A sample sale New York designers can love

The Freedom Tower? Not anymore

On the heels of the Sears Tower losing it's well-known name, CNN is reporting the Freedom Tower is following suit and will no longer be called as such. The decision, since being announced on Friday, has raised criticism. The larger question: how much does a name play into a building's iconic status, if at all?

Something fishy's going on here

If you can look beyond the blurriness of this quickly grabbed photo, you'll see, yes, a workstation panel outfitted with live fish. It's one of the many interesting things that's caught my eye in the last 12 hours.

An explanation: Frequent readers may have noted a bit of silence on TalkContract over the past couple of days....The reason? I've been on my way to Guangzhou, China, for the China International Furniture Fair (ICFF). It's been an interesting foreshadowing of the trade show mania to come in the U.S., from HD Expo to ICFF to NeoCon. Ah, the tired feet, the aching back from lugging around materials and samples, and the covert photo shoots taken amid no photo signs.

From a quick overview on day 1, it seems halfway around the world from Contract HQ, a large number of office furnishing manufacturers toggle between two extremes: heavy (very, very heavy) and old-worldly casegoods and desks along with very traditional, highly padded and ornate executive chairs and light, free-standing, modular desking systems alongside a bevy of mesh-backed chairs. That's not to say that's all on display, but it certainly seems to be the bulk. In between, of course, are some treats and, of course, things that make you go Hmm?....like the panel system above. Would YOU specify a fish tank/panel system?

What a turn off

No, really!  This Saturday, March 28 the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) hopes to get 1 billion people to participate in Earth Hour 2009. All you have to do: turn off your lights from 8:30 pm - 9:30 pm.

Earth hour started in Sydney, Australia in 2007 when 2.2 million homes and businesses shut off their lights. In 2008, participation spread, with 50 million participants and global landmarks joining the crowd, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Rome's Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House, and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square in Manhattan. This year, under the campaign VOTE EARTH, more than 74 countries and territories have pledge their support.

Looking up?

We'll take any glimmer of hope we can get. And so, combined with yesterday's stock market rally, happy day: It seems February wasn't as damp and dreary at January for the Architecture Billings Index (ABI). The AIA reports that the ABI was up (in only ever so slightly) to 35.3 from 33.3 in January. And, while in the big picture, it still points to a general lack of demand for design services, the new project inquiry score was 49.5, which is close to 50, above which indicates an increase in billings. I'm tellin' ya, we'll take any good news that comes our way!

On the down side, regional averages are still way down, with the West at 36.4, the South at 35.5, the Midwest at 35.0 and the Northeast at 32.3 (ouch!). By sector, it's not much rosier: mixed practice was at 40.1., institutional at 36.8, multi-family residential at 33.3, and commercial/industrial at 32.

Think tall

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat is now accepting entries for the 2009 CTBUH Awards. Entries can be submitted in the following categories: Best Tall Building Americas; Best Tall Building Asia & Australia; Best Tall Building Europe; Best Tall Building Middle East & Africa; Best Tall Building Overall. In addition, individual practitioners can be nominated for the Lynn S. Beedle Lifetime Achievement Award and the Fazlur Rahman Khan Lifetime Achievement Medal.

Winners and finalists will be honored at the 8th Annual CTBUH Awards dinner and ceremony on Oct. 22, 2009 in Chicago.

Things to note:

1. Nominations are due May 15. The short list will be announced in early June.

2. Nominated projects must be completed (meaning topped out architecturally, fully clad, and at least partially occupied) to earlier than Jan. 1, 2008 and no later than Oct. 1, 2009.

Barbie goes to Shanghai

How do you celebrate the 50th birthday of an American icon? For Barbie, it's a trip to Shanghai. Recently, Mattel opened House of Barbie, the world's first Barbie-centric store in Shanghai, a 40,000-sq.-ft. ode to the plastic icon. Designed by New York-based Slade Architecture, the store houses the world's largest and most comprehensive collection of Barbie dolls and offers, of course, a huge range of Barbie products, services and activities. 

The two-layer façade references Barbic packaging, with a little decorative arts and architectural iconography thrown in. A feminine lattice patter of Barbie-trademarked iconography is printed on the exterior glass and the patterning is reinforced by interior, formed panels. Inside, of course, is a whole lotta pink and pearlescent surfaces. The central element is a three-story spiral staircase that encloses over 800 Barbie dolls. The result: everything, literally, revolved around Barbie.

Also included in the mix:

- The Barbie Design Center, designed by Chute Gerdeman Retail, where visitors get a glimpse into how to design a Barbie doll by selecting their own looks and walking out with their own Barbie.

- The Barbie Fashion Stage, also done by Chute Gerdeman Retail, where visitors can take part in a runway show, choosing their own outfits and receiving hair and makeup treatment.

- The Barbie Café, a restaurant and gelato bar which serves, of course, Barbie-inspired concoctions.

- A full-service spa (!)....still to come later this year.

Brick by brick

Anyone who grew up with a LEGO addict in the house will love this news via the BBC: Prospect magazine challenged five of Scotland's top architecture practices to design a building out of LEGO. The results from Aedas, Gareth Hoskins Architects, gm+ad, Michael Gilmour Associates and RMJM are now online and open for public voting. The buildings will be displayed at the Scottish Design Awards Nominations Exhibition this week, will also be shown at the Lighthouse in Glasgow, and will be auctioned off for charity in May, with proceeds going to the National Autism Society Scotland. The winner will be announced May 29 at the Scottish Design Awards Gala.

Call for entries: The shopping center of the future

The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) wants your visions of the shopping center of the future (2029 to 2059, specifically) for its Future Image Architecture Competition.

The competition is open to all architectural professionals worldwide who are members of ICSC. Ideas of the future shopping center can address any aspect, specific or general, of the retail environment.

Entries are due by 5 p.m. on April 20, and will be judged by a panel included Barry Bergdoll, the Philip Johnson chief curator of architecture and design at The Museum of Modern Art and professor of architectural history at Columbia University; Allison Arieff, New York Times "By Design" columnist; and Reena Jana, Business Week "Innovation Department" editor. 

Winners, to be announced May 19, will be chosen in the following areas: the mall environment; the shopping experience; the merchandise mix; dining and entertainment; parking and transit; green; and general brilliance and innovation. All submissions will be exhibited in a gallery at the ICSC's annual convetion in Las Vegas in May.

Entry details are here.

Call for entries: Greenpeace Design Awards

Greenpeace Australia wants your poster designs.

The challenge: Design a poster that delivers the message "Be a Part of the Action." The message does not necessarily have to be expressed in words, but it should, above all, raise awareness of environmental issues and inspire action.

The rules: Submitted work must be unpublished. Entry is free and open to all, subject to agreeing with terms and conditions (outlined online). Entries should not be signed or have any identification on it - judging will be done through ID numbers. You can submit up to three different entries.

Register and submit online.