The
theme of sustainable development permeated the June 10-12 AIA convention,
which drew a record 22,159 registrants. A Thursday night screening
of Nathaniel Kahn’s Oscar- nominated film, My Architect, garnered
a 90-second standing ovation from nearly 2000 people attending the
special screening.
A preliminary report finally published on what actually failed/collapsed
first in the WTC buildings. http://wtc.nist.gov/
The airport terminal collapse in Paris at de Gaulle airport happened
less than one year since it opened. The project architect, Paul Andreu
returned to France from projects in China to help with the investigation.
A 30-meter section of the concourse built from steel, concrete and
glass collapsed leading to an investigation of cause.
The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) has selected the
recipients of the 2004 Medals and Firm Award, to be presented on November
1, 2004, during the ASLA Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City. www.asla.org
Royal Institute of British Architecture (RIBA) recently announced
63 worldwide awards of excellence in building, including the only American
project - Zaha Hadid’s Rosenthal Center in Cincinnati. http://www.riba.org/go/RIBA/News/Press_3278.html
In the UK a recent government sponsored survey showed that 80% of
respondents preferred detached or semi-detached dwellings. This was
considered a blow to the current emphasis on high-density construction.
Although most people would not want high-density apartments built in
their neighborhood, 47% said they could live with medium-density.
The first cell phone ‘worm’ has surfaced. The Cabir worm
infects mobile devices running the Symbian operating system. It spreads
to other devices using Bluetooth technology. It is seen as the start
of a whole new security problem with mobile devices.
In November, Arizona voters will decide whether to continue a half-cent
tax initially passed in 1985 to fund road construction. The tax has
raised $3.2 billion and funded the construction of 213 miles of freeway
to date. If the extension is passed, it would fund 345 mi. of new freeways,
275 mi. of arterial street improvements, rapid transit improvements,
a regional bus super grid and 20 mi. of light rail. In Tucson, plans
are calling for new lanes from Picachio Peak to downtown Tucson.
APS recently began work on Arizona’s first commercial solar
plant. It will cost $5.5 million, be running by April of next year,
and have a 1 Megawatt capacity – which is about enough electricity
for 200 average homes.
Arcosanti, an innovative community begun in the 70s north of Phoenix
is struggling to survive. http://www.smithsonianmagazine.com/smithsonian/issues04/jul04/poi.html
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