to clean
and features heat-welded seams to
prevent the accumulation of patho-
gens and bacteria. These proper-
ties make it well suited to areas
where infection control is essential,
such as labs, schools, and hospi-
tals. The chip pattern is offered in
neutral and nature-inspired hues.
ecosurfaces.com

ABPURE Infinity Carbon Neutral

American Biltrite has added a new chip look to EcoStone
its ABPURE rubber-flooring line—but more MILEstone Tiles developed this
newsworthy is the use of renewable natural gas series using its proprietary Plaster
derived from organic waste to produce it. The 2.0—a carbon-neutral porcelain
new design is available in 20 earth-inspired material. The tiles are available in
colorways, in 18" square or 36" square tiles or four sizes up to 48" x 110" and five
60" x 50" sheets. neutral faux-stone colorways. Two
americanbiltrite.com coordinating decorative designs—
chevron or fluted—are also offered.
milestonetiles.com

83
 RECORD PRODUCTS 2023

Lighting Uplight Pendant Track

This new Lucifer Lighting pendant has an integrated 24V
LED tape along its length that produces an ambient upward
Suspension | Task | Outdoor glow in one of five warm to cool static-white color tempera-
tures at +90 CRI. Suspended by an aircraft cable, the field-
cuttable fixture, 8' long x 2" high and less than an inch
thick, comes in black or white powder-coated finishes.
luciferlighting.com

Line Black
Selux developed this 4½" diameter
column with Dark Sky–certified com-
munities in mind. It features integrated
optics that emit less than 0.5% uplight
but with a microfaceted black reflector
that effectively illuminates roads and
pathways. Available in several heights,
each column can accommodate two
optics, allowing it to cast light on sepa-
rate areas from one position.
selux.us

Melli
This medium-scale indoor/out-
door luminaire from Selux offers
maximum flexibility with precise
optic control, a range of white
color temperatures, and multiple
mounting options—pole, wall,
pendant, surface, and catenary.
The cylindrical fixture provides a
cohesive look for roadways,
shopping centers, pedestrian
areas, even office spaces, and
comes in standard and custom
powder-coat finishes.
selux.us

579e LED Modules

Modular International’s next generation of high-output
and compact LED modules claims top-notch (and cost-
effective) lumen and watt efficiencies across a range of
delivered lumen packages, in three diameters. The 579e
modules offer superior adjustability, optional locking
mechanisms, field-changeable reflectors, and customiz-
able shielding options for glare control and wall-washing.
modularinternational.com

84 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3
SolaMaster Round
Ceiling Fixture
This circular daylight-
ing fixture by Solatube
has a near-flush profile
that integrates into
hard ceiling and T-Bar
applications. It pro-
vides advanced lens
technology and dif-
fuser options that allow
for the modification of
Butterfly
light-distribution
Lightly’s Butterfly has a 100% bio-based body made of sustainably harvested
spreads for different
poplar with a wool-felt gasket that prevents light leakage and adds a touch of
visual effects.
color. Because its body contains no steel, aluminum, or plastic, it reduces
solatube.com
potential embodied carbon by more than 50%. Butterfly is available in 2' to 8'
lengths, can be ganged for continuous runs, and is offered as a suspension
and wall-mount lamp.
lightly.com

“The multitasking Nova

meets a lot of needs as well as
being energy-efficient. It
supports the current world of
virtual collaboration while
still being aesthetically
pleasing.”
Jill Traylor, director of interior
design, EskewDumezRipple

BeveLED Mini and 2.2 with

Turf Ceiling Tiles
USAI is collaborating with Turf to
pair two of its downlight systems—
Nova Task Light the 3"-aperture BeveLED Mini and
Made with more than 52% 4.5"-aperture BeveLED 2.2—with
recycled materials, this the acoustic-surface maker’s Port
Humanscale task light (above) and Urban ceiling tiles.
features a +91 CRI and LED USAI’s patented snap-in mounting
light-guide technology to system ensures the precise, seam-
produce balanced, glare- less placement of its trimless lumi-
free warm or cool illumina- naires into Turf’s factory-pre-cut
tion ideal for video calls. A recycled-PET acoustical tiles.
one-touch dimming control, usailighting.com
stay-in-place hinges, and
180º counterbalance arms
further simplify multitask-
ing demands. It is available
in two sizes.
humanscale.com

85
 RECORD PRODUCTS 2023

Kitchen & Bath

Fittings | Appliances | Surfaces

Murano Collection’s Roma Vaask

Native Trails has expanded its Murano Collection of glass sinks This touchless hand-sanitizer dispenser now connects to an online
with Roma, a vessel sporting a delicate horizontally ribbed dashboard that displays individual sanitizer fill levels and
exterior. It is available in two colorways, blue-on-white Marina automatically alerts facilities managers when refills are needed. In
and white-on-clear Seaspray. Each sink measures 16¾" in addition, one can use the dashboard to adjust the amount of sani-
diameter, is 4" high, and bears a mark certifying that it’s been tizer dispensed. Vaask’s cast-aluminum construction can be cus-
handcrafted in Murano, Italy. tom finished to match any setting.
nativetrailshome.com vaask.com

“The Vaask dispenser is a

hugely innovative and
elevated departure from the
typical hand-sanitizer look,
and the customizability is a
real asset to the potential
applications for this product.”
Alexandra Barker, principal,
Barker Associates
Architecture Office

Qatego Stone Vanity Console

This simple yet elegant console developed by Duravit in
conjunction with Studio F.A. Porsche comprises a wall-mounted
countertop panel—in Carrara marble, Lavica stone, or traver-
tine—a metal console, and a rectangular ceramic sink. Each
stone has rounded corners and rectangular indentations to hold
toiletries and accessories.
duravit.us

86 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3
Foyer Collection
Foyer, a porcelain collection from American Olean, mimics the look
of marble with bold veining in three intensities. The large-format
tile measures 24" x 48" for floor applications and 12" x 24" for
walls. A decorative 3"-diameter hexagonal mosaic is also offered,
mounted onto mesh in two sizes.
americanolean.com

Ever After
This acrylic solid surface from Durasein simulates the look of Carrara
marble but with softened, swirly veining. Ever After boasts durabil-
ity—including resistance to scratches, impact, heat, chemicals, and
stains—and is well suited to countertops and walls in both residential
and commercial kitchens.
durasein.com

Facet Bathtub
Facet, a dramatic and sculptural freestanding tub by Stone Forest, is
hewn from a single block of antique gray limestone or Noce basalt.
The ovoid tub’s exterior is defined by subtle hand-carved facets, and
it measures 68" x 38", standing 24" high.
stoneforest.com

Blue Roma
Porcelanosa has added a
new colorway to its XTONE
marble-simulating sintered-
stone series: Blue Roma,
featuring a pale gray-blue Series 9 24" Integrated Triple Zone Refrigerator
ground adorned with copper This Fisher & Paykel refrigerator features three different
veining. It is available with a climate-controlled zones that can be individually adjusted to
polished or silk finish, and meet the temperature needs of different foods, keeping them
comes in a 63" x 126" slab fresh longer. Users can adjust temperatures via an integrated
that is ½" thick or a 59" x 118" LCD touchscreen as well as a mobile app.
slab with a ¼" thickness. fisherpaykel.com
porcelanosa.com

87
 RECORD PRODUCTS 2023

Windows & Doors

Systems | Hardware | Window Coverings

Acrovyn Curved Door

This Construction Specialties
curved sliding door provides
wide sight lines from nursing
stations into patient rooms, Revolution 54 Plus Glass Wall
withstands impact better PurOptima launched this high-performance interior wall system
than square edges can, offers with a mere 2" profile, maximizing views and light penetration. It is
complete privacy when available with a single or double layer of acoustic glass, and is
closed, and requires no clear- demountable for reinstallation where needed. Its framing is com-
ance space. It’s available in posed of 75% recycled post-consumer aluminum.
the manufacturer’s Acrovyn puroptima.com
protective veneers.
c-sgroup.com
Gabled Bottom-Up
FlexShade
This motorized Draper system
features a fabric panel cut at an
angle of up to 45º in either
direction to fit specialty win-
dows. It is made to order and
customizable in fabric choice
and color. The system’s hard-
ware is offered in a clear, anod-
ized powder-coat finish of black,
white, ivory, or bronze.
draperinc.com

ISM-MC7000 Smart Lock

This new mortise lock from INOX for
NanaWall NW Reinforced 647/847 swing doors runs on batteries, making
NanaWall’s fourth-generation folding glass wall, developed
it ideal for low- to medium-traffic
for multifamily housing applications, affords residents of
openings. It is manageable via a mo-
mid- and high-rise buildings the same wide openings avail-
bile app and comes with a choice of 14
able to single-family houses, for seamless indoor/outdoor
lever designs. Purchasers can opt for
living, implementing a hidden spring-loaded structural
a sectional trim and keypad or a full
reinforcement that interlocks panels when in their closed
escutcheon.
position to withstand higher wind gusts. inoxproducts.com
nanawall.com

V2 Folding Door
This LaCantina Doors system prom-
ises a sleek aesthetic and optimizes “Revolution 54 Plus hits the
views by using ultraslim stiles and glazed-partition trifecta:
rails, concealed hardware (including demountable, minimal, and
handles and hinges), and larger panes. high-performance.”
It can accommodate panels up to 4' Jon McCandlish, partner,
wide x 12' high, and offers a choice of KieranTimberlake
aluminum or wood interior frames. It
also features an automatic locking
system.
lacantinadoors.com

88 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3
Building Systems
& Components
Cladding | Architectural Mesh

RHEINZINK-prePATINA ECO ZINC

This pre-weathered zinc is well suited to facade cladding sys-
tems, among other applications. RHEINZINK has harnessed
wind and hydropower to use 50% less carbon dioxide during
manufacture. Available in blue and graphite gray, the material
will patinate through the decades.
rheinzink.us

Wildwood Bamboo
Bamboo is the latest color addition
to the Wildwood composite cladding
portfolio developed by Fiberon. It is
ideal for rainscreen application, due
to its hydrophobic character, and is
available in a wide range of sizes.
Wildwood is free of any toxic chemi-
cals and is almost entirely sourced
from pre- and post-consumer re-
cycled content, namely wood and
plastic.
fiberoncladding.com

ThermoWood Oak
ThermoWood Oak by TanTimber is a treated wood
ideal for outdoor applications, undergoing high-
temperature drying, thermal modification, and
moisture conditioning to become a product that
does not warp or contract as seasons change.
RE/8 Bio-circular
It is available in more than 20 siding and decking
Architectural Mesh
profiles.
Kaynemaile’s RE/8 Bio-
tantimber.com
circular mesh is a metallic-
look screening material for
building exteriors and
“While zinc cladding is not various interior applica-
new, RHEINZINK’s tions. What sets it apart is
prePATINA uses 50% less its lightweight construc-
CO₂ to produce. It’s a tion, made possible by
sustainable option for exterior using polypropylene in-
building enclosures that can stead of metal, and sus-
still afford the same visual tainable mass-balanced
aesthetics.” biowaste and residues to
Vivian Lee, Design Director, produce the base polymer.
Gensler kaynemaile.com

89
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 ARTS & CULTURE

AVIVA STUDIOS I MANCHESTER, ENGLAND I OMA

Factory Made
A cultural center offers year-round programming and a home for the biennial Manchester International Festival.
BY JOSEPHINE MINUTILLO
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARCO CAPPELLETTI

92 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3
HOW DO YOU make a home for a festival
that famously makes the city itself its home?
A venue that can accommodate both the
visual and the performing arts on a site that
speaks to that city’s illustrious past and bur-
geoning future? In Manchester, England—
that industrial powerhouse of the 19th cen-
tury and now one of the fastest-growing
urban centers in Europe, after a decades-long
reputation as a place well past its prime—the
answer is a building that is several buildings
in one, by a firm that knows a thing or two
about designing flexible spaces.
The new 144,000-square-foot structure is
the latest cultural project by the Rotterdam
office of OMA, led by partner Ellen van
Loon. Recently rechristened Aviva Studios
after being called The Factory for years dur-
ing construction—Factory International is the
organization behind both the biennial
Manchester International Festival (MIF) and
the building’s year-round programming—it
combines a 1,600-seat auditorium at its west
end, known as the Hall; a massive rectangular
space for performance and exhibition, dubbed
the Warehouse, in the middle; and back-of-
house towers at the east end. Each of these
takes on different forms and materials, con-
verging within a densely packed plot of for-
mer industrial buildings on the banks of the
River Irwell and surrounded by looming
residential high-rises (a new phenomenon in
the city). “The building’s very much inspired
by the architecture of Manchester, which is
quite an unplanned architecture,” says John
McGrath, artistic director of Factory
International. “It’s different kinds of things,
often rubbing shoulders against each other,
but in conversation with each other.”
In fact, OMA’s building contends with a
road beneath it (a pair of purpose-built vehicle
lifts allow for two 50-ton trucks, with trailers
up to 40 feet long, to access the Warehouse),
and an elevated railway line incorporated into
it (its 19th-century brick arches a stunning
backdrop for the ground-floor loo).
By embracing these conditions, OMA’s
design fits so discreetly into its surroundings
that, approaching the building on foot from
either side, you might not notice it at all. Even
the faceted Hall, with all its jagged edges, only
comes fully into view when seen from the river.
“These new high-rises changed the whole
area,” says van Loon. “But, when we started
here, there were a lot of warehouses, and we

AVIVA STUDIOS is composed of three distinct

parts: the faceted Hall, the concrete-clad
Warehouse, and back-of-house towers.

