Hasta La Ideas

We told you way back in July of last year that the Smithsonian was on the hunt to find an architect for their newest educational offering, the National Museum of African American History and Culture. We followed up on that recently by giving you the shortlist and some shots of the designs that were proposed. Now we have finally come to the end (or the beginning, depending on how you look at it), with the Smithsonian announcing that they have selected starchitect David Adjaye to create his building for them. While we were still pulling for Norman Foster up until the last minute, we always appreciate Adjaye’s work and admit that the images released with the announcement (lots of good ones over at Fast Company) look pretty great. Also, it’ll be nice to see some more Adjaye over here in the States. Here’s a bit about the building:

The bronze, layered corona atop a stone base would be the defining element of the structure, which could be the last major building added to the expanse between the U.S. Capitol and Washington Monument.

…The crown concept, which would allow natural light to flow into the structure through bronze screens, was inspired by images from African and American history, Adjaye said, “this idea of uplifted praise sort of imagery.”

It evokes traditional headdresses worn by African-American women, as well as the colonial crown from Africa and the idea “that a hat-wearing person is a free person…who doesn’t have to carry a load but could wear a hat,” he said.

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Two quick notes to end your time with this writer’s triumphant return on a positive and/or more fun note. First, following up on that big story we were covering there for a while about Robert Venturi‘s 1967 house being moved by boat, you’ll be pleased to hear that it finally reached its new resting place all safe and sound. This week saw it placed on the new foundation laid for it in Long Island, thus finally completing these months of process and anxiety. Second up, out of Boston, one of the designers behind the Leonard P. Zakim Bridge, Miguel Rosales, sent a check for $15,000 to the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority after hearing the agency was considering shutting off the ornamental lights on the bridge because it costs around $5,000 per month to leave them on. Following Rosales’ attempt to keep things lit for at least another three months, others have chipped in with donations, but thus far there doesn’t seem to be much change in the governing agency’s attitude. Whether or not they’ll return the checks if the lights stay off is another matter.

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If you’ve recently been on the hunt for some story to cling to while simultaneously making you anxious over the outcome (remember the Paul Rudolph-Sarasota story from the middle of last year, which sadly didn’t end very well?), perhaps this one will do. The mayor and city commissioner of Portland have announced that they want to demolish the city’s nearly half-century old, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill-designed coliseum and build something new. This has not cottoned well with local architects and fans of the building, including the AIA chapter there, who have banded together to fight the proposed destruction. So now it’s a battle, largely led by architect Peter Meijer at the helm, to save the building by getting it placed under landmark status. Whichever way it goes (and we have our fingers crossed, but due to journalistic integrity, we can’t tell you for which way — not that it’s hard to guess with us), we’ll be keeping an eye out and letting you know what happens.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media

Freelon Adjaye Bond/SmithGroup – a team consisting of architects Adjaye Associates, The Freelon Group and David Brody Bond Aedas – has won a competition to design the National Museum of African American History and Culture on National Mall in Washington DC, USA.

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Dutch architects UNStudio last week unveiled designs for a temporary pavilion for Millennium Park in Chicago. (more…)