Miriam Sitz
As seen in:
Medium,
New Jersey Public Radio,
WNYC (New York, NY),
Architectural Record,
San Antonio Current,
Engineering News-Record (ENR),
San Antonio Report,
The Plunge
Covers:
architecture, healthcare design, medicine, science, restaurants, urban living, local news
Writing about the built environment and human experience for @Gensler_Design. Previously @ArchRecordMag. Texpat and former Brooklynite.
Articles by Miriam Sitz
Pascale Sablan Wins 2021 Whitney M. Young Jr. Award
The AIA has named New York–based Pascale Sablan winner of the 2021 Whitney M. Young Jr. Award. Named for the civil rights leader who led the National Urban League from 1961 to 1971, this annual prize honors an architect or organization that embodies social responsibility. Sablan, a senior associate at S9 Architecture and the 315th Black woman to be licensed in the U.S., is a champion and advocate for women and diverse design professionals.
Billings Remain Stalled in October 2020 While Inquiries and Contracts Grow
The latest data from the American Institute of Architects show that the Architecture Billings Index moved from 47 in September to 47.5 in October, showing a similar pace of decline.
Steven Holl’s Luminous Kinder Building at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Although Texas gets more attention for its big, bright stars, the state’s vast blue skies and dynamic clouds are what inspired Steven Holl’s latest project, at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH). Home to the only Mies van der Rohe museum in the U.S., as well as a gallery building by Pritzker Prize–winner Rafael Moneo, the institution’s Susan and Fayez S. Sarofim Campus is at long last complete, with the opening of the Nancy and Rich Kinder Building on November 21.
Review of 'John S. Chase-The Chase Residence'
It’s no overstatement to call architect John Chase (1925–2012) a “pioneer.” A member of the first group of Black students admitted to the University of Texas in 1950, he was the first to graduate from its School of Architecture (UTSOA), in 1952. Two years later, he became the first Black architect to be registered in the state (1954), and, in 1977, he was the first Black architect from Texas inducted to the College of Fellows.
Review of 'John S. Chase-The Chase Residence'
It’s no overstatement to call architect John Chase (1925–2012) a “pioneer.” A member of the first group of Black students admitted to the University of Texas in 1950, he was the first to graduate from its School of Architecture (UTSOA), in 1952. Two years later, he became the first Black architect to be registered in the state (1954), and, in 1977, he was the first Black architect from Texas inducted to the College of Fellows.
CO Architects Revives Paul Williams Buildings at UCLA
With multiple projects under way at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), CO Architects is reviving work by pioneering Black architect Paul Revere Williams. When the Los Angeles–based firm renovated the lobby of the 1959 La Kretz Botany Building, architects discovered Williams’s hand-drawn design for a never-installed mosaic with a leaf motif. “We had no information on what colors he wanted, or the type of glass tile,” explains designer Lois Lee.
Renovated Rothko Chapel Reopens in Houston
To fully appreciate the darkness of the works in Houston’s Rothko Chapel, you need to have just the right amount of light. The 14 large-scale panels that American Abstract Expressionist Mark Rothko created for the interfaith sanctuary are subtle, brooding, and evocative. But since the earliest days of their installation in the octagonal brick structure, they haven’t been illuminated to their full advantage.
David Adjaye Wins 2021 RIBA Gold Medal
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has named Ghanaian-British architect David Adjaye winner of the 2021 Royal Gold Medal—the organization’s highest honor for architecture. “It’s incredibly humbling and a great honor to have my peers recognize the work I have developed with my team and its contribution to the field over the past 25 years,” said Adjaye, who was knighted in 2017 in recognition of his service to the architecture profession.
Women in Architecture Awards Recognize Five Leaders
Leaders, innovators, activists, educators—the 2020 winners of RECORD's Women in Architecture Awards represent the best of the profession. Now in its seventh year, the program recognizes and promotes women who demonstrate a commitment to excellence both in their work and in the world.
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Announces Opening Date of New Steven Holl-Designed Building
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, has announced the opening date for its newest space, as well as the inaugural exhibition lineup. Kinder Building east facade, photo by Peter Molick Designed by Steven Holl Architects, the Nancy and Rich Kinder Building will open to the public on November 21, 2020. Dedicated to displaying works from the museum's international collection of modern and contemporary art, the building is the third gallery space on the Susan and Fayez S. Sarofim Campus.
Top 300 U.S. Architecture Firms of 2020
For the ninth consecutive year, Gensler has ranked first on Architectural Record’s roster of the Top 300 Firms. The annual list, compiled by record’s sister publication, Engineering News-Record (ENR), compares companies’ architectural revenue from the prior year, as reported to ENR by firms that choose to participate. These figures, from 2019, do not reflect the economic fallout from the pandemic. Historic Fourth Ward Park Atlanta | HDR Photo © Steve Carrell, courtesy HDR, click to enlarge.