93
 ARTS & CULTURE

1
6

6
6

GROUND-FLOOR PLAN

1 MAIN ENTRANCE 7 11
12
2 LOBBY

3 TRUCK LIFT
3 4
4 LOADING

5 STORAGE

6 BATHROOMS

7 WAREHOUSE
8 THEATER 7 5
9 LOWER FOYER
9
10 ACOUSTIC CAVITY/
CIRCULATION

11 WORKSHOP

12 CORRIDOR

0 50 FT.
LEVEL-THREE PLAN
15 M.

Credits (vertical transport); Peter Saville and NORTH Sources

Design (graphic design); Ben Kelly and Brinkworth
ARCHITECT: OMA — Ellen van Loon (partner in METAL FACADE/CURTAIN WALL: Prater
(FF&E); Charcoal Blue (stage engineering)
charge); Rem Koolhaas; Carol Patterson (project CLT: Hybrid Structures
director); Gary Owen (project manager) GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Laing O’Rourke
THEATER SEATING: Jezet
ASSOCIATE ARCHITECTS: CLIENT: Manchester City Council, Factory
Allies and Morrison, Ryder Architecture International (Manchester International Festival) RETRACTABLE SEATING: Master Industrie
ENGINEERS: Buro Happold, BDP Engineering SIZE: 144,000 square feet MOVABLE PARTITIONS: Multiwal
(structural/civil) COST: $295 million
CONSULTANTS: Level Acoustics (acoustics); COMPLETION DATE: October 2023
Planit (landscape); WSP (fire); Pearson Consult

94 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3
THE CORRUGATED-
metal-clad Hall,
which contains fixed
and flexible seating,
fronts the River Irwell
(above). There are
three entrances into
the expansive lobby
(right).

95
 ARTS & CULTURE

wanted to keep that heritage.” Using “the most simple material you
can imagine,” van Loon clad the Hall and rear towers in corrugated
metal. For the Warehouse facades, she went a step further, reappro-
priating corrugated sheet piles, utilized for flood defense in river-
banks and dikes, often in steel but in this case precast concrete. “I
really love that material,” she adds, noting, “It’s so Manchester.”
(And Dutch.)
Things are kept simple inside as well, with interiors, including
the expansive lobby and back-of-house spaces, as stripped down as
possible. Pops of color enliven artist areas in the towers, however,
and the theater seating’s bright yellow velvet upholstery is a wel-
come surprise.
But at the heart of the complex is a blank canvas. At 108 feet
wide, 210 feet long, and nearly 70 feet high—with a theater grid
spanning the entirety of the area—the Warehouse provides tre-
mendous flexibility for exhibitions but, more so, for ballet, theater,
music, and cross-art performances. Supersize movable “multiwalls”
enable a number of configurations within the vast space. By “plug-
ging into” the Hall, that auditorium’s stage can be extended deep
into the Warehouse.
Long before it was complete, the building had been activated
several times, particularly during MIF earlier this year, with an
installation of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama’s giant inflatables,
and during the festival in 2021, when British theatrical director
Deborah Warner staged a sound-and-light installation. For the

96 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3
DIRECTED BY Danny
Boyle, the opening
production, Free Your
Mind, was specially
created to stretch
across the building’s
flexible spaces
(above). A tower
(opposite, top)
contains space for
the performing
artists (opposite,
bottom).

ILLUSTRATED SECTION

97
 ARTS & CULTURE

THE WAREHOUSE features two supersize

movable walls enabling multiple configurations
within that vast space (above). Bathrooms are
located beneath existing railway arches (left).

opening production after the building was

inaugurated in October, Manchester’s own
Danny Boyle specially created a performance
that incorporates dance and immersive de-
sign to stretch across the building’s flexible
spaces.
Aviva Studios’ location within the center
of the city—and now in close proximity to a
rising residential development—presented
challenges, however, with respect to noise
control. The design team provided sound
insulation by creating an acoustic cavity,
which doubles as circulation space around
the Warehouse, between two layers of thick
concrete.
The Arts Council England made the
biggest investment in the national agency’s
history by contributing 50 percent of the cost
to build Aviva Studios—a price tag that, at
just under $300 million, ballooned with the
construction’s progressing through Covid
delays and other obstacles, but one that is

98 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3
THE BUILDING is discreetly nestled within, and
incorporates, nearby industrial structures
(right), but erupts with lights and color at its
marquee-like main entrance (above).

still considerably less than similar perform-

ing arts buildings recently completed in the
U.S. By comparison, New York’s newly
opened and also ultraflexible Perelman
Performing Arts Center (record, October
2023), by OMA alum Joshua Ramus of
REX, cost upward of $500 million (though
that building, at the World Trade Center
site, rests atop even more complex infrastruc-
ture and is wrapped in 5,000 marble panels,
not corrugated metal and sheet piles). The
cost for the Lindemann Performing Arts
Center at Brown University (record,
November 2023), also by REX and, again,
ultraflexible, was not disclosed, but one can
safely assume that the technology and mech-
anisms needed to make these spaces so flex-
ible come with a heavy price tag. The ques-
tion remains, “Is it worth it?”
These three projects, opened within a
month of each other, will either make the
case for all that flexibility, or against it. n

99
 ARTS & CULTURE

MUSÉE NATIONAL DE LA MARINE | PARIS | H2O AND SNØHETTA

Rocking the Boat

Paris’s maritime museum reopens after a belowdecks overhaul inside the Palais de Chaillot.
BY ANDREW AYERS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MAXIME VERRET

THOUGH “adaptive reuse” has become a trendy term, the concept is since 1943. Little touched in the eight decades that followed, the
hardly new, as evidenced by a building like Paris’s Palais de Chaillot. MNM has just reopened after a major makeover by Paris-based h2o
Constructed in eclectic Italianate style by Gabriel Davioud for the architectes in partnership with the Norwegian firm Snøhetta.
1878 Exposition Universelle, the Palais du Trocadéro, as it was initially “We designed more with voids than with solids,” says h2o partner
known, embraced its sloping Seine-side site with two curved gallery Antoine Santiard about the delicate art of inserting new program into a
wings flanking a giant concert hall. Five decades later, it was trans- complex sequence of historic galleries. Winner of the 2017 design
formed by the architects Jacques Carlu, Louis-Hippolyte Boileau, and competition for the project, the h2o-Snøhetta partnership brought
Léon Azéma for another world’s fair, the 1937 Exposition Inter- together the Norwegians’ museum and maritime experience (including
nationale des Arts et Techniques (today remembered for the architec- the semi-submerged Oslo Opera, record, August 2008) with the
tural face-off between the Russian-Soviet and Nazi-German pavil- Parisians’ detailed knowledge of handling Expo 37 monuments: in
ions). After demolishing Davioud’s auditorium to create a plaza, the 2019, h2o completed a partial refurbishment of Paris’s Musée d’Art
trio widened his exhibition wings and dressed them up in a stream- Moderne, which occupies the east wing of the nearby Palais de Tokyo,
lined stone veneer of Art-Deco classicism. Once the fair was over, new the fair’s other permanent structure.
uses were found for the Palais, among them a national maritime mu- At the Palais de Chaillot, the team inherited a challenging set of
seum—Musée national de la Marine, or MNM—which has shared the spaces. The MNM’s entrance opens laterally from an unheated vesti-
western wing with the Musée de l’Homme (Museum of Mankind) bule shared with the Musée de l’Homme, and flows seamlessly into the

100 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3

DAYLIGHT floods the entrance
hall through a central skylight
(opposite). Lower levels aid
circulation routes (this image).

101
 ARTS & CULTURE

12
12

12
12 6 6
8 8 8 2
1

8 13
8
1

0 50 FT.
SECTION A - A
15 M.

6 7
B

8
10 11

6
A

0 50 FT. 2
ENTRANCE-LEVEL PLAN
15 M.

1 LOBBY 8 GALLERY

2 ENTRANCE HALL 9 TEMPORARY EXHIBITION

3 TICKETING 10 RESEARCH CENTER 0 30 FT.

SECTION B - B
4 EVENT SPACE 11 WAX STUDIO 10 M.

5 AUDITORIUM 12 ADMINISTRATION

6 MEZZANINE 13 MECHANICAL
7 BOOKSTORE

102 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3

 A LOW-CEILINGED LOBBY (above) flows into a
long, barrel-vaulted space (above, right). Palais
de Chaillot gently curves across its site (right).

soaring, 620-foot-long Galerie Davioud, the

original 1878 top-lit hall. Running in parallel,
along the river-facing facade, the 1937 Gale-
rie Carlu is half its height (the Musée de
l’Homme occupies the floors above), and
receives daylight from tall windows looking
toward the Eiffel Tower. Further exhibition
space is located in the Galerie Davioud’s base-
ment, at the far end.
In a classic game of contrast and surprise,
the architects made their entrance low, dark,
and hushed, with oxidized steel on the walls
PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY H20 ARCHITECTES (BOTTOM)

and lacquered aluminum rods hanging from

the ceiling. Calibrated to produce an undu-
lating effect, the rods are dotted here and
there with LEDs that generate a kinetic wave
of light (a cousin of sorts to the light installa-
tion on the underside of Snøhetta’s Le Monde
headquarters, record, November 2021).
Arriving in the 38-foot-high, all-white
Galerie Davioud, one cannot but be im-
pressed by its lofty volumes, streamlined with
a barrel-vaulted inner shell that, as well as
recalling the rather Deco 1943 interior, hides
ventilation and electrical systems while per-

103
 ARTS & CULTURE

mitting daylight to filter through the central skylight. Overlooking they can either retrace their steps, or enter the temporary-exhibition
this initial segment of the Galerie Davioud, like a ship’s bridge, is the space in the neighboring section of the Galerie Carlu.
first of two new glass-fronted mezzanines accommodating supple- Inevitably, given the difficulty of squeezing modern museum facili-
mental program. Carried on slender pre-tensioned steel beams (water- ties into a rambling old building, there are awkward moments, mostly in
filled sacks were used to keep them flat while the glass was installed), the ancillary areas, which can feel a little cramped. But the architects’
the mezzanines allowed the architects to divide the gallery’s enormous decision to emphasize the majestic volume of the Galerie Davioud was
length into three parts without compromising visual continuity. A the right one. Commissioned to design the permanent display, exhibi-
bravura moment in the refurbishment, these levels feature beautifully tion specialists Casson Mann couldn’t resist the opportunity to fill the
executed spiral stairs and concave elevations that echo Davioud’s cavernous space with dramatic elements—a ship’s prow, a container
crescent plan. gantry, a life-size wave installation—somewhat to the architects’ cha-
Guests do not need to pay to visit this first section of the Galerie grin. Rising high into the vault, these monumental, attention-seeking
Davioud or the ancillary facilities located in the equivalent portion of solids spoil the views across their beautiful pristine voids. n
the Galerie Carlu—spread over two levels, these include a restaurant, a
bookshop, seminar rooms, and a full-height auditorium with retract-
able seating. To access the permanent collections, visitors pass through Credits SIZE: 96,000 square feet

turnstiles just beyond the first mezzanine. In this second segment of ARCHITECT: h2o architectes COST: $77 million

the Galerie Davioud, the architects made a lucky discovery—a long- ASSOCIATE ARCHITECT: Snøhetta COMPLETION DATE:
November 2023
forgotten stairway to the basement, which they opened up again to ENGINEERS: Équilibre Structures
(structural); IGREC (m/e/p,
improve circulation (with stairs at either extremity, as intended in sustainability) Sources
1878, the downstairs exhibition space is no longer a dead end). The
CONSULTANTS: VPEAS (cost GLAZING: ITS (curved glass)
team also opened up the final section of the Galerie Davioud, which consultant); Impédance (acoustics)
used to terminate in a blank wall, behind which were the old audito- Agence ON (lighting); Casso & LIGHTING: Bilton, iGuzzini, Planlicht

rium and the staff offices, located in the Pavillon d’About. Punctuating Associés (fire safety, accessibility); LIGHT DIFFUSION: Griesser (roller
Scenevolution (auditorium) blind); Mermet, Filtersun (textiles)
the Palais’s western end, the pavilion has been entirely transformed:
GENERAL CONTRACTORS: PARTITION WALLS: Eole
after moving the offices to its perimeter, the architects reconnected its Premys, Eiffage Construction ACOUSTICAL FINISHES: Icoustic
core to the gallery, as planned in 1878. A 1937 oculus offers views into Equipements (plaster); Rockfon, MOSA (tiles);
the basement once more, and newly unblocked windows allow visitors CLIENT: Musée national de la Ecophone, Texaa Vibrasto (textiles);
to orient themselves in the cityscape. Here, at the end of the circuit, Marine with OPPIC Topakusitic Perfo (wall panels)

104 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3

SPIRAL STAIRS lead to
mezzanines with curved,
silkscreened glass (this image).
The museum now includes an
auditorium (opposite).

