September 12, 2008
  Snohetta’s Design for Ground Zero Museum Pavilion Shines in Glass and Steel
On September 9, National September 11 Memorial & Museum, the group that will build, program, own, and operate the Memorial & Museum at New York City’s Ground Zero site, released details of the glass-and-steel Museum Pavilion, designed by the internationally renowned Norwegian architecture firm, Snøhetta, to serve as the primary entry into the site’s Memorial Museum. The pavilion will anchor the memorial portion of the site, designed by Michael Arad, AIA, and Peter Walker, to honor the thousands of people who died in the 1993 and 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. The memorial complex will occupy half of the World Trade Center’s 16 acres and consist of two pools in the original footprints of the Twin Towers, an oak tree-shaded memorial plaza, and the museum.

D.C.’s Proposed Benchmarking Law Provides Tool for Owners, Tenants to Seek Out Energy- and Money-Saving Commercial Design
New program would require Energy Star ratings
Washington, D.C.’s new Clean and Affordable Energy Act of 2008 aims to promote energy-use disclosure by commercial office building owners through the use of Energy Star benchmarking scores, making the nation’s capital the first city in the country to require building owners to provide these scores. This proposal was approved unanimously by the city council, and passage is expected soon with Mayor Adrian Fenty’s signature.

AIA Fall Advocacy Agenda Set to Help Architects Get Work for Their Communities
Do your part: Contact your reps during this crucial four-week window
As the economy continues to struggle, the AIA and its members are uniting to send the message that Congress can and must act to stimulate the design and construction industry, which accounts for nearly one in 10 dollars of the United States GDP, creates millions of jobs, and supports millions of small businesses. Congress convened in Washington for a crucial four-week work period before the November elections, during which they will consider proposals that could potentially result in more work for you and your firm.

Army to Repair, Not Replace, Tomb of the Unknowns Monument at Arlington National Cemetery
On August 11, the Department of the Army in a congressionally mandated report stated that the department will seek to repair the 1932 marble monument at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington Cemetery rather than replace it with a replica as previously planned. The National Trust for Historic Preservation subsequently commended Arlington National Cemetery, the Department of the Army, and the Department of Veterans Affairs for agreeing to conduct the much-needed repairs of non-structural cracks rather than replace the monument. The congressional report, however, further states that officials have not ruled out replacing the monument with a replica in the future, with the thought that the high-grade, white marble from the same quarry might become increasingly hard to procure down the road.

 

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This is where you will find the latest happenings in the Institute, the profession, and the wider world of building design and construction. The News Zone also carries commentary from AIA elected representatives as well as major new commissions, completions, and openings.