New York Park Honors LGBTQ Activist Marsha P. Johnson
Home » New York Park Honors LGBTQ Activist Marsha P. Johnson Architecture News Rendering of Marsha P. Johnson State Park, image courtesy New York State Parks Rendering of the new park house and education center, planned for Marsha P. Johnson State Park, image courtesy New York State Parks Rendering of the redesigned Gantry Plaza, planned for Marsha P. Johnson State Park, image courtesy New York State Parks Rendering of the redesigned festival plaza, planned for Marsha P.
AIA Condemns GSA Request for Classical-Style Federal Courthouse in South Florida
The AIA has issued a statement in response to an August 10 Request for Qualifications (RFQ) from the General Services Administration for the lead design architect of a new federal courthouse in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Exhibit Columbus 2020-2021 Miller Prize Recipients Will Explore 'New Middles'
What is the future of Middle America? Five architecture practices will consider this question for the 2020-2021 cycle of Exhibit Columbus. Founded in Columbus, Indiana, in 2016, the annual design symposium and exhibition has announced the winners of its annual J. Irwin and Xenia S.
Interview with Page & Turnbull's Ruth Todd
Architect Ruth Todd is president and a principal of the San Francisco–based Page & Turnbull, an architecture, planning, and preservation firm founded in 1973. With three offices in California, the majority woman-owned practice employs nearly 50 people, including architectural historians, preservation planners, material specialists, and designers.
Architectural Billings Remain Stalled in July 2020
New data from the AIA show that the Architecture Billings Index held at 40 in July, with the pace of decline last month remaining at about the same level as in June.
See the Winners of the 2020 AIA National Architectural Photography Competition
The winners of the 2020 AIA National Architectural Photography Competition, produced by the St. Louis Chapter of the AIA, represent the work of photographers based across the country, shooting projects across the globe. For more than 30 years, the competition has aimed "to highlight the unique way in which architects view and capture the world," Michelle Swatek, executive director of AIA St. Louis, tells RECORD.
Architectural League Program Fosters 'Sense of Belonging' to Larger Design Community Among Local College Students
In 2017, the Architectural League of New York partnered with New York City College of Technology (City Tech) and the Spitzer School of Architecture at City College of New York (CCNY) (both part of the City University of New York system) to establish a mentorship program between college students—many of whom work full-time while studying, support their families, commute, or are returning to school—and local professionals.
ACE Mentor Program Introduces Students to Architecture and Related Fields
Since 1994, the ACE Mentor Program of America has provided hands-on after-school education to high school students, introducing them to architecture, engineering, construction, and related industries. Supported by companies from these fields (which also supply volunteer mentors), the nonprofit engages more than 10,000 kids annually across 77 chapters, or “affiliates,” in 37 states, plus Toronto.
ACE Mentor Program Introduces Students to Architecture, Engineering, and Construction
Since 1994, the ACE Mentor Program of America has provided hands-on after-school education to high school students, introducing them to architecture, engineering, construction, and related industries. Supported by companies from these fields (which also supply volunteer mentors), the nonprofit engages more than 10,000 kids annually across 77 chapters, or “affiliates,” in 37 states, plus Toronto.
Cooper Union's Saturday Program Offers Free Architecture Education for Youth
In New York, Cooper Union’s Saturday Program (SatPro) has been a bastion of public arts education in the city for more than 50 years, providing some 15,000 high school students with instruction in eight different artistic disciplines.
Million-Dollar Gift Supports Diversity at Pratt Institute's School of Architecture
Pratt Institute has announced that Kathryn Chenault, a member of the school's Board of Trustees since 2012, and her husband Kenneth Chenault have committed $1,000,000 in support of diversity at the School of Architecture. The gift will provide three incoming undergraduate architecture students with comprehensive, renewable, full-tuition scholarships, covering room and board, fees, books, and supplies.
Cooper Union's Saturday Program Offers Free Architecture Education to Public School Students
In New York, Cooper Union’s Saturday Program (SatPro) has been a bastion of public arts education in the city for more than 50 years, providing some 15,000 high school students with instruction in eight different artistic disciplines.
Chicago's Wrightwood 659 to Host Balkrishna Doshi Exhibition
Sangath Architect's Studio by Balkrishna Doshi, Ahmedabad, 1980.
Chicago's Wrightwood 659 to Host Exhibition of Doshi's Work
From September 9 to December 12, 2020, the Chicago gallery Wrightwood 659 will exhibit the work of visionary Indian architect, urbanist, and educator Balkrishna Doshi, who won the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2018. The show Balkrishna Doshi: Architecture for the People will highlight Doshi’s skillful melding of Modernism with the forms and techniques of his home country.