105
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planetpassionate.kingspan.com
 CEU DAYLIGHTING IN MUSEUMS

WARSAW’S modern art museum, designed by

Thomas Phifer and Partners, was conceived to
take advantage of the city’s ever-changing light.

The Power of Light

Skillful daylighting enhances the experiential qualities of museums while showcasing and preserving art.
BY KATHARINE LOGAN
IMAGE: COURTESY THOMAS PHIFER AND PARTNERS

WHEN I RECALL my favorite art muse- ums I’ve already forgotten (however worthy) is not a technical objective. Good daylighting
ums—drifting through their galleries, paus- from the sublime spaces I seek out again and is an experiential and aesthetic goal.”
ing, reflecting, moving on—it’s not so much again. Daylighting an art museum is an art Three new art museums exemplify differ-
specific works of art I remember, if I’m in itself. ent approaches to that objective: the Museum
honest: it’s the beauty of the light. Daylight “Daylighting is one of the most potent of Modern Art Warsaw, by Thomas Phifer
that hovers, shimmering, almost palpable, in experiences that people have when they walk and Partners (completing in 2024); an addi-
a volume of space; that washes a wall just so, into a gallery,” says Susan Ubbelohde, a tion to the Musée national des beaux-arts du
depending on weather and time of day; that, founding partner with Loisos + Ubbelohde, Québec (MNBAQ ), by FABG Architectes
glimpsed through a window in passing or building-performance design consultants. (construction drawings ready for bid); and the
pausing, sets a city or landscape outside “You need technical knowledge to make it renovation and expansion of the Frick Col-
aglow: this is what distinguishes the muse- work well and not damage the artwork, but it lection, in New York, by Selldorf Architects

107
 CEU DAYLIGHTING IN MUSEUMS

(under construction). I spoke with architects

and lighting designers for these projects about
the factors that informed their approach to
daylighting. Before that, I spoke with Gabe
Guilliams, a partner with Buro Happold who
leads the firm’s lighting teams globally, and he
offered five themes from his pantheon of best
practices, which I’ve distilled into a sort of
checklist (see sidebar below). Remember when
you went to an art museum as a kid, and the
docent sent the class on a scavenger hunt for
how many hats or games or reflections you
could spot in the paintings? Similarly, you
might see how many of Guilliams’s daylight-
ing themes you can spot in these museums.
The Museum of Modern Art Warsaw,
located in the center of the city (with an
adjacent theater, also by Thomas Phifer and
Partners), is intended as a catalyst for Poland’s wanted flexibility to “change and change and top two floors, with education and gathering
artistic voice during the country’s current change,” says Phifer. “The museum director, spaces and changing, artist-curated exhibits
renaissance, says Thomas Phifer, the firm’s Joanna Mytkowska, requested permanent in the gallery on the ground floor. In each of
founding partner. “To celebrate this moment, rooms that will in themselves serve to curate the four gallery suites, about halfway through,
it is vital to weave the art experience with the the art.” a wood-lined room, complete with bench and
ever-changing light of Warsaw,” he says. The 213,000-square-foot, three-story reading desk, offers a place to pause, contem-
Unlike many museums designed in the museum, built of white concrete inside and plate, and reset in front of an outsize window
last 10 or 15 years, this is not a museum that out, comprises four suites of galleries on the with views of the city.

Daylighting Art: A Checklist

In conversation with record, Gabe Guilliams, multiplied by the duration of time a work is the walls, which makes curatorial flexibility a
partner and lighting-design teams global leader at under that light. Because low-level light for a bit simpler.
Buro Happold, shares his key considerations and long period and high-level light for a short • Side-lit spaces offer a more dynamic interac-
best practices for illuminating art with daylight. period can result in equivalent levels of tion as the day changes. Humans are photo-
exposure, a museum with a large, rotating tropic—we’re drawn to light—so gradients of
Collection and Client collection may be able to allow more light daylight across wall surfaces enhance
• What types of artifacts are in the particular while works are on display. More light means visitors’ sense of curiosity and exploration,
collection? Is the space intended for the more clarity, more detail, more comprehen- and can help with wayfinding.
institution’s permanent collection or for sion for viewers.
borrowed works on loan agreements? Will Temperature and Humidity
the items be displayed permanently, or will Quality of Light • How large are daylighting apertures? What
they be in dark storage for significant • What is unique about the daylight of this is their proximity to artworks? Underlying
periods? place? Is there a local landmark to connect strategy should accommodate the tem-
• Where is the client starting from? Have they to? How are we capturing the essence of perature and humidity stability the artwork
ever worked with daylight before? Do they place from the outset? needs.
understand how dynamic it is and what that • Glass technology has improved over the last
means for the variation in illumination levels 20 years, but options that are acceptable for Electric Light
their works will see? How sophisticated is the the museum environment are limited. Glass • How does it interact with the daylight? IMAGES: COURTESY THOMAS PHIFER AND PARTNERS

facilities group? What is their ability to with a high ability to render colors across the • Be cautious about creating systems that
manage automated systems? How can we spectrum (spectral distribution) is preferred; detract from the experience of daylight by
simplify? however, the potential for damage to the art trying to replicate it, or that are complicated
increases toward the ultraviolet (UV) range of to understand and maintain. Museum staff
Quantity of Light wavelengths, but blocking UV completely can will change, things will be forgotten. Out of
• What is the museum’s conservation method- compromise the color quality of the visible an abundance of caution, museum teams
ology? How are they tracking light exposure light range. may overcorrect by significantly reducing
to their works? • Top light maximizes the space for hanging daylight, which will compromise the visitor
• Exposure is the instantaneous level of light art, and also creates greater uniformity of experience.

108 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3

 passes, the experience poetically connects the
art with the atmosphere of Warsaw.”
Placing art in its environment through
light and views was also a priority for
L’Espace Riopelle, a 61,000-square-foot,
mass-timber pavilion at MNBAQ , which
will accommodate the largest public collec-
tion of works by the 20th-century Canadian
painter Jean-Paul Riopelle. “Riopelle was
nurtured by our northern landscape,” says
Éric Gauthier, a senior partner with FABG,
and the painter’s work, particularly the mas-
terwork in the collection, the renowned
Tribute to Rosa Luxemburg, “has become
important in our collective imagination.”
The visitor’s procession through the galler-
ies of the pavilion (which, on the lower floors
of the three-level building, are electrically lit,
with daylit circulation spaces and specially lit
transition zones to help the eyes adjust be-
tween the two) culminates in a fully glazed
rooftop volume, with expansive views over the
St. Lawrence River. It was while living on an
island in the St. Lawrence that Riopelle
created Tribute, a colorful triptych more than
130 feet long, in response to learning of the
death of his former companion of many years,
the American painter Joan Mitchell. Exhibit-
ing this work in the light and landscape in
which it was created, and adjacent to a terrace
that allows the visitor to step out into that set-
ting, “I think will provide a quality of experi-
ence that evokes emotion in the visitor and
becomes something that they remember,” says
Gauthier.
From a conservation perspective, however,
daylighting the piece, which was executed in
THE MUSEUM of Modern Art Warsaw will offer galleries daylit by skylights (top) and clerestories spray paint on paper, is a challenge. Based on
(above). Wood-lined rooms (opposite) will offer a place to pause between the art-display spaces. studies of the pigments and the fragility of
the paper, at no time is illumination permit-
Top-floor suites, with ceiling heights of wrapping three sides of the building. In the ted to exceed 75 lux (a measure of how much
26 feet, are skylit, which “gives the art a morning, the galleries on the east side are light falls on a particular surface; in the U.S.
kind of heroic nature,” says Phifer. A system going to be glowing with a “vibrant daylight.” this is measured in foot-candles). A limit on
of fixed louvres and scrims modulates the In the afternoon they’ll be quieter, offering “a exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light in particu-
toplight, and computer modeling, by Arup, softer light,” while the ones on the western lar, with its greater potential for damage, is
has confirmed that across all seasons the side “will come alive,” says Phifer. Through- also strictly defined.
filtered daylight achieves an average illumi- out the day, “the atmosphere of these rooms The painting’s three segments will be
nance specified by the museum’s curators will change, enriching an art experience that mounted on the inner faces of 10-foot-high
and conservators. If, from time to time, an is embedded in the light.” partition walls that form a circular enclosure
exhibition requires further modulation, an To allow for the display of especially sensi- within the glazed volume. Stopping short of
easy-to-use film, available in varying de- tive works, and to accommodate video instal- the ceiling, the partitions allow for what’s
grees of opacity, can be applied to the sky- lations, the other suite on this floor, with essentially a 4-foot-high, 360-degree clere-
light. “Movable parts that would take a lot lower (15-foot) ceilings, is lit with electric story. In order to avoid admitting direct
of maintenance were not acceptable,” says light only. And, while these black-box galler- sunlight, computer modeling helped to define
Phifer. “We wanted to allow change with ies serve an essential role, if all of the exhibi- the height of this enclosure and to locate the
only static devices.” tion spaces were lit with electricity only, “they openings into it, and the architect will work
On the second floor, one of the two suites would resemble generic art spaces that could closely with the exhibition designer to ensure
of galleries, with similarly heroic ceiling exist anywhere,” says Phifer. “Instead, as the that the completed partitions comply with the
heights, is daylit via clerestory windows seasons change and the light of each day daylight simulation.

109
 CEU DAYLIGHTING IN MUSEUMS

FABG’S initial scheme for a pavilion in

Quebec dedicated to the work of Jean-Paul
Riopelle (left) was premised on the use of
electrochromic glazing (below).

FABG’s competition-winning entry was

premised on the use of electrochromic glass
(which changes its optical properties in re-
sponse to an electrical charge). However, as
more complete information about the sensi-
tivity of the art emerged, the client grew
concerned about the possibility of power
failures. With climate change, these have
been growing longer and more frequent. The
design has now been revised to incorporate a
more passive solution, to be revealed in the
new year. It will include deep overhangs of
the timber roof—14 feet on the southeast side,
and 22 feet on the southwest—so that this
well-loved painting can be safely exhibited in
its home light.
Both the Museum of Modern Art Warsaw
and L’Espace Riopelle work deliberately with
local conditions of daylight and place to create
a memorable experience of art. For the reno-
vation and expansion of the Frick Collection,
a New York museum known for its outstand-
ing examples of Western painting, sculpture,
and decorative arts, the primary local condi-
tion is the Frick itself. The Selldorf-designed
interventions, encompassing some 60,000
square feet of existing space and 18,000
square feet of new construction, are the first
comprehensive upgrade to the Frick’s build-
ings since the institution opened to the public
more than 80 years ago. From the perspective
of daylighting, the goal is for the museum to
retain the spirit and experience of the origi-
nal, but to perform far better in terms of
visual comfort and the curatorial needs of the
art. “If you were to ask the average museum
viewer,” says Ubbelohde, “we hope they will
just say it feels fresh and beautiful.”
Housed in the early 20th-century mansion
of the collection’s founder, Henry Clay Frick,
the museum’s galleries were daylit with an
assembly that was typical of the time. A large,
hipped skylight runs the length of the galler-
ies; within each gallery, a ceiling of glass
panels, or laylights, transmits diffuse light;
and in the interstitial attic space, adjustable
louvres or blinds provide sun control. It’s a
practical assembly, modulating the light,
IMAGES: COURTESY FABG

providing layers of defense against leaks, and

allowing the ceiling to look pretty and serene,
while a separate structure supports the sky-
lights’ weather envelope. The performance of
these elements, however, was limited by the
MNBAQ PAVILION DAYLIGHT SIMULATION material technologies of the era—wired sky-

110 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3

 AS PART of the Selldorf-led renovation and
expansion of the Frick (left) in New York, Loisos
+ Ubbelohde has redesigned skylights to meet
new thermal and visual criteria (below).

daylight provides ambient illumination, with

more light in the center of the room and less
reaching the walls. Supplementing the lower
daylight levels on the art, carefully calibrated
electric light is used to highlight, say, a dark
Rembrandt without exceeding curatorial
standards; making the art a little brighter
than the wall on which it’s hanging attracts
the visitor’s eye and makes the painting easier
to enjoy. Because the artworks vary in their
surface characteristics—some are flat, others
have a specular component and, depending on
how the varnish has aged, may even have
become more reflective—luminaires integrate
diffusers as needed.
When visitors return next year to their
“refreshed” museum, “they won’t notice the
technical subtleties that make the museum
2 experience so much better,” says Ubbelohde,
“but that’s the point.” In a comment that
1 sums up something the daylighting designs
3
for the Museum of Modern Art Warsaw and
L’Espace Riopelle also have in common, she
5 says, “The point is for visitors to say, ‘Wow,
this is fantastic!’ without necessarily know-
4 ing why.” ■

