Here today, gone tomorrow?

Photo from Xinhaunet

Is the much-admired Beijing's Bird's Nest done already? From the Associated Press:

"The area around Beijing’s massive Bird’s Nest stadium will be turned into a shopping and entertainment complex in three to five years, a state news agency said Friday.

Officially known as Beijing National Stadium, the showpiece of the Beijing Olympics has fallen into disuse since the end of the games. Paint is already peeling in some areas, and the only visitors these days are tourists who pay about $7 to walk on the stadium floor and browse a pricey souvenir shop.

Plans call for the $450 million stadium to anchor a complex of shops and entertainment outlets in three to five years, Xinhua News Agency reported, citing operator Citic Group. The company will continue to develop tourism as a major draw for the Bird’s Nest, while seeking sports and entertainment events.

The only confirmed event at the 91,000-seat stadium this year is Puccini’s opera “Turandot,” set for Aug. 8—the one-year anniversary of the Olympics’ opening ceremony. The stadium has no permanent tenant after Beijing’s top soccer club, Guo’an, backed out of a deal to play there.

Details about the development plans were not available. A person who answered the phone at Citic Group on Friday said offices were closed for the Chinese New Year holiday.

A symbol of China's rising power and confidence, the stadium, whose nickname described its lattice of exterior steel beams, may never recoup its hefty construction cost, particularly amid a global economic slump. Maintenance of the structure alone costs about $8.8 million annually, making it difficult to turn a profit, Xinhua said."

30 years of design innovation and inspiration

Pictured here: 2009 Designers of the Year John Cary and John Peterson of Public Architecture in San Francisco. Photo by Elena Dorfman

We've just returned from another inspiring Interiors Awards Breakfast, this year gathering more than 500 A&D professionals at Cipriani's 42nd Street to recognize the 2009 winners, 2009 Legend Wing Chao of Disney Imagineering and 2009 Designers of the Year John Peterson and John Cary of Public Architecture.

See some of the fun here!

Love is in the air....and for one lucky duck, it's a MacBook Air

Valentine's Day may be two weeks away, but Harter wants to start spreading the love now..

As part of the company's fifth annual Valentine's Day promotion, sales reps are fanning out and they're armed with chocolates, collectible tote bags and holiday cards. Worried you won't get a piece of the action? Head online: Harter's also running an online sweepstakes from Feb. 2–13 where you can win an Apple MacBook Air. (The link goes live on the 2nd, so log on first thing next week!)

One more note about the initiative: It's also a launch for KB Network, a new knit textile collection of three geometric patterns created exclusively for Harter's Anthro KB chair back.

What do you see as the future of design?

We're giddy with anticipation for the 30^th Annual Interiors Awards Breakfast tomorrow. And, in preparation for the event, which includes the official debut of our 2009 Designers of the Year, we have now our last poll of previous winners. As you know, Contract asked past Designers of the Year (or, as we affectionately dub them, our DOYs) for their thoughts on a selection of industry-related questions. 

The last question for the series, appropriately, looks not to the past, but to the future. We wanted to know: What do you see as the future of design?

Carol Groh
Carol A. Groh Design; Greenwich, Conn.; DOY 1987

I feel the key word for the future of design is "Economics." All designers need to research and educate themselves continuously on less expensive and green products. They will need to become more creative in incorporating them into their future designs while maintaining overall quality.

Karen Daroff
Daroff Design Inc., Philadelphia; DOY 1990

I am not sure whether I am supportive of the growing collaborative design-build trend to deliver client projects as a unified and coordinated process, but I do firmly believe and support the collaborative process where each team member has the authority, right and responsibility to participate in each aspect and phase of the project. In my view, the classic design + document + bid + build (fit out and furnish) and then punch list and commission process seems to no longer functional effectively in our "bigger, better, faster" commercial society.
Whether we move away from the AIA protocol that seemingly still encourages this design + document + bid + build and punch list process and indeed participate within (and profit by) the rewards that are clearly available when we take the business risk of a design-builder, or whether we collaborate as designers with third party builders, is an interesting and rather important "future of design" set of issues.
I see the designer taking a broader role in the future. Based on our wide range of global contacts, clients and project types, we have begun to find ourselves, more-and-more, in the role of assembling the developer, investors and other professional team members and consultants. It is interesting that we are now able to capitalize on these long and wide ranging contacts and relationships, to form project design-build development teams “from the inside-out."
I want to underline that I firmly believe that the future of design is all about collaboration on a world-wide basis, across the many and varied professional skill-sets that are required to create successful projects for each and every one of our clients day-by-day.