Hip Hop Architecture Camps Equip Students to Use Design for Social Change
The profession of architecture has long been dominated by white men. And while the latest demographic data from the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards shows some improvements in diversity in recent years—particularly in the early stages of careers—the historic trend holds, with men representing 78 percent of all licensed practitioners and white people comprising 89 percent.
Still Low, June Architecture Billings Fare Better than May’s
The AIA reports that—while still in negative territory—the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) began to stabilize in May, easing from 32 in May to 40 in June. (A score below 50 indicates decreasing billings.) Inquiries moved from 38 to 49.3 (but the AIA notes that during the last recession, high inquiries did not convert to billings), and design contracts changed from 33.1 to 44.
NCARB By the Numbers 2020 Offers Closer Look at Demographics and Diversity
The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) has released its ninth annual report, offering a snapshot of the profession in 2019 through the lens of licensing, education, and other metrics. This year, the report includes expanded demographic information, an exploration of exam pass rates, and early findings of a survey conducted in partnership with the National Organization of Minority Architects on equity, diversity, and inclusion in licensure.
USC Architecture and Getty Research Institute Acquire Archive of Paul Revere Williams
The University of Southern California (USC) School of Architecture and the Getty Research Institute (GRI) have together acquired the archive of late Black American architect Paul Revere Williams, who died in 1980 at age 85.
Architects' Movie Night: 'Beatrix Farrand's American Landscapes'
Landscape architect Beatrix Farrand designed some of the nation's most celebrated gardens. Born in 1872 to a prominent family during New York City's Gilded Age, she studied garden design under Charles Sprague Sargent, director of the Arnold Arboretum. In 1899, she was one of the 11 founding members of the American Society of Landscape Architects—and the only woman.
Billings Ease Slightly from Historic Low in April
The AIA reports that the Architecture Billings Index (ABI), a leading economic indicator for nonresidential construction activity, moderated slightly in May, from an all-time low of 29.5 in April to 32.
Designers Confront Structural Racism in the Profession
“A man was lynched yesterday.” Between 1920 and 1938, a flag bearing those words flew from the window of the NAACP’s headquarters in New York each time a Black person was lynched in this country. On May 26, the organization posted a black-and-white photograph of that banner to its Instagram account, with a caption demanding justice for George Floyd the Black man killed by Minneapolis police the previous day.
Permanent Installations Unveiled in LaGuardia Airport's New Terminal B
When the new arrival and departures hall at LaGuardia Airport's overhauled Terminal B opens on June 13, 2020, travelers will find more than just sparkling facilities and abundant natural light. New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that four large-scale, site-specific works of art will be permanently installed in the 4-story, 850,000-square-foot space.
School of Architecture at Taliesin Announces Plan to Relocate
After months of uncertainty, the educational institution founded in 1932 by Frank Lloyd Wright has announced its separation from the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, as well as its plan to move to two facilities in Arizona. The sites, Cosanti and Acrosanti, belong to the Cosanti Foundation, which late theoretical architect and Wright apprentice Paolo Soleri established in 1965 with his wife Colly.
Breaking with Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, School of Architecture at Taliesin Announces Plan to Relocate
After months of uncertainty, the educational institution founded in 1932 by Frank Lloyd Wright has announced its separation from the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, as well as its plan to move to two facilities in Arizona. The sites, Cosanti and Acrosanti, belong to the Cosanti Foundation, which late theoretical architect and Wright apprentice Paolo Soleri established in 1965 with his wife Colly.
Permanent Installations Unveiled for New Terminal at La Guardia Airport
When the new arrival and departures hall at La Guardia Airport's overhauled Terminal B opens on June 13, 2020, travelers will find more than just sparkling facilities and abundant natural light. New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that four large-scale, site-specific works of art will be permanently installed in the 4-story, 850,000-square-foot space.
Stepping Up: Tiffany Brown on Leadership and Opportunity
For architectural designer Tiffany Brown, a project manager and construction administrator at SmithGroup’s Detroit office, the days since George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police have unleashed a rollercoaster of emotions. “It's been discouraging. It's been fearful. It's been scary. It's been making me angry at times,” she says. “We go from dealing with this crazy pandemic, and this new way of living and working, only to turn around and have to deal with this again,” she tells RECORD.
UVA Community Remembers George Floyd in Gathering at Memorial to Enslaved Laborers
Home » UVA Community Remembers George Floyd in Gathering at Memorial to Enslaved Laborers Architecture News Members of the University of Virginia Community—many in white coats, indicating their affiliation with UVA Health and support of the "White Coats for Black Lives" movement—gathered at the Memorial to Enslaved Laborers on June 5, 2020.