7 CONTINUING EDUCATION
6 To earn one AIA learning unit (LU), including one hour
of health, safety, and welfare (HSW) credit, read “The
1 EXTERIOR-GLASS ASSEMBLY 6 LAYLIGHT WITH ACRYLIC Power of Light,” review the supplemental material

2 HIGH-PERFORMANCE GLASS DIFFUSER found at architecturalrecord.com, and complete

WITH CERAMIC FRIT 7 LAYLIGHT WITH ACRYLIC the quiz at continuingeducation.bnpmedia.com.
DIFFUSER AND LIGHT- Upon passing the test, you will receive a certificate
IMAGES: © COURTESY SELLDORF ARCHITECTS (TOP); LOISOS + UBBELOHDE (BOTTOM)

3 DIFFUSING FILM
REDIRECTING PANEL of completion, and your credit will be automatically
4 SHADE MOUNTING ANGLE
reported to the AIA. Additional information regarding
5 MOTORIZED SHADES
credit-reporting and continuing-education requirements
can be found at continuingeducation.bnpmedia.com.
FRICK SKYLIGHT DETAIL
Learning Objectives

1 Explain how daylight can enrich the experience of

light glass and linen blinds, for example—and tested them in simulations with options for
viewing art.
each of those layers at the Frick had become laylight materials and shading strategies. The
compromised over time. design team then had a physical model built 2 Describe various daylighting configurations and
Working with an existing museum allows to allow project-team members to experience their visual effects.
the daylighting designer to use measured site the most promising combinations. “You could 3 Discuss the integration of daylighting and
conditions to calibrate a digital simulation sense the difference between the various electrical-lighting systems.
model. “We can then use that model with real glazing specifications in ways that could not
4 Discuss the maintenance, curatorial, and
assurance that it can tell us how changes in show up in the simulations,” says George
conservation considerations that must be taken
the glazing and other materials are going to Loisos, founding partner at the firm.
into account when daylighting spaces for the
perform,” says Ubbelohde. In collaboration The museum’s daylight and electric
display of art.
with a team from Arup, Loisos + Ubbelohde light are designed, in collaboration with
identified exterior skylight options that could lighting-design firm L’Observatoire Interna- AIA/CES Course #K2312A

meet both thermal and visual criteria, and tional, to work as an integrated system. The

111
 CONTINUING EDUCATION
In this section, you will find nine compelling courses highlighting creative solutions for tomorrow’s buildings brought to you by industry leaders.
CONTINUING EDUCATION

Read a course, and then visit our online Continuing Education Center at ce.architecturalrecord.com to take the quiz free of charge to earn credits.
Photo courtesy of Bison Innovative Products Photo courtesy of Ema Peter Photo courtesy of Knight Wall Systems

p113 p119 p120

Old Buildings–New Life Western Red Cedar and the Superpowered Wall Systems
Sponsored by Bison Innovative Products and Geberit Benefi ts of Biophilic Design Sponsored by Knight Wall Systems
CREDIT: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU; Sponsored by Western Red Cedar Lumber Association CREDIT: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU;
1 IDCEC CEU/HSW CREDIT: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU; 1 GBCI CE 1 GBCI CE HOUR; 1 IDCEC CEU/HSW
HOUR; 1 IDCEC CEU/HSW;
EM IN RR IN RE SU BE PMD SU
1 PDH, LA CES/HSW

Photo courtesy of Dreamwalls Photo courtesy of Sobotec Photo courtesy of Kingspan Insulated Panels

p122 p124 p126

Impacts of Decorative Glass and Exploring Metal Composite Material Decision Point–Examining the Advantages
Mirrors on Commercial Interiors (MCM) Finishes of Insulated Metal Panels Against Tilt-Up
Sponsored by Dreamwalls Sponsored by MCA's Metal Composite Sponsored by MCA's Insulated Metal Panel Alliance
CREDIT: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU Material Alliance CREDIT: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU;
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IN PM RE BE LS PM BE PMD SU
CEU; 1 IIBEC CEH
Photo courtesy of Chip Allen Photography;
Photo courtesy of Inpro courtesy of All Weather Architectural Aluminum Photo courtesy of Armstrong World Industries

p128 p130 p132

Educational Buildings: Safety and A Metal for All Projects Acoustical Design for Today’s Buildings
Durability by Design Sponsored by All Weather Architectural Aluminum Sponsored by Armstrong World Industries
Sponsored by Inpro CREDIT: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU CREDIT: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU;
CREDIT: 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 ICC CEU; 1 IDCEC CEU/HSW
1 IDCEC CEU/HSW
BE LS SU IN PM SU AC IN PM

CATEGORIES
AC ACOUSTICS LS LIFE SAFETY AND CODES RE RESIDENTIAL
BE BUILDING ENVELOPE DESIGN PM PRODUCTS AND MATERIALS RR RENOVATION AND RESTORATION
EM ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL PMD PRACTICE, MANAGEMENT, SU SUSTAINABILITY
IN INTERIORS DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY

Courses may qualify for learning hours through most Canadian provincial architectural associations.

112 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3

 EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT

Photo courtesy of Bison Innovative Products

CONTINUING EDUCATION
Existing buildings provide great opportunities for
creating vibrant, appealing, and sustainable designs.

Old Buildings–New Life CONTINUING EDUCATION

Addressing some overlooked areas 1 AIA LU/HSW 0.1 ICC CEU

can make a significant difference 1 IDCEC CEU/HSW

Sponsored by Bison Innovative Products and Geberit

Learning Objectives
By Peter J. Arsenault, FAIA, NCARB, LEED AP After reading this article, you should
be able to:
1. Identify and recognize the significance
of renovating existing buildings for

I
adaptive reuse to achieve safety,
t has often been pointed out that the been done successfully, economically, and
wellness, and sustainability.
most sustainable building is an existing sustainably.
2. Assess the health and wellness
one. That is because existing building aspects of incorporating usable
renovations typically require less new mate- SITE ADAPTATION outdoor spaces such as decks,
rial with less embodied energy than totally Older buildings sit on their own build- balconies, and pop-up parks in
new construction. Beyond that, some older ing site and have their own context that is existing buildings.
buildings are constructed with a quality of usually well established. However, there are 3. Explain the importance of good
materials or craftsmanship that is simply often outdoor areas that are underutilized bathroom/restroom upgrades to meet
not available or economically viable today. or rooftop surfaces that have been ignored. current health, safety, accessibility,
In light of all of these things, adapting and These spaces have the potential to enliven and sanitation standards in renovation
projects.
re-designing an existing building for a new a renovated building by providing outdoor
4. Determine ways to incorporate the
or different use continues to be a common community spaces or living areas.
health, safety, and economic planning
and sought-after approach to accommo- Incorporating outdoor spaces into a principles presented into renovated
date a wide range of building types. Brick building renovation or adaptive reuse is buildings as shown in case studies.
warehouses are transformed into loft-style consistent with many current trends and can
apartments; former churches are re-pur- go a long way toward improving the design
To receive AIA credit, you are required to
posed into restaurants; pre-WWII school character and usability of the building. Often
read the entire article and pass the quiz.
buildings become senior living centers; old this can be accomplished without impacting Visit ce.architecturalrecord.com for the
factories are turned into offices and business any of the historic nature of the building complete text and to take the quiz for free.
incubators. When multiple buildings are itself. Some of the design trends to consider
thus transformed, entire neighborhoods or in this regard include the following.
whole cities become more vibrant, diverse,
and marketable. Architects and other design • Biophilic Design: This concept is
professionals engaged in this creative and described as "the deliberate attempt
transformative work often use conventional to translate an understanding of the
products and systems in innovative ways to inherent human affinity to affiliate
give new life to older buildings. This course with natural systems and processes,
looks at two particular areas that can be known as biophilia, into the design of
overlooked in any building renovation or the built environment.” As is evident
adaptive reuse – specifically the creation in many current and recent build-
of usable and attractive outdoor spaces ing projects, there are many ways to
on existing buildings and the upgrade of incorporate biophilic elements into a
plumbing systems within existing walls. building’s design. It can be done through AIA COURSE #K2312L
Examples are offered of several ways this has a visual connection to the outdoors,

113
 OLD BUILDINGS–NEW LIFE EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT

Photo: Mike Schwartz; courtesy of Bison Innovative Products

Raised Modular Decks
A commonly available solution to address-
CONTINUING EDUCATION

ing all of these design trends in building

renovations or re-use is the incorporation of
a raised modular deck system. Such modu-
lar systems are versatile and give architects
and others the design flexibility to create
unique and beautiful rooftop environments
and outdoor spaces. By utilizing adjustable
height pedestals to support the deck, uneven
or sloped surfaces can be easily accommo-
dated. This creates the opportunity to use
underutilized outdoor spaces and turn an
otherwise wasted space into a functional
Reclaiming unused space in existing buildings, such as this rooftop area, allows for the outdoor amenity, such as a kitchen, bar,
creation of outdoor spaces with many health and wellness benefits to the users. lounge, or garden area. Rooftop decks help
to boost morale and strengthen relation-
ships within the community of building
the incorporation of natural elements places. This includes creating “green users. They can also incorporate natural ele-
indoors, or expanding the indoor spaces roofs” which can provide shade to a ments such as planters or natural materials
to flow into outdoor spaces. Creating building or people, improve stormwater and thus create biophilic design opportuni-
outdoor spaces can achieve this indoor/ management, reduce temperatures of ties within a renovation.
outdoor environmental connection the roof surface and surrounding air, Incorporating a pedestal deck system
not only by physical proximity but also and reduce energy demands on the can also provide pedestrian access to green
through the use of natural materials and building as a result. Such designs and roofs. Native plants and natural building
vegetation. This can include design- related products can also help mitigate materials offer occupants a visual and mate-
ing with natural wood and stone and the built environment’s contribution to rial connection with nature. Green spaces
incorporating vegetation and greenery urban areas’ heat island effect. When benefit occupants’ health and wellness by
through the use of planters and flower a green roof is built on top of a raised enabling programmatic flexibility; these
pots. The advantages of biophilic design deck system, it creates an air space spaces can be used for recreation, refuge,
are based on regular interactions with between the deck and the building roof and/or restoration. Modular planters
the outdoors, which are proven to have structure. This cavity space can help provide a space for seasonal growing, giving
positive health benefits, such as lower reduce cooling loads, protect the roof building users a direct interaction with
blood pressure, reduced stress, expedited and its membrane from damage from nature and a connection to food supply and
healing, and improved mood and focus. the elements (hail, wind, and UV rays), seasonal patterns.
Something fairly straightforward, such and significantly extend its lifespan. Green roof systems can incorporate
as an outdoor deck, patio, or balcony, can • Pop-Up Parks: There has been an rooftop deck components such as wood
provide living spaces with a direct visual ongoing trend to reclaim car-designated tiles and planter/cube tops with high
and material connection with nature and zones in urban areas and transform solar reflectance index (SRI) values—an
a peaceful refuge to rejuvenate the body, them for pedestrian or hospitality and indication of the material’s relative ability
mind, and soul. A deck’s sweeping views entertainment use. The result has been to stay cool (reject solar heat), reducing heat
of the encircling landscape can provide the use of “pop-up parks” which can flow into the building. Designs can include
users the opportunity to survey and vary in size from a one-car parking space recessed lighting to enhance the ambiance
contemplate the surrounding environ- of about 150 square feet to many spaces of the environment and improve visibility
ment. Such broad landscape views inspire linked together to a whole block or lane. during nighttime and/or dark conditions.
an emotional attachment to the building’s Such pop-up parks can be considered An adjustable pedestal system is also an
natural surroundings and promote in adaptive reuse building renovations ideal solution for water feature applica-
positive interactions between the building allowing for temporary installations for tions. The system conceals the water supply
users and the neighboring ecosystem. events, for seasonal use, or even perma- beneath the surface materials and allows
Well-designed outdoor areas provide nent year-round use. water to drain to the surface below for
occupants with the opportunity to release recycling. Additionally, the deck supports
tension through separated respites or All of these trends can be useful for are impervious to water, mold, freeze-thaw
through sport and physical activity, an adaptive reuse building renovation. cycles, and most chemicals.
thereby improving users’ focus, health, However, there are often construction issues Adjustable pedestal deck systems are
and morale. to address such as the lack of a level ground also ideal for pop-up park installations that
• Green Roof Decks: There has been a or roof deck surface, the need to easily can include wood tile, stone, or concrete
trend to transform roof areas, particu- incorporate natural materials and plantings, paver surfaces covering the existing
larly in urban settings, into environ- and an eye toward working within project pavement. Popular accessories include
mentally beneficial and people-friendly budget restraints. attachment hardware, planters, railing, and

114 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3

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 OLD BUILDINGS–NEW LIFE EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT

Photo courtesy of Geberit

benches. Some manufacturers offer all the
built elements required for a pop-up park
CONTINUING EDUCATION

installation which creates a smooth installa-

tion as well as offering a consistent warranty
for the entire system.