Debra Lehman Smith
Founding Partner, Lehman Smith McLeish; Washington, DC; DOY 1995

Creativity through collaboration

 

Neville Lewis, FIIDA
Consultant/educator; New York; DOY 1997

Hopefully more civility and pushing the design envelope and creating environments that serve humanity

 

David Rockwell
Founder and CEO, Rockwell Group; 
New York, with satellite offices in Madrid and Dubai; DOY 1998

In terms of my own practice, I want to continue to break down the boundaries between the design disciplines, bridging the gap between hospitals and spas, hotels and classrooms, restaurants and cooking schools. I also want to further experiment with and explore new materials and production techniques, weave these discoveries into all of our projects, always being alert to the possibility of new juxtapositions, unexpected collisions, and to the wealth of inspiration available from cultural landscapes around the globe. Even though our scope includes everything from theater sets to hospitality projects and products, I want the plurality of our designs to continue to expand.

 

William McDonough
Principal, William McDonough + Partners and MBDC; Charlottesville, VA; DOY 1999

Design is the first signal of human intention. I delight in the prospect of seeing designers signal their global intentions for a delightfully diverse, safe, healthy and just world with clean air, soil, water and power—economically, equitably, ecologically and elegantly enjoyed.

 

Shashi Caan
Principal, The Collective; New York City; DOY 2004

Glorious…Design is the gap between a dream and reality, between desire and actualization. The design process has finally permeated every area of society and it touches everything and everyone. Designers need and must cultivate a deeper self knowledge which in turn will provide greater clarity and vision in their orchestration of design for all.

 

Ken Wilson
Principal, Envision; Washington, DC; DOY 2005

The design profession, in all its manifestations, will be the most important profession of this century. Almost everything we know of will have to be redesigned to be smarter. I believe that politics will play a big roll in the future of design. Governments will need to set high standards as well as provide incentives for reducing the impacts that human beings have on the environment. I believe that the design community will not only meet these challenges but exceed them.
 

Opportunities Abound?

Mark your calendars: The Center of Architecture will be hosting an Opportunities Fair from 12 pm - 2 pm on Feb. 25, where representatives from community organizations, non-profits, schools and training programs have been invited to share information about volunteer possibilities, continuing education, and other architecture and design opportunities. Among those participating: Open House New York, Center for Architecture Foundation, Archiculture Film, Engineers without Borders, the Institute for Design and Construction, the Society of Design Administration, Canstruction, and the Design Trust for Public Space.

Organizations interested in having a table at the event should contact Tara Pyle at tpyle [at] aiany.org.

The Fair is part of the Not Business as Usual initiative, a series of bimonthly Wednesday lunch workshops organized and presented by AIA New York and the Center for Architecture Foundation.

What advice do you have for students or those entering the A&D field?

In anticipation of the 30^th Annual Interiors Awards Breakfast THIS FRIDAY(!) (get last-minute tickets here), Contract asked past Designers of the Year (or, as we affectionately dub them, our DOYs) for their thoughts on a selection of industry-related questions. Each Thursday leading up to the Interiors Awards, check back in for their thoughts on the latest topic and give us your thoughts on the question of the week.

In the past two weeks we asked about the most exhilarating and disturbing trends in design. For this week's question, we look forward and ask: What advice do you have for students or those just entering the A&D field?

Carol Groh
Carol A. Groh Design; Greenwich, Conn.; DOY 1987

It is critical that all students MUST be educated in the business practices of design. All schools should include programs and practices of business in their curriculum, as this is ESSENTIAL for being successful in the fields of design.