Historic Decline in Architecture Billings Continues in April
The economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to ripple through the profession. According to the AIA's latest data, demand for design services in April 2020 saw its steepest decline on record. The Architecture Billings Index (ABI) scored 29.5 for April, reflecting a decrease in design services provided by U.S. architecture firms.
Home Studio by Manuel Cervantes
“I hate the ambience of an office,” says architect Manuel Cervantes. So, when designing a house for his own young family of 5 in the Lomas de Chapultepec neighborhood of Mexico City, a top priority was to include a personal studio. “I conceived of it as a space where I could bring clients to have a more personal interaction with our design aesthetic.
Russia's Project for 2020 Venice Biennale Goes Digital
The Russian Federation's participation in the 2020 Venice Architecture Biennale will take place entirely online this year, the country's Ministry of Culture has decided, despite the international event being rescheduled for late August. "The postponement of the biennial due to the COVID-19 outbreak brought up a number of fundamental questions about the economic, social and environmental impact of global cultural events," said pavilion organizers in a statement.
Zaha Hadid Architects Hit With Ransomware Attack
The Architects' Journal (AJ) reports that a hacker broke into the servers of Zaha Hadid Architects and stole confidential information in an attempt to extort money. The London-based practice alerted police of the ransomware attack on April 21 after finding messages from the hacker indicating that company data had been encrypted and was being held hostage, according to the AJ.
See Finalist Concepts from 'LACMA Not LackMA' Ideas Competition
Home » See Finalist Concepts from 'LACMA Not LackMA' Ideas Competition Architecture News “LACMA Wing” by Coop Himmelb(l)au, Vienna Emphasizing “an architecture that combines functionality with aspiration,” Coop Himmelb(l)au designed three main elements: landscape plinth and two, three-level “floating” gallery wings. Public circulation on ramps connecting the volumes would be encased by expressive amorphous forms whose openness to the outside refreshes the museum visiting experience.
Marion Weiss and Michael Manfredi to Give Virtual Talk for Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medal Win
Architects Marion Weiss and Michael Manfredi, co-founders of the New York-based architecture firm Weiss/Manfredi Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism, have been named winners of the 2020 Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medal in Architecture—an annual prize from the University of Virginia (UVA) and the Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello.
Interview with NOMA President Kimberly Dowdell
In mid-April, cities and states across the U.S. began to release preliminary data showing that communities of color are being disproportionately stricken by COVID-19. In New York, black and Latino people are dying at twice the rate of white people; in Chicago, African-American patients account for 72 percent of coronavirus-related deaths, while comprising just under a third of the population.
Left with Unexpected Free Time, Architectural Photographers Catch Up and Plan Ahead
In the United States, more than 300 million people in at least 42 states have been directed to stay home to fight the spread of COVID-19; across the globe, that figure stretches into the billions. While some are fortunate to be able to work from home, architectural photographers are not; being out and about is embedded into the very DNA of their work.
Pandemic Threatens Architectural Photographers’ Livelihoods
The COVID-19 pandemic has upended almost every aspect of day-to-day life, confining people to their homes, precipitating unprecedented unemployment and worldwide economic turmoil, and sickening more than a million individuals—tens of thousands of whom have died. With most businesses shuttered and construction projects brought to a halt, the architecture community has already begun to feel the impact of coronavirus.
Zenteno House by Sebastian Mariscal Studio + Alfonso Frade
A new house in Mexico City is defined as much by light and shadow as it is by the brick, concrete, and wood that give it form. Architects Sebastian Mariscal and Alfonso Frade designed the four-bedroom, 4,700-square-foot suburban residence for a family of four in Las Águilas, an upscale neighborhood on the southwest side of the city. With generous connections to the outdoors, the dynamic structure presents a private but intriguing face to its surroundings. Photos © Rafael Gamo, click to enlarge.
How Will the $2 Trillion COVID-19 Relief Package Affect Architects?
The coronavirus pandemic has upended nearly every aspect of normal life across the globe, and the architecture and design professions are no exception. According to a new report from the AIA, two thirds of firms have seen prospective projects slow or stop, and more than three quarters have already faced problems with current projects due to the outbreak. The practices surveyed also reported that they expect to see revenues fall by 10 percent in March, then 15 percent in April.
Temporary Hospitals Will Be Erected at Javits Center and 3 Other Sites in New York
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Sunday, March 22, that the Army Corps of Engineers will construct temporary hospitals for COVID-19 patients at four sites in New York, which he had identified the previous day: the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan; the campuses of SUNY Stony Brook and SUNY Old Westbury on Long Island; and the Westchester Convention Center, north of New York City.
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