PLUMBING MODERNIZATION
Renovating or modifying an existing build-
ing, particularly an older building, means
addressing ways to upgrade the mechanical,
electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems to
meet current standards and user expecta-
tions. That often creates challenges in a
number of ways including the following:

• Use the Existing Building Shell:

Architects can be faced with the need
to meet current code requirements and Bathroom renovations, such as the one shown here at a Vermont ski resort can improve water
apply them to existing (often historical) efficiency, save floor space, and create a cleaner, updated look.
renovated buildings, particularly if there
is a change of use or occupancy. Yet
there may also be preservation or budget for residential projects where the concept the existing shell walls by providing narrow
requirements that limit the work that of “aging in place” may be part of the profile designs that can readily fit inside many
can be done in existing buildings. Hence, design criteria. older wall configurations. This helps to reduce
there is often a strong need to find ways to building costs and complexity by keeping the
upgrade MEP systems by working within Any one or all of these aspects of a reno- plumbing within the existing walls. Keeping
the existing structural walls of a building. vation design may be a primary or secondary inside the existing walls also means that
• Compact Plumbing Chase or MEP Walls: part of the design challenge for a particular drainage stacks and other existing plumbing
Space is often at a premium in renovation building. Keeping an open mind and looking can be re-used. That can reduce or eliminate
projects as new user programs try to work at different options as they become available the amount of floor coring for new piping that
within existing geometries. There may also can go a long way toward finding good may otherwise be required.
be a requirement from building owners solutions. In-wall systems also allow for more usable
to make as much square footage usable or space and more revenue with a potential
rentable as possible without encroachment In-Wall Mounted Toilet Systems space gain of 6-9 inches per bathroom. This
from utilitarian things such as plumbing A good example of how to address all of these can add up quickly in multi-unit buildings
chases or walls enlarged to carry MEP MEP renovation and design upgrade ques- such as multifamily or hotel settings. This
lines. Finding ways to achieve this can be tions is by looking at bathrooms or restrooms is achieved in part by the adaptability of the
as much a matter of design as it is a matter in an adaptive reuse/ renovated building. system, which allows it to adhere to wall
of selecting space-saving MEP systems. Often, the existing conditions restrict the framing studs. The space savings mean
• More Spacious Rooms: Updating amount of available floor space to make more floor space in bathrooms allowing for
buildings often means finding ways to upgrades, particularly when it comes to ac- a more spacious design. The raised fixture
make rooms and interior areas more cessibility requirements. One solution that also means that cleaning is simplified since
spacious and open. That leads to dif- has worked quite well is installing wall-hung the flooring runs directly under the toilet
ferent approaches, not only related to toilets using a wall-recessed mounting system. thus eliminating the buildup of dirt or mold
moving walls, but also to finding ways to These are readily available and have been the that can occur at the base of a floor-mounted
minimize the footprint and space taken norm in many European countries for many toilet. Hence users can enjoy updated,
up by MEP fixtures and equipment. decades. They are now gaining significant contemporary bathrooms and spend more
• Accessibility: Older buildings often aren’t traction for use in the United States as well. time living and not cleaning.
fully accessible by current standards. That The concept of a wall-hung toilet system is
may mean addressing accessible routes, not new, having been used on many com-
both horizontal and vertical, as well as mercial and institutional buildings for many
updating things like bathrooms and other years. What is new is the range of products
spaces that have specific accessibility available, including some European ones, Peter J. Arsenault, FAIA, NCARB, LEED AP is
requirements. Bathroom fixtures and that are appropriate for consideration in all a nationally known architect and a prolific author
heights become important in this case not types of building renovations/ adaptive reuse. advancing the sustainable reuse of existing buildings.
only for commercial applications, but also Such systems help address the desire to use www.pjaarch.com, www.linkedin.com/in/pjaarch

116 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3

Reimagine the Outdoor Experience

Condential Global Services Firm, Philadelphia PA | architect: Vocon, Cleveland OH | contractor: Turner Construction | photographer: ©Halkin Mason

ROOFTOP DECKS PLAZAS GREEN ROOFS POP-UP PARKS WATER FEATURES DECK SUPPORTS WOOD TILES
CONCRETE & STONE 2CM PAVERS PAVER SUPPORT TRAYS ARTIFICIAL TURF GRATING SITE FURNISHINGS

Ugly QR code. Beautiful Decks.

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PRODUCT REVIEW
Old Buildings–New Life
CONTINUING EDUCATION

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Photo courtesy of Bison Innovative Products

Bison Rooftop Deck Systems

Bison Pedestals are manufactured in Denver, Colo., with 20% post-industrial recycled materials and have patented features that improve
performance and stability. These versatile, adjustable pedestal deck systems create level rooftop decks over sloped surfaces, support a variety
of different surface materials, and can be installed over any structural surface.

www.bisonip.com

Geberit
Photo courtesy of Geberit

Geberit Wall Mount Systems Maximize Bathroom Space

Geberit in-wall carriers are ideal for updating bathrooms and minimizing construction costs in existing buildings. They can be used in walls and can be
framed in 2"x 4" or 2"x 6" wood or steel stud walls. The Geberit wall mount systems for toilets accommodate 12 brands and over 80 wall-hung toilets.

www.geberit.us

118 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3

 EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT

CONTINUING EDUCATION
Photo courtesy of Ema Peter

Halfmoon Bay. Architect: Patrick Warren

Western Red Cedar and the CONTINUING EDUCATION

1 AIA LU/HSW 0.1 ICC CEU

Benefits of Biophilic Design 1 IDCEC CEU/HSW

1 GBCI CE HOUR
Sponsored by Western Red Cedar Lumber Association
1 PDH, LA CES/HSW

Learning Objectives

B
iophilia literally means a love of life and colleague Stephen R. Kellert published the After reading this article, you should
or living things and is a personality collection of essays The Biophilia Hypothesis, be able to:
trait initially described by Erich which claims that “the human dependence on 1. Identify the principles of biophilic
Fromm, and later E.O. Wilson. Both agree nature extends far beyond the simple issues of design and its benefits for occupant
health and well-being.
that “biophilia has a biological basis and material and physical sustenance to encom-
2. Examine the importance of
it is fundamental to develop harmonious pass as well the human craving for aesthetic,
incorporating biophilic design into
relationships between humans and nature.” intellectual, cognitive, and even spiritual the built environment.
Fromm used the term biophilia to “describe meaning and satisfaction.” 3. Describe the properties of wood,
the psychological orientation of being at- specifically western red cedar, and
tracted to all that is alive and vital,” while INTRODUCTION TO BIOPHILIC DESIGN how it elicits biophilic responses in
Wilson used the term biophilia to “describe Biophilic design is design that reconnects building occupants.
the traits of evolutionary adaptation that us to nature. Nature partially satisfies the 4. Explore how designers can use wood
allow us to develop a mental link with the psychological need to belong and relate, so in the built environment and case
living world and nature.” activities that involve contact with nature studies where western red cedar
Edward O. Wilson ultimately popularized have been shown to improve connected- contributed to biophilic design.
the biophilia hypothesis, which suggests that ness, well-being, and promote behavior that
humans possess an innate tendency to seek benefits the environment. To receive AIA credit, you are required to
connections with nature and other forms of read the entire article and pass the quiz.
life, in his book, Biophilia. In 1993, Wilson Visit ce.architecturalrecord.com for the
complete text and to take the quiz for free.

The Western Red Cedar Lumber Association represents quality

“Real Cedar” producers, distributors, and retailers throughout North
America. Founded in 1954 and known as “the voice of the cedar
industry,” WRCLA offers extensive resources to assist with selection, AIA COURSE #K2309R
specification, application, and quality standards.

119
 EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT

Rainscreen cladding
support solutions
today can offer
exceptional variety for
ultimate performance.
CONTINUING EDUCATION

The system shown is

a thermally improved
and isolated steel
clip and rail cladding
support system
with mineral wool
insulation and zinc
metal panels.
Photo courtesy of Knight Wall Systems

Superpowered CONTINUING EDUCATION

1 AIA LU/HSW 0.1 ICC CEU

Wall Systems 1 GBCI CE HOUR

Rigid, resilient, and renewable 1 IDCEC CEU/HSW

rainscreen cladding support systems
Learning Objectives
Sponsored by Knight Wall Systems After reading this article, you should
be able to:
By Brian Nelson, CSI, CDT, LEED Green Associate
1. Assess the attributes of rainscreens
and their cladding support systems
and how these qualities contribute

S
to building envelope resilience and
uperpower is defined as the ability to vapor, they provide exceptional opportuni- sustainability.
exert influence; powerful; great ca- ties for energy-efficient performance via 2. Consider the sustainability and
pability. Exterior walls, in their own continuous insulation and reductions in performance implications when
right, serve a great purpose. At a minimum, thermal bridging, and they can be tough selecting steel as a material.
they have one goal: to separate and protect enough to stand up to mother nature. At the 3. Identify rainscreen attachment
the interior environment from the exterior center of all this, figuratively and literally, systems using an energy-efficiency
environment. But there are many ways to one key element of the rainscreen assembly and green building matrix.
build an exterior wall. Some design practices arguably must do most of the work: the clad- 4. Examine building codes and
standards that are driving better
may warrant debate as to their resilience ding support system. Selecting a rainscreen
energy performance.
or effectiveness. However, one approach is support system that bolsters this efficiency,
4. Discuss the implications of rainscreen
widely agreed upon as the most practical and durability, and performance is paramount. selection for life safety and other
effective way to “superpower” the exterior This article explores the essential elements pertinent codes and testing, such as
wall: the rainscreen principle. of a rainscreen, what the cladding support sys- NFPA 285.
A rainscreen wall assembly can ulti- tem must do in concert with other rainscreen
mately be viewed as a building envelope elements, and important considerations to
To receive AIA credit, you are required to
support system. This system acts as an make during the design process, including
read the entire article and pass the quiz.
overall system, as it groups components to building code changes and thermal efficiency. Visit ce.architecturalrecord.com for the
provide a solution for water management, complete text and to take the quiz for free.
among other benefits. It performs the key SHELTER IN THE STORM:
responsibilities required of an exterior PRESERVING DESIGNED
wall keeping the interior space dry, warm, PERFORMANCE WITH RAINSCREENS
and physically protected while also bringing A rainscreen, at a very basic level, is defined
a true sense of superpower to the exterior by the Rainscreen Association in North
wall. Rainscreens are effective at aiding in America (RAiNA) as an assembly applied AIA COURSE #K2312S
the management of liquid water and water to an exterior wall which consists of, at

120 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3

EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT SUPERPOWERED WALL SYSTEMS

Photo courtesy of Knight Wall Systems

CONTINUING EDUCATION
VENTILATED VS. VENTED
It is important to understand that
ventilation is different than venting.

Vented: Limited passive exchange of air

between the cavity and exterior through
openings.
Ventilated: Passive exchange of air
between the cavity and exterior through
multiple openings that facilitate uniform
airflow.

Typically, ventilation is achieved with

openings at the top AND bottom of a
wall assembly, allowing air to flow in one
and out the other. Venting is when an
opening is only at the top OR bottom of
a wall assembly. This still allows for air to
flow, but to a significantly lesser volume
since the air must move in AND out of the
same opening. Vented wall assemblies Thermally improved and isolated steel rail system with open joint face fastened large format
most commonly have an opening at the panels.
bottom so drainage may also occur.
*Definitions per RAiNA.
moisture through passive ventilation. described here are required to produce a
Thus, the primary function of a rain- rainscreen design, however in the modern
screen is not to provide barrier protection era these elements are most commonly seen.
minimum, an outer layer, an inner layer, and against water penetration, such as a water- Cladding, according to RAiNA, is
a cavity between them sufficient for the pas- resistant barrier does, but rather to limit the defined as a "non-load bearing wall element,
sive removal of liquid water and water vapor. amount of water that could potentially come inclusive of any coating and/or finish, serv-
In other words, a rainscreen is an exterior into contact with the building envelope’s ing as the outer layer, which is unprotected
wall where the cladding is offset from the water-resistant barrier. from exterior environmental conditions.”
back-up wall, creating an appropriately sized Additionally, rainscreens have been Many examples of cladding exist, including
cavity for ventilation and drainage where proven to provide a solution for improving brick veneer, metal panels, fiber cement,
liquid water can physically exit (drain) and/ a building’s energy efficiency by providing terra cotta, and others. Cladding is the
or evaporate (ventilation). the space for, and use of, exterior insulation. outermost element of any exterior wall and
Assemblies that fall into this definition Thermally isolated rainscreen solutions pro- with a rainscreen assembly, that is no differ-
range from masonry, simple single skin metal vide a solution for attaching nearly any type ent. Aside from good looks and stimulating
panel assemblies, to clip and rail systems of cladding to extremely efficient support visuals, the cladding has much work to do.
with face fastened panels of fiber cement or systems, including offering an installation
high-pressure laminates. The 2024 edition solution for true continuous insulation. This
of the International Building Code (IBC), dramatically increases the energy efficiency
available for review now, will for the first of the building to meet, and often, exceed Brian Nelson is a graduate of Oregon State
time officially codify this definition. code requirements. University with 15 years of rainscreen facade experi-
ence and has secured multiple patents. He currently
The Rainscreen in Operation Elements of a Rainscreen serves as the General and Technical Manager at
In general, a rainscreen’s operation allows any Rainscreen assemblies typically consist of Knight Wall Systems as well as the Building Codes
water that may pass by or through the cladding multiple components, or elements. Each of Committee Co-Chair for the Rainscreen Association
to easily drain away from the building, and these elements serve a specific purpose in in North America. He consistently collaborates with
the air that moves between the cladding and supporting, and empowering, the exterior project teams, providing solutions to challenges in
the wall accelerates evaporation of any residual wall to carry out its duties. Not all elements rainscreen facade design.