 

Karen Daroff
Daroff Design Inc., Philadelphia; DOY 1990

A recessionary period is a both a good time and a difficult time to be entering the profession, so the challenge for a graduating student is how to distinguish themselves from the flood of job applicants. It is a good time, because firms are looking for opportunities to reduce overhead. The addition of talented (lower salary) recent graduates might a creative way for a firm to lower its average cost per billable employee.
Recent graduating students should keep in mind that a positive first impression is essential. Candidates should wear business attire, be well groomed and have a well-designed, graphically refined portfolio, illustrating a cross section of their professional capabilities.A positive attitude, flexibility and a wide range of computer skills such as Photoshop, AutoCAD and competence in 3-D visualization programs such as Sketch-up, in addition to good space planning, a keen eye for colors and finishes and a working knowledge of sources and codes is highly desirable. Candidates should be willing to embrace the internship process or take entry-level positions and salaries just to get their feet in the door. Once hired, interns have the opportunity to distinguish themselves by thinking ahead, being flexible and demonstrating motivation to pitch-in whenever possible. 
A designer’s education is on-going, so I would also encourage students to read design magazines, attend office “lunch and learns’ and embrace every opportunity they have to broaden their knowledge base. Additionally, I believe, that to get ahead, it is essential to be a good communicator. My own interior design college academic course work did not adequately prepare me for the rigors of writing proposals and contracts, the critical reading comprehension skills needed to understand the client's goals and objectives and the codes and ordinances governing interior design projects.  My college education also did not adequately prepare me for the presentation skills I quickly learned were needed for me to successfully lead a marketing presentation.

Debra Lehman Smith
Founding Partner, Lehman Smith McLeish; Washington, DC; DOY 1995

More than ever, we are practicing in a global, multi-dimensional environment where interior architecture is fully integrated with associated fields.  I’d encourage young professionals to get a variety of different work experiences, including planning, development, landscape or industrial design, art and graphics, broadening their perspective of the profession.  Experiences outside of the traditional work setting, through volunteer or professional organizations, can be equally valuable.

 

Neville Lewis, FIIDA
Consultant/educator; New York; DOY 1997

Study,study, study, observe and listen.

David Rockwell
Founder and CEO, Rockwell Group; New York, 
with satellite offices in Madrid and Dubai; DOY 1998

In order to be innovative, experimental, and to really push boundaries, you have to be willing to fail sometimes. So, the rules I stand by are to always make sure I am taking on new challenges, strive to make sure projects stand out; find unique design opportunities; and continually keep ideas fresh and relevant.

 

William McDonough
Principal, William McDonough + Partners and MBDC; Charlottesville, VA; 
DOY 1999

Travel widely as soon as you can.

 

Shashi Caan
Principal, The Collective; New York City; DOY 2004

Our current economic concerns can be viewed as an extraordinary opportunity for defining the deeper meaning and value of design. This period is a moment in our history for mass human catharsis—a shedding of our wasteful ways and a constant want for more—and a strive for a broad global balance.
This next decade heralds a new beginning and ushers a new era. It is a time for embracing and testing the classic dictums such as “necessity is the mother of invention”…It is a phenomenal time seeking great creativity, intelligence, learning, experimenting and understanding. This is your day and a time to truly define the empathetic and the innovative in design

Ken Wilson
Principal, Envision; Washington, DC; DOY 2005

You have to love the profession and be willing to work exceptionally hard.

Mark Harbick, AIA, IIDA 
Vice President / Director of Design, Huntsman Architectural Group; New York; 
DOY 2006

Diversify. Obtain practical experience in all aspects of the profession and project types. Become as well-rounded as possible.

 

Carbon neutrality and paying for sustainability

Two bits of food for thought regarding sustainability this morning.

First, over to China. The Climate Group, a coalition of global governments and business committed to tackling climate change, is taking a look at China's efforts to curb urban carbon emissions in conjunction with the launch of a new low-carbon development initiative with 20 of the country's cities.

