There's been a lot of ink, virtual and otherwise, already spilled on Governors Island. But today, NY Times architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff proclaimed that the new site "could well become the most inspired public park built here in generations." He also said the plan is "humble in scale but big on ambition." But didn't he say last spring that the designs lacked ambition? Hmm. We have to give him this: Of the five proposals,......

The Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation is having a public meeting tonight to share the five designs for the island so far. The designers will be presenting and the public can offer feedback. The meeting is at 6:30PM at FIT (Reeves Great Hall, 28th Street and 7th Avenue), and you can see the designs here and wonder if you agree with what the NY Times' architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff thought about them, as......

Tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m., the Municipal Arts Society is holding a meeting at Hunter College to present a brainstormed plan for making the East River waterfront in Manhattan's midtown an accessible public waterfront. The idea is that if the rebuilding of the FDR Drive, the decommissioning of the Con Ed power plant, and the expansion of the U.N. are coordinated, there is the opportunity for a waterfront park to be built, and completing the......

The results are in for the 2007 Design Awards from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) New York Chapter. The jury, composed of notable architects and designers from around the world, reunited for a public symposium and discussion panel last night at the Center for Architecture. The judging criteria were defined as "Quality of design; resolution of the program or idea; and innovation, thoughtfulness, and technique." The following list includes only the highest award......

The sun was almost shining yesterday when we headed over to Pier 40 for a behind-the-scenes, work-in-progress glimpse of a new exhibition as it was being installed for its end-of-the-week opening tomorrow. The Good Life: New Public Spaces for Recreation, presented by