Established in 2010, under the leadership of president Doug Knight, Knight Wall Systems Inc. is headquartered in Deer
Park, Wash., with a network of sales representatives located throughout North America. Knight’s award-winning, patented
“drop-in” rainscreen and thermal isolation technologies have set new standards for building facades. All Knight Wall Systems
products are manufactured in the USA.

121
 EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT
CONTINUING EDUCATION

Photo courtesy of Dreamwalls

Backpainted glass builds upon the shiny brilliance

of the iconic automobiles at The Automobile
Gallery & Event Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Impacts of Decorative CONTINUING EDUCATION

1 AIA LU/HSW 0.1 ICC CEU

Glass and Mirrors on Learning Objectives

After reading this article, you should

Commercial Interiors be able to:

1. Define the benefits of glass and
mirrors for occupant health and
Style, sustainability, durability, safety, sustainability.
2. Discuss why the quality and makeup
and well-being of glass and mirrors matter.
3. Identify the wide variety of products
Sponsored by Dreamwalls | By Kathy Price-Robinson available for commercial interiors,
how they are made, and the variables
of quality.

D
ecorative glass and mirrors bring aspects that architects should seek in a glass 4. List innovative examples of glass and
mirror use in commercial interiors.
a stylish dynamism to commercial manufacturer. We conclude with the robust
interiors unequaled by any other future of decorative glass and mirrors in
material. The impacts of glass and mirrors commercial interiors. To receive AIA credit, you are required to
go beyond aesthetics. In this course, we read the entire article and pass the quiz.
explore the many ways glass and mirrors Visit ce.architecturalrecord.com for the
complete text and to take the quiz for free.
contribute to occupant well-being. We then
discuss the unexpected durability of glass Kathy Price-Robinson is a nationally known writer
and mirrors, the safety characteristics, and focusing on building and architecture. Her award-win-
the indisputable sustainability of these ning remodeling series ran 13 years in the Los Angeles
products. Next, we illustrate the expansive Times. She has written for dozens of publications in
variety of decorative glass and mirrors the design and building industry and developed more
AIA COURSE #K2312N
in commercial interiors and the quality than 100 continuing education courses.

At Dreamwalls, we manufacture beautiful glass and mirror products that architects and designers love and depend on.
Over the last 60 years, Dreamwalls/Gardner Glass has delivered over 1 billion square feet of glass and mirror products all
over the USA.

122 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3

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Dreamwalls Laminated n Studios
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CONTINUING EDUCATION

Photo courtesy of Sobotec

The bright white finish on MCM panels on this grand

addition to the Las Vegas Convention Center stays
shiny and bright, even in the extreme desert sun.

Exploring Metal Composite CONTINUING EDUCATION

Material (MCM) Finishes

1 AIA LU/HSW 0.1 ICC CEU

1 IIBEC CEH

Available in custom colors and specialty finishes, Learning Objectives

high-performance MCM wall finishes are taking After reading this article, you should
be able to:
design to a new level 1. Break down the components of an
MCM finish system and the different
Sponsored by MCA's Metal Composite Material Alliance resin types, including polyvinylidene
fluoride (PVDF), super-durable (SD)
By Barbara Horwitz-Bennett polyester, and fluoroethylene vinyl
ether (FEVE), and how they contribute
to occupant health with low VOCs.
2. Describe the variety of high-quality,

D
urable, versatile, and long-lasting, as are specialty finishes like faux wood grain, environmentally safe finish options
available, including colors, mica and
Metal Composite Material (MCM) faux stone, terracotta, color shifting, and
metallic, color shifting, special effects,
are an increasingly popular design textured finishes. faux wood, and stone.
option for cladding walls in a range of build- “Finish type is particularly important in 3. Discover the advantages of coil coating
ing types. specifying MCM panels,” confirms Kevin and the process of safely applying
With a high recycled content, the panels Le, design professional, Laurence Group, St. MCM finish applications in the factory.
are easy to fabricate in a wide array of shapes Louis. The composition of all the exterior 4. Explain the details of the AAMA 2605
and textures and are easy to install. The materials ultimately becomes the impres- Performance Requirements and Test
affordable material is lightweight, thereby sion that represents the owner/company/ Procedures for Superior Performing
minimizing structural loads on the subframe entity to the general public. Contemporary Organic Coatings on Aluminum
and subframe material costs. MCM is versus traditional, lightness versus hefti- Extrusions and Panels, including IAQ-
related requirements.
specified with a flame-retardant core to meet ness, slick versus organic…finishes have the
4. Discuss the application of creative
mandated NFPA 285 testing requirements. power to transform these powerful ideas
MCM finish applications on
While the material’s performance ben- into real life tangible icons that exist within noteworthy projects.
efits are well established, MCM’s reputation the community.”
as a bold, exciting, and creative material that To deliver high-quality, color-consistent
architects can craft into colorful, shaped, designs by selecting the right finish for a To receive AIA credit, you are required to
read the entire article and pass the quiz.
perforated, and textured designs has been project, an understanding of the technology
Visit ce.architecturalrecord.com for the
steadily gaining traction. and standards regulating these projects can complete text and to take the quiz for free.
To help unlock all this creative potential, help designers bring their MCM facades to life.
there are many standard finishes suitable for
MCM. Solids, micas, metallics, prismatics, THE PAINT SYSTEM
shimmer effects, wood, stone, and more. Breaking things down, paint systems for
MCM sheets are always factory-finished, MCM is comprised of three main compo-
ensuring a high level of consistency and nents: the pigment, solvent, and binder. The AIA COURSE #K2312P
quality. Custom color paints are available, pigment is made of tiny, solid particles which

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EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT EXPLORING METAL COMPOSITE MATERIAL (MCM) FINISHES

Photo courtesy of Robert Stefanowicz Photography/3A Composites USA

determine the color based upon the levels of
transmitted and reflected light. The solvent is

CONTINUING EDUCATION
the carrier where the pigment and other sub-
stances are suspended giving the paint its de-
sired viscosity. And the binder is the resin that
holds everything together. The formulation
also includes additives to enhance the paint’s
properties and/or improve the manufacturing
and application process. The complex interac-
tions between these components determine the
paint’s properties including color brightness,
level of opaqueness, coverage, permeability,
and abrasion resistance. Pigments can be inor-
ganic or organic, which determines the finish
composition, characteristics, and appearance.
Inorganic pigments are manufactured from
mineral compounds, mainly complex metal
oxides. They are opaque and lend a high level
of color stability, heat, and chemical resistance.
These pigments produce more neutral colors
and earth tones such as beige, brown, and
tan. While the color range is more limited,
the inorganic pigments have the advantage
of stability and don’t bleed. They are also The high gloss red finish on the MCM panels used on the Great Northern Way Pavilion in
compatible with almost all polymers. Vancouver, B.C., dazzles visitors with its brilliance.
Organic pigments are carbon based, often
made from petroleum compounds. They are
transparent and can produce bold, vivid col- heat that the surface can dissipate, a value of 0 PVDFs are highly resistant to UV radiation,
ors. However, they allow UV rays and oxygen to 100 is determined. corrosive, and chemical attack, and provide
to penetrate and have a lower resistance to a finish warranty of up to 30 years. PVDF
fade, and heat. Organic pigments may also FINISH SYSTEM TYPES comes in a wide range of colors and finishes,
have a lower gloss retention. To provide the high levels of performance including metallic and pearlescent finishes,
For the best of both worlds, pigment associated with MCMs, these coatings are and provides a high level of color and gloss
formulations often include a blend of both typically comprised of high performing retention. “We most often specify PVDF
inorganic and organic pigments. The pigment resins chemistries. The most common resins coating for our projects due to its long-
blend also determines wavelength-selective for these applications are polyvinylidene term record for reliable durability,” relates
absorption, special effects, and the benefits of fluoride (PVDF), super-durable (SD) poly- Drake. FEVE coatings offer a high level of
cool pigment technology, if desired. Some spe- ester and fluoroethylene vinyl ether (FEVE). color and gloss retention. As a thermoset
cial effects include pearlescent, color-shifting, These coatings fall under two categories: finish, the formulation works well in high
and high-sparkle pigments using materials like thermoset, which includes polyester, FEVE, gloss applications. FEVE is also resistant to
tiny flakes of aluminum or mica. and thermoplastic like PVDF. The former chemicals, corrosive atmospheres, and UV
By employing cool pigments in a coating, a contains clear resin bases, which support a rays, making it very weatherable.
wall experiences lower levels of solar heat gain. wide range of colors and glosses. Once ther- As high-performance finishes, PVDF,
The wall stays cooler, thereby impacting inte- mosets are cured, they present a very even, and particularly FEVE, do come with a price
rior temperatures and reducing air condition- stable appearance even when exposed to heat tag, but their long-term durability and qual-
ing loads. Cool pigmentation offers designers or pressure. Thermoplastics are typically ity often make the investment worthwhile.
a broad range of colors, including darker hues, 70 percent PVDF resin-based and provide
and helps mitigate the heat island effect of heat superior UV resistance to all the other paint
buildup in urban areas. The solar reflectance systems. The color ranges to more earth
index (SRI) is the value which determines how tones and offers typical gloss ranges of 25 Barbara Horwitz-Bennett is a veteran architec-
cool the finish is. Combining the amount of to 35. tural journalist who has written hundreds of CEUs
heat-inducing radiation that is reflected off the PVDF coatings have been around for and articles for various AEC publications. www.
surface with emissivity, which is the level of over 50 years and offer high performance. linkedin.com/in/barbarahbennett/

The Metal Construction Association’s Metal Composite Material (MCM) Alliance comprises leading manufacturers,
fabricators, and suppliers who are dedicated to growing the use of MCM. www.metalconstruction.org

125
 EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT
CONTINUING EDUCATION

Photo courtesy of Kingspan Insulated Panels

With only six months to complete the DynaEnergetics building in Blum, Texas,
architects avoided having to install multiple wall components, and instead were able
to install the facade, insulation, and interior walls at the same time with only one
installer by using insulated metal panels, saving time and staying within budget.

Decision Point–Examining CONTINUING EDUCATION

1 AIA LU/HSW 0.1 ICC CEU

the Advantages of Insulated 1 GBCI CE HOUR 1 IIBEC CEH

Metal Panels Against Tilt-Up Learning Objectives

After reading this article, you should
be able to:
Understanding insulated metal panels in 1. Debate the material benefits of
selecting insulated metal panels (IMPs)
modern building construction in place of tilt-up, including design
flexibility, envelope performance, and
Sponsored by MCA's Insulated Metal Panel Alliance | By Amanda Voss, MPP enhanced occupant comfort.
2. Dissect the installation and practical
advantages of selecting insulated
metal panels (IMPs), including ease of
transportation, crew coordination and

B
scheduling, handling, and time.
uilding envelope material selections DEFINING IMPS
3. Calculate the energy savings resulting
that improve building performance Breaking out beyond its traditional applica-
from improved thermal performance
enable the design of a building to tions, architects and building owners are of insulated metal panels (IMPs).
not only meet today’s code criteria, but taking advantage of insulated metal panels’ 4. Delineate the attributes of insulated
also to satisfy the demands of the future. growing architectural options, aesthetics, metal panels (IMPs) that allow them to
The innovations of insulated metal panels structural integrity, energy efficiency, light contribute to LEED, WELL, and other
(IMPs) compare very favorably against weight, and low maintenance for a wide sustainability programs, as well as
traditional material systems. Durability, variety of projects. As insulated metal panels enable them to reduce the building’s
thermal performance, and energy efficien- move into a space traditionally dominated environmental impact.
cies are a gain when using IMPs versus a by tilt-up–a method of construction where
system such as tilt-up concrete. Practically, large concrete panels are cast on site and then To receive AIA credit, you are required to
using IMPs allows for simpler, safer, and raised into position with a crane–how do read the entire article and pass the quiz.
cost-efficient installation and maintenance their material characteristics and perfor- Visit ce.architecturalrecord.com for the
for a building. Advances in IMP technology mance stack up for the modern building? complete text and to take the quiz for free.
also offer benefits for aesthetics. Selecting
IMPs for a project offers a great oppor- Meet the IMP
tunity to earn sustainable certifications, Insulated Metal Panels (IMPs) offer com-
provide material health and transparency plete, lightweight enclosure systems for
documentation, and avoid the negative en- exterior walls and roofs. The panels combine AIA COURSE #K2312R
vironmental consequences of construction. metal skins and an insulating foam core.