The report, China's Low Carbon Leadership in Cities, highlights eight Chinese cities now deploying low carbon technologies like LED lighting, solar power, electronic vehicles, and other technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It also details four key leadership tool for an urban low-carbon development strategy:

1. Policy incentives

2. Technology innovation

3. Financing mechanisms

4. International cooperation

In this vein, The Climate Group's city program aims to recruit, motivate, and engage 20 Chinese cities in a five-year campaign to transform and accelerate the local market for energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. Signed up so far: Guiyang City in southwest China and Dezhou City in the east.

Also on the green front, in the U.K., Taylor Wessing has released a Sustainability Report that examined the U.K. development industry's awareness of, and attitudes towards, the environmental and green agenda. Among its findings:

- The word "sustainability" is, itself, problematic, as there is lack of an industry-wide consensus on what the term actually means. For this survey, it was defined as "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs," and included the objectives of minimizing carbon emissions; the conservation of resources; maximizing economies in the use of energy; eliminating unnecessary waster and optimizing recycling opportunities; and setting measurement criteria for how buildings meet these objectives.

- In addition to coming to a consensus on what sustainability truly means, it must be communicated to all industry sectors in a common "commercial" language that all stakeholders can understand.

- End users are beginning to take a more holistic approach to finance and cost, particularly within younger demographics. "The apparent disconnect between what the industry believes landlords and tenants would be willing to pay in order to secure a sustainable building, and what end users actually say merits further research." Notably, 87 percent of end users believe that the typical corporate occupier would be willing to pay more rent to secure a long-term sustainable building.

- Three quarters of respondents indicate that they are likely to be involved with renewable energy sources as an element of property development going forward.

Kudos

It seems a congratulations is in order. Fortune magazine has released their 2009 list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For,and a few familiar faces popped up as we scrolled down the list: Milliken came in at number 64. Herman Miller was close behind at 89.

So what's their secret?

According to Dave Caples, president of global sales and marketing for Milliken, part of it is a large employee involvement. CEO Joe Salley holds quarterly town hall meetings that include live web casts and opens them up for "no holds barred questions."

"We are not exempt from the impact of the economic crisis currently gripping our country," Caples says. "But we are also quite financially strong and well positioned for the future. We will emerge from this recession even stronger and our people know that."

Milliken and Herman Miller were joined by the likes of T-Mobile, Nordstrom, Dreamworks, and Starbucks.

To comprise the list, Fortune relies on a series of surveys and audits. Any company at least seven-years-old, with more than 1,000 U.S. employees is eligible. To nominate your company, go to www.greatplacetowork.com.

Other enterprises on the list include Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, Vanderbilt University, and Four Seasons Hotels, all of which were able to boast job growth rather than a reduction.

Oh, that skyway? I bought it on Craigslist

Rendering from CITYDESKSTUDIO

It seems you really can find just about anything on Craigslist now a days, including, if you can believe it, a 1,380-sq.-ft. skyway from downtown Minneapolis. As reported in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, local architecture firm CITYDESKSTUDIO has listed a skyway that used to span S. 5th Street in downtown for sale on Craigslist. The price? $79,500. A bargain? Perhaps, as the posting argues that building a comparable skyway today would cost about $1 million. The architecture firm estimates the steel alone is worth more than $250,000.

Built in the late '70s, the skyway was designed by local architect Ed Baker and connected two department stores. So what to do with it now? The listing suggests use as a cabin, wine bar, yoga studio, gallery, skating warming house, inhabitable billboard, or perhaps just a not-so-rustic retreat. 

For those interested, here are the basics:

Size: 1,380 sq. ft.

Exterior: 19'8" x 83' x 14'

Materials: Steel, glass, concrete

Sold as is

Buyer is responsible for all moving costs and it must be moved from the current location near the University of Minnesota.

Cash only, but payment terms are negotiable. 

What is the most disturbing trend in interior design today?

In anticipation of the 30^th Annual Interiors Awards Breakfast on January 30 (tickets available now), Contract asked past Designers of the Year (or, as we affectionately dub them, our DOYs) for their thoughts on a selection of industry-related questions. Each Thursday leading up to the Interiors Awards, check back in for their thoughts on the latest topic and give us your thoughts on the question of the week.

