Focus on How New Buildings Fit in Historic Districts
Compiled by Linda Collins
Brooklyn Daily Eagle
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS — Two Brooklyn Heights buildings and their surrounding historic district are part of a current exhibition at the AIANY Center for Architecture in Manhattan.
Titled “Context\Contrast: New Architecture in Historic Districts, 1967-2009,” the exhibit explores the role of new architecture in the city’s historic districts and investigates how new buildings and historic districts have learned to coexist in the country’s most culturally and architecturally diverse city, according to Rachel Carley, the exhibition’s curator.
“The exhibition explores how particular neighborhoods challenge architects to respond in different ways,” she said. “I hope and expect it will spark many conversations about the issues of preservation, contemporary design, and New York City.”
Original photographs show the many ways new buildings have woven themselves into the fabric of their districts through their character, scale and texture.
The two Brooklyn Heights buildings include a modern design condominium at 322 Hicks St., designed by Smith-Miller -Hawkinson Architects with Larsen Shein Ginsburg Snyder Architects; and a modern version of a carriage house residence at 125 Joralemon St., designed by Joseph Stella Architects.
The exhibition also documents the cityscapes of four other historic districts: the Upper East Side, SoHo and South Street Seaport in Manhattan, plus the Queens suburban neighborhood of Douglaston.
The intent of designating neighborhoods has never been to freeze them, according to Landmarks Preservation Commission Chair Robert Tierney, co-sponsor of the exhibit.
“How can neighborhoods evolve while maintaining their historical and architectural character and integrity? That question “is what makes proposals for new buildings in historic districts so challenging, difficult and enthralling for the commission,” he said. “Context\Contrast considers the history of architectural appropriateness, new architecture and historic neighborhoods.”
Organized by the AIA New York Chaper, the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission and the Center for Architecture Foundation in partnership with the New York Landmarks Preservation Foundation, the exhibit opened continues through Jan. 23.
The Center for Architecture is at 536 LaGuardia Place, between Bleecker and West Third streets in Greenwich Village.
Hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays.
For additional information, please call (212) 358-6126.
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Just a reminder, though -- It’s not considered polite to paste the entire story on your blog. Most blogs post a summary or the first paragraph,( 40 words) then post a link to the rest of the story. That helps increase click-throughs for everyone, and minimizes copyright issues. So please keep posting, but not the entire article. arturc at att.net