126 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3

EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT DECISION POINT–EXAMINING THE ADVANTAGES OF INSULATED METAL PANELS AGAINST TILT-UP

Photo courtesy of Nucor Insulated Panel Group

First developed by the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA)1, these

CONTINUING EDUCATION
panels have superior insulating properties
and their outstanding spanning capabilities
and one-pass installation make them quick
to install, providing unit cost savings when
compared to other wall assemblies.
To deliver high-performance insulation,
foam is injected, or poured, in place between
two layers of metal skin. The insulation
undergoes a chemical reaction, causing it to
expand and bond to the metal skins, com-
pletely filling the interior cavity between the
metal skins. The result is a factory-delivered,
solid panel system that provides superior
thermal value and resists moisture, insect,
and rodent infiltration.
The most commonly used metal sub-
strates for IMP faces are G90 galvanized steel IMPs provide temperature control for the Sima & Sons office and cold storage facility in
or aluminum-zinc-coated steel, while some Ravenna, Ohio. IMPs are exposed on the interior and function as the interior cooler walls,
custom panels are made from stainless steel which allowed for simple, one-time wall installation for both interior and exterior.
or aluminum. Architects are able to specify
various panel insulation values, span lengths,
and load/span capabilities. envelope. Additionally, their enclosures can Additionally, architectural IMPs
IMPs are available in a wide variety be clad with various secondary rainscreen include options such as custom shapes
of colors, widths, profiles, and finishes. materials, such as brick veneer. and widths, special custom colors and
“The realization of virtually any design for finishes, and custom fabrication, includ-
walls and roofs is possible,” says RC Antal, Where They’re Found ing, but not limited to, factory-bended
Director of Insulated Metal Panels for ATAS IMPs are used in virtually every build- corners, curved panels, and trimless
International. IMPs deliver profiled options: ing type, from offices and warehouses ends. Architectural IMPs offer options
designers can choose walls that are ribbed, to healthcare facilities, manufacturing that can incorporate panels that coalesce
fluted, or planked. For flat walls, finishes centers, transportation, education, and with windows, louvers, sunshades, or
can be flat, textured, or striated. Entire recreational buildings. other integrated products to offer total
panels can also be curved and formed. building envelope solutions. Their flex-
Additional design features include joint • Commercial and Industrial: IMPs are ibility provides architects the freedom to
reveal widths, formed corner panels, end ideal for all types of commercial and create unique building designs.
folds and treatments, heavier gauge flat industrial buildings including institu- • Cold Storage: Insulated Metal Panels
facings, and integrated windows and louver tional, recreational, and government are considered the ultimate solution for
systems. IMPs are available in a variety of buildings, and manufacturing facilities. climate-controlled facilities. Whether the
high-performance coatings. Another offered Projects from schools to retail centers need is for manufacturing, processing,
finish feature is embossing, which creates to power plants benefit from the energy storage, or distribution of perishable
surface texture on metal coils. efficient insulation, lightweight construc- food or other materials, an IMP wall can
For the interior, a typical finish is a tion, durability, and cost-effective, timely meet the demands. Available in panel
standard polyester 0.8 millimeter─including installation of single-component IMPs. thicknesses from 2-6 inches, a wall can
the primer─in a light-reflective and easy-to- IMPs also provide solutions for a variety be designed to meet multiple specific
maintain color. United States Department of climate considerations, including tem- thermal performance requirements.
of Agriculture (USDA)-compliant finishes perature, humidity, airborne particles,
and stainless steel also are available for and air movement.
required applications, such as food process- • Architectural: Architectural IMPs have
ing and storage. the normal attributes of those used in Amanda Voss, MPP, is an author, editor, and
In the field, IMPs are not only considered commercial and industrial builds, such policy analyst. Writing for multiple publications,
as the primary exterior finish, but now as high insulation values, speed of build, she has also served as the managing editor for
also are designed as the primary building and vertical and horizontal applications. Energy Design Update.

The Metal Construction Association’s Insulated Metal Panel (IMP) Alliance comprises leading manufacturers, resellers,
and suppliers who are dedicated to growing the use of IMPs. www.metalconstruction.org

127
 EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT
CONTINUING EDUCATION

All photos courtesy of Inpro

Educational buildings, such as the Forest Park Middle School

in Franklin, Wisconsin, shown here, need to have interiors
that are functional, well-designed, and able to withstand
high levels of activity and accommodate large numbers of
people safely on nearly a daily basis.

Educational Buildings: Safety CONTINUING EDUCATION

1 AIA LU/HSW 0.1 ICC CEU

and Durability by Design 1 IDCEC CEU/HSW

Attention to detail in multiple places is key to Learning Objectives

After reading this article, you should
better performance be able to:
1. Identify the safety and performance
Sponsored by Inpro | By Peter J. Arsenault, FAIA, NCARB, LEED AP aspects of providing aesthetic
protection for walls, doors, elevator
cabs, and other interior educational
building surfaces.
2. Assess the visual as well as safety

I
f you design schools, whether at the products, and strategies that allow architects aspects of using commercial window
treatments in school and higher
primary, secondary, or higher education to address all these issues to create excep-
education settings.
level, you spend a lot of time looking tional educational building designs for both
3. Explain the differences in architectural
at durability of materials for the safety of new and renovation projects. interior signage that can contribute
students, educators, and staff. The goal is to inclusivity, wayfinding, and safety in
usually to create a welcoming and inspiring INTERIOR WALL PROTECTION educational buildings.
place to learn and grow that is inherently du- Interior walls are at the forefront of the need 4. Recognize the attributes of expansion
rable to hold up over time. Concurrently, the for durability in schools and educational joint systems that allow them to
resulting learning environment needs to use buildings. Things like wall corners, edges, be durable over time, function
materials that help protect the building and and other aspects of an interior design as required, and meet fire code
the people inside it. This means incorporat- are subject to wear and tear from moving provisions where required.
ing features such as reliable durability, clear people or equipment. Therefore, adding
signage, and properly operating systems. products specifically designed to protect To receive AIA credit, you are required to
There is also the recognition that many these areas is common and makes sense read the entire article and pass the quiz.
school and educational spaces fill a need for for many educational situations. The best Visit ce.architecturalrecord.com for the
public gathering and events in their larger approach is referred to as targeted wall complete text and to take the quiz for free.
communities. Therefore, finding the balance protection where a specific set of products is
between creating a nurturing and welcom- used that are designed to absorb impact and
ing facility that also meets inherent public protect the underlying portion. By target-
assembly safety requirements becomes a ing the most vulnerable areas, protection
distinct design challenge. In this course, can be added by using corner guard or wall AIA COURSE #K2302J
we review a variety of specific systems, guard products specifically where they are

128 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3

EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT EDUCATIONAL BUILDINGS: SAFETY AND DURABILITY BY DESIGN

needed. These can include horizontal rails

across specific sections of the walls as well

CONTINUING EDUCATION
as vertically installed corner guards. Since
many of these products can be specified with
materials that are not only durable but also
easy to clean, they help protect the building
as well as the people in them.
Taking the concept of wall protection
further, sheets of rigid wall covering have
been used where large surfaces need to be
made more durable and easier to clean.
Usually produced in sheets or rolls, rigid
vinyl extruded wall cladding comes in
several standard thicknesses. For medium
duty installations, .028 is used when flex-
ibility is needed such as wrapping a column
for example. A slightly heavier .040 can be The Friendship Learning Center in North Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin, uses corner guards on wall cor-
used to eliminate re-painting where repeated ners and durable surfaces to provide long-lasting wall protection, particularly in high use areas.
scuffing wears through the top layer of
drywall. For heavier duty locations, .060 is
used to protect against gouging of the wall, the interior finishes can readily get rubbed, harsh environments yet are literally flexible
while .080 is used for maximum protection, bumped, banged, or even abused and can enough to become the showpiece or the
often installed on top of cement board or fire start to show signs of wear quickly. If these backdrop of an interior design scheme. With
rated plywood. Most of these products of- interior surfaces become physically damaged, professional, seamless installation, they
fered in the U.S. are Class A fire rated, with then they can become problem spots that are can become an uninterrupted finish with
many choices of product types, finishes, and not only difficult to clean and could be prime an intentional texture pattern to enhance
colors to enhance, rather than detract from, locations for germs and bacteria to collect the design. They also fend off stains and
an interior design scheme. and build up, ready to be transferred to the vandalism, simply by wiping with standard
For wall areas that need specific types next person who touches or brushes by them. cleaning agents, although the amount of
of protection, there are also some special- effort needed to remove the stain or mark
ized choices. These include hygienic wall Flexible Wall Protection will vary based on texture of course.
cladding which is ideally suited for kitchen Protecting wall surfaces from damage while Flexible wall protection is quite appro-
or laboratory spaces. Coupled with stain- still meeting interior design needs can some- priate for educational facilities, particularly
less steel corner guards and wall base, times be a notable challenge. While rigid since most have some areas that are prone to
this provides a very durable and cleanable plastic protective wall cladding products can be constantly bashed and slammed.
surface that is designed to inhibit growth offer a particular choice of looks, they may If this causes damage, particularly in a
of organic substances. There are also solid not always match what is being sought for a public space, management will not want
surface wall claddings that are nonporous, design scheme. Other choices offer the more to leave it disrepair, so someone on staff is
long-lasting, easily repairable, and available varied look of contract wallcovering with usually assigned to repair these problem
in many different colors. By working with some protection characteristics but lack the areas–repeatedly. There’s a subtler form of
manufacturers of wall cladding and targeted ultra-durable performance of rigid plastics. damage, however, that often accumulates
protection systems, the best solutions can This leaves architects and interior design- slowly but eventually leads to a shoddy
be determined for different locations within ers in a conundrum, especially since certain appearance, namely scuffs and abrasions.
schools and higher-education facilities. spaces need the added protection but do For example, backpacks rubbing along a
It is worth noting that if the surface not lend themselves to the aesthetic of rigid school corridor wall may not be enough to
materials used aren’t easily cleaned, that is wall cladding. However, a brand-new class damage drywall, but creates enough contact
a problem, since they could become sites of of materials called Flexible Wall Protection to leave marks, scuffs, and rubs.
virus or bacteria transfer. On the other hand, is showing great potential to be a true game
if the surfaces can be cleaned, but aren’t changer by combining the appealing look of
durable enough to handle the repeated wash- contract wallcovering with the durability of
ing without fading, wearing, or otherwise rigid wall protection. As one manufacturer Peter J. Arsenault, FAIA, NCARB, LEED AP is a
degrading prematurely, that needs to be puts it, “Walls can now make an impact nationally known architect and a prolific author
addressed as well. Of course, educational while being able to take the impact.” advancing better educational building perfor-
buildings are busy places with a lot of people Flexible wall protection products are mance by design. www.pjaarch.com
and equipment moving daily. That means durable enough to handle the conditions of www.linkedin.com/in/pjaarch

129
 EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT

The Dwight Modern, in Berkeley, Calif., is

a mixed-use development highlighted by
99 high-end, modern apartment homes.
CONTINUING EDUCATION

Photo by Chip Allen Photography; courtesy of All Weather Architectural Aluminum

Aluminum windows and doors complement

the contemporary aesthetic while providing
durable, low-maintenance finishes.

A Metal for All Projects CONTINUING EDUCATION

1 AIA LU/HSW 0.1 ICC CEU

Aluminum remains a versatile, durable,
Learning Objectives
sustainable material, with the flexibility to work After reading this article, you should
be able to:
in almost any project 1. Describe how aluminum can be used
Sponsored by All Weather Architectural Aluminum | By Andrew A. Hunt for a variety of window and door
products in commercial, single-family
residential, multifamily residential,
healthcare, and educational building
projects.

A
luminum, as a material, is incred- residential, commercial, and public building 2. Recall the physical attributes of
aluminum that result in a long-lasting,
ibly versatile and has been used in projects. Aluminum extrusions combined
low-maintenance material, even when
a wide range of products for centu- with innovative thermal barrier materials exposed to the elements.
ries. In modern construction, aluminum save energy, increase healthy indoor air
3. Explain how aluminum can help
has been tapped as an ideal material for quality, and improve safety, sustainability, improve the performance, durability,
doors and window frames to promote dura- and aesthetics. Case studies are incorpo- and sustainability of windows and
bility, energy efficiency, sustainability, and rated to help provide real-world examples of doors.
to manage budget expectations. Compared how using aluminum that is single-sourced 4. Discuss the advantages of using
to other fenestration and dooring materials for all windows and doors can support both a single-source manufacturer for
like wood and vinyl, aluminum offers an sustainability and project goals. window and door products to ensure
environmentally responsible alternative, consistent products and installation
support.
helping reduce waste, conserve natural FLEXIBLE DESIGN DURABLE LONGEVITY
resources, and provide long-lasting perfor- Aluminum remains one of the most specified
mance. For the architect, specifying doors materials in the residential and construction To receive AIA credit, you are required to
and windows of the same material type industry, as its advantages are long-lasting. read the entire article and pass the quiz.
from a single source for the entire project Durable, flexible, impermeable, and strong, Visit ce.architecturalrecord.com for the
complete text and to take the quiz for free.
can offer additional benefits, including this metal has proven to be an increasingly
consistent design options, reliable sup- valuable asset for architects and builders.
ply chain delivery, and a better supported Aluminum weighs 65 percent less than steel
installation. This article examines the but is 43 times more powerful than wood, and
unique qualities and benefits of specify- its tensile strength is as high as 90,000 psi. In
ing windows and doors from a single the age of sustainable design, recycling, and AIA COURSE #K2312Q
source, manufactured with aluminum for monitoring our collective carbon footprint,

130 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3

EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT A METAL FOR ALL PROJECTS

Photo by David Lalush, courtesy of All Weather Architectural Aluminum

aluminum has prevailed as the building mate-
rial that checks all the right boxes.