Last week we asked about the most exhilarating trends in design so for this week's question, we ask the opposite: What do you find to be the most disturbing trend or development in the design industry today?

Carol Groh
Carol A. Groh Design; Greenwich, Conn.; DOY 1987

The lack of workmanship in all areas of manufacturing and construction is becoming much worse throughout the world. We must find a way to correct this trend and restore quality and visual excellence.

Karen Daroff
Daroff Design Inc., Philadelphia; DOY 1990

While the great majority of our projects are for “repeat” clients with negotiated fee agreements, we still get our share of random and unsolicited RFP’s. I can certainly understand clients asking design firms, of about equal capabilities and experience, to “bid” on a well defined scope of services as part of a comprehensive selection process; however, I am disturbed when I receive a "Dear Designer" Request for Proposal from a prospective client who doesn’t include a face-to-face meeting as part of their selection criteria, and who distributes their RFP to a long list of not pre-qualified design firms. 
I am equally disturbed when potential clients or their project managers cavalierly ask for free up-front services, (unpaid) design competitions. Perhaps the most disturbing trend is when a potential client's project representative, has not obtained the required corporate approvals and financing to undertake the project, yet uses the RFP process and an unpaid design competition to gain funding or authorization to proceed with the project. 
Recently, we have seen competing firms and/or teams of firms, submitting absurdly “low ball” fees, in what appears to be a desperate effort to “win” projects during this challenging economic recession.  We’ve been practicing for 35 years and have been through three recessionary periods. During these challenging economic conditions, I encourage design firms to use good business practices i.e.: right sizing and lowering overhead expenses, rather than “giving away” or “low balling” fee proposals. While slashing fees might seem like good short-term solutions, I believe it is ultimately a recipe for disaster. If together, we can maintain good professional practices, we and our clients stand a better chance of successfully riding out economic downturns.

Debra Lehman Smith
Founding Partner, Lehman Smith McLeish; Washington, DC; DOY 1995

Firms that aren’t taking advantage of the opportunity to reach for the highest level of design. I’m afraid that “commoditization” and the desire for growth and profits can often prevent us from reaching our potential as a profession.

 

Neville Lewis, FIIDA
Consultant/educator; New York; DOY 1997

Not enough conceptual thinking and too many "Me" designers who seem more interested in press coverage.

 

David Rockwell
Founder and CEO, Rockwell Group;
New York, with satellite offices in Madrid and Dubai; DOY 1998

Well, the economy is obviously affecting every industry, including design. There is no question that developers and consumers are responding in kind, but people are still investing in well-designed spaces and products. There is certainly less impulsive spending, and everyone is being more cautious, but I think that this will just insure that our clients will be conscious of having more timeless spaces that will not need to be re-designed any time soon.

 

William McDonough
Principal, William McDonough + Partners and MBDC; Charlottesville, VA; DOY 1999

I am very disturbed about the thoughtless use of dangerous or questionable materials for the sake of novelty in design. Science is telling us to beware of many products and yet we persist in using them.

 

Shashi Caan
Principal, The Collective; New York City; DOY 2004

A majority focus on the "trend," "cool" or "branding/lifestyle," as opposed to design advocating and showcasing values, integrity, well-being (true well-being as in full, intentional, and sensitive support of people in their constructed environment) and uplifting of the human spirit.
A lack of significant research and deeper probing—by designers for design—to understand the profundity of satisfaction and contentment shaped by the human senses and the fundamental design elements of light, color and form.

 

Ken Wilson
Principal, Envision; Washington, DC; DOY 2005

The pure excess I see in the designs that are showing up in places like the United Arab Emirates and China. An unusual building form makes a good conversation piece, but why not take the money required to do that and design a building that creates its own energy, harvests its own water, and creates no waste? With goals like that, you could surely design an interesting form with a greater purpose.

Mark Harbick, AIA, IIDA 
Vice President/Director of Design, Huntsman Architectural Group; New York; 
DOY 2006

Overcoming the myth that “Design” is expensive to achieve.