CONTINUING EDUCATION
For architects, the benefits of specifying
aluminum can lead to an expanded creative
pallet, more options for sustainable build-
ing credits, and a simpler design path. This
material offers an array of benefits when it
comes to single-source solutions, where both
windows and doors are obtained from a single
manufacturer. This approach streamlines
the construction process, improves lead
times, enhances design flexibility, simplifies
installation, and provides comprehensive BIM
(Building Information Modeling) support.
Aluminum is lightweight, workable, and
corrosion-resistant, so it is a great choice for
healthy and sustainable buildings. Aluminum
is 100 percent recyclable, which is important
in reducing construction waste that cannot be
reused. Aluminum framing also is growing in
popularity in North America because it can
support indoor air quality (IAQ). Its ability
to combine with other products that enhance The Waterfall Residence incorporated aluminum doors and windows to match the overall indus-
air quality in a structure has increased its trial aesthetic of the home, while also complying with the sustainable net-zero energy goals.
demand. Aluminum also requires minimum
maintenance after installation. In general,
periodic washing with soap and water is all Durability, daylighting, and acoustic Aluminum can be fabricated to extremely
that is required, but manufacturers supply performance are other advantages of high- close tolerances to create precise forms for
specific information as needed. performance aluminum windows and doors. the insertion of glazing, weather stripping,
Aluminum meets sustainability The strength of aluminum enables glass-clad and thermal barriers to control this leakage.
expectations thanks to its environmental structures to meet wind load provisions. The prime factor related to fire is the glazing,
advantages. Commercial building develop- The slimmer profiles of extruded aluminum but noncombustible aluminum frames hold
ers looking for improved energy efficiency window and door frames increase the amount the glazing longer than many other framing
can choose high-performance aluminum of daylight entering the window, sometimes materials. Double glazing provides better
windows and doors with a range of profiles by as much as 20 percent. Reduced sound protection than single glazing. Tempered
and colors, allowing for design capabilities levels reduce stress in healthcare facilities and glass, which is four times stronger (more
that can support overall appeal and brand. improve productivity in workplaces. resistant) than single-pane annealed and
Within these choices, however, a builder will In addition, aluminum thermal barrier twice the strength of a dual pane, increases
increase the likelihood of success in terms technology is working even more closely in the fire resistance further.
of both aesthetics and sustainability when conjunction with glass, glazing, and envelope
working with a single manufacturer across materials to reduce commercial building
all stages of a project. energy consumption. Double- and triple-
When it comes to thermal comfort, pane windows and doors are now often filled
aluminum windows, and doors serve as part with inert gases such as argon or krypton Andrew A. Hunt is Vice President of Confluence
of a larger system. Because aluminum is a to reduce convection within the units and Communications and specializes in writing, design,
conductor of heat, aluminum frames must to improve the window or door’s overall and production of articles and presentations related
be equipped with a thermal barrier that energy efficiency. These gases are often to sustainable design in the built environment. In
prevents heat from flowing inside to outside known to leak—many times at a rate of just addition to instructional design, writing, and project
or vice versa depending on the climate, 1 percent a year, which is generally accept- management, Andrew is an accomplished musician
time of year, or time of day. This is another able. However, sometimes if the seals are not and voice-over actor, providing score and narration for
reason to work with a single manufacturer sufficient, they will leak faster, thus ruining both the entertainment and education arena. www.
who can ensure quality control of sourcing their contribution toward energy efficiency confluencec.com, https://www.linkedin.com/in/
throughout construction. and necessitating an expensive replacement. andrew-a-hunt-91b747/

Celebrating over 50 years of innovation, All Weather Architectural Aluminum enhances how you experience the world around
you. Utilizing the highest quality materials and applying superior workmanship, All Weather’s ability to provide creative solu-
tions and custom windows and doors is one of the company’s cornerstones From single-family custom residential to educa-
tion to multifamily/mixed-use commercial projects, All Weather offers a comprehensive range of energy-efficient, commer-
cially and acoustically rated aluminum window and door systems to meet all your project needs.

131
 EDUCATIONAL-ADVERTISEMENT

Large open meeting spaces have traditionally been a challenge for

CONTINUING EDUCATION

controlling noise. New acoustic ceiling treatments and approaches

have allowed for the merger of sound control and aesthetics.
Photo courtesy of Armstrong World Industries

Acoustical Design for CONTINUING EDUCATION

1 AIA LU/HSW 0.1 ICC CEU

Today’s Buildings 1 IDCEC CEU/HSW

Learning Objectives
Sponsored by Armstrong World Industries After reading this article, you should
be able to:
1. Analyze and explore the fundamental
principles related to interior acoustic
design and their relationship to green
buildings and sustainable design.

A
coustics are one of the foundation- Hear about trendy ceiling choices that 2. Examine the traditional and new
al pillars of Indoor Environmental provide the perfect acoustic treatments for ceiling system options available to
provide interior acoustic treatments
Quality (IEQ)that not only affect any space and discuss their contributions to
that are both visually appealing as
occupant satisfaction but also productivity, green building certifications. well as acoustically appropriate to the
confidentiality, and health. This one-hour space use.
CEU will dive into the world of interior 3. Assess the various characteristics of
acoustic design. We'll explore the funda- acoustical ceilings that can contribute
mental principles of creating sustainable to green and sustainable building
spaces that sound as good as they look. design.
4. Recognize and identify the acoustic
needs of different design applications
and the attributes to look for, including
contributions to green building
Armstrong World Industries is a leader in the design and certification.
manufacture of innovative commercial ceiling and wall systems.
At home, at work, in health-care facilities, classrooms, stores, and
restaurants, Armstrong Ceiling & Wall Solutions offer interior To receive AIA credit, you are required to
options that help create healthy, sustainable spaces that protect read the entire article and pass the quiz.
people and cultivate well-being and comfort so they can be at their Visit ce.architecturalrecord.com for the
best. Armstrong is committed to developing new and sustainable complete text and to take the quiz for free.
ceiling solutions, with design and performance possibilities that
empower its customers to create beautiful, high-performance
residential and commercial buildings. Armstrong continues
to grow and prosper for the benefit of all its stakeholders.
armstrongceilings.com/commercial
AIA COURSE #K2311C

132 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3

DATES & Events

Upcoming Exhibitions A Permanent Nostalgia for Departure: practices in Portugal. Work by seven firms—
Rehearsal on Legacy with Zaha Hadid Artéria, Colectivo Warehouse, Gorvell, Nuno
Building to Heal: New Architecture for Cincinnati Pimenta, Oficina Pedrez, OODA, and Ponto
Hospitals Through January 28, 2024 Atelier—shows responses to environmental
Munich An exhibition at the Contemporary Arts challenges: exploring new materials and con-
December 7, 2023–January 21, 2024 Center looks at the legacy of the late Zaha struction methods, using fewer resources, and
This exhibition at the Architekturmuseum Hadid as a “point of departure full of possi- reintroducing nature as a guide to design. The
der TUM takes a critical look at the scientific bilities and reflections.” Alongside a selection exhibition builds on curator Pedro Gadanho’s
foundation of “healing” architecture, as archi- of paintings and ephemera by the Iraqi- recently published book, Climax Change!,
tects increasingly reject the rationalization British architect is a host of newly commis- which discusses how the climate crisis will
and economy that have dominated health- sioned works in a diverse set of media includ- impact architectural practice. For more infor-
care design since the 20th century, instead ing sculpture, textiles, sound, and video, plus mation, see centerforarchitecture.com.
centering human needs. Developed in asso- installations and performance, using Hadid’s
ciation with TUM visiting professor Dr. distinct mode of architectural thinking as a An Atlas of Es Devlin
Tanja C. Vollmer, the exhibition features 13 starting point that opens a range of evolving New York
international case studies that constitute a concepts, questions, and practice. Participat- Through August 11, 2024
status report on efforts to move from the “sick ing artists include musician Khyam Allami, Cooper Hewitt presents the first monographic
house” model, demonstrating how evidence- sculptor Rand Abdul Jabbar, and architects exhibition devoted to the work of British artist
based design can lead to a healing hospital Hamed Bukhamseen and Ali Ismail Karimi. and stage designer Es Devlin. Beginning her
architecture. See architekturmuseum.de/en. For more, go to contemporaryartscenter.org. career in small London theaters in the 1990s,
Devlin charted a course from kinetic stage
Ongoing Exhibitions Classroom designs to creating installations at major
Hasselt, Belgium institutions including the Metropolitan
Alvar Aalto in Germany: Through February 18, 2024 Opera, Lincoln Center, and the United
Drawing Modernism Focusing on the learning environments of Nations headquarters. The exhibition includes
Berlin young people, this exhibition at the Z33 sketches and small cardboard models, never
Through January 14, 2024 House for Contemporary Art, Design & before seen by the public, from her 30-year
The Museum of Architectural Drawing, in Architecture explores how classroom typol- archive, illuminating the through lines that
collaboration with the Alvar Aalto Foun- ogy influences adolescent development, re- connect her teenage paintings to her stage
dation in Finland, presents over 70 original evaluating the traditional classroom model in designs and contemporary installations. See
drawings from husband-and-wife architecture light of new insights from the fields of digiti- cooperhewitt.org.
team Alvar and Elissa Aalto, including six zation and ecology. Including models of
realized and eight unrealized projects. The iconic school buildings, videos of student Events
exhibition covers the firm’s work in Germany testimonies, school furniture, and floor plans,
from the 1950s, when Alvar was involved in Classroom investigates what kinds of learning Maison&Object
post-WWII reconstruction efforts, to the environments are needed today and how Paris
1980s, when Elissa completed major projects existing school buildings can be adapted to January 18–22, 2024
left unfinished after Alvar’s death. For more meet these requirements.See z33.be/en. The largest event of Paris Design Week,
information, see tchoban-foundation.de. celebrating its 30th anniversary this year,
As Found: Experiments in Preservation returns for its winter edition, featuring the
The Great Repair Antwerp, Belgium latest design trends in furniture, crafts, acces-
Berlin Through March 17, 2024 sories, textiles, and fashion from a global
Through January 14, 2024 Focusing on the new relationship between roster of exhibitors. The five-day trade show
This exhibition at the Akademie der Künste contemporary design and heritage, this exhi- will be accompanied by a program consisting
presents over 40 works from the worlds of art, bition at the Flanders Architecture Institute of installations, talks, and an awards ceremo-
architecture, and spatial practices in which explores the different positions that architects ny for the show’s “Rising Talent” competition.
repair becomes a new design paradigm. and designers can adopt in relation to existing See maison-objet.com
Pushing against growth-oriented narratives of buildings. On display are seven innovative
progress, the displayed interdisciplinary approaches to such interventions, realized by Frieze Los Angeles 2024
proposals explore contradictions between architects from Flanders and Brussels. For Los Angeles
growth and ecology in the material culture of more, see vai.be/en. 29 February–3 March 2024
architecture. Curated in cooperation with the Relocated to the Santa Monica Airport this
department of architecture at ETH Zürich Generation Proxima: Emerging year, the fourth edition of the international
and the University of Luxembourg’s human Environmental Practices in Portuguese art fair features contemporary work from 120
sciences program, the exhibition includes Architecture of the world’s leading galleries. A signature
contributions from Assemble, Brenne Archi- New York Frieze-bespoke tent, to be built from the
tekten, and Lacaton & Vassal. For more, see Through March 23, 2024 ground up in the southeast corner of the
adk.de/en. This exhibit at the Center for Architecture airfield, is designed by Kulapat Yantrasast’s
provides an overview of emerging architectural WHY studio. See frieze.com

133
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In 1988, architect Alois Hloušek converted a

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long-overdue renovation—necessitated by its poor
acoustics and climate control—by Czech firm
A8000. Aiming to return the space to the simplicity
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minimalist approach to the project, emphasizing its
lines with a limited palette of materials and colors.
A dark wood ceiling was replaced with white
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boards, while a bulky balcony and tiered boxes
were scrapped in favor of smooth, white
walls and a slender, bridgelike seating
structure that spans the back of the
hall. Light-wood slatting on the
bridge and rear wall further
refine the room’s acoustics and
mirror the vertical pipes of the
striking modern organ that
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Pansy Schulman

PHOTOGRAPHY: © ONDREJ BOUSKA

136 ARCHITECTURAL RECORD D EC E M B E R 2 0 2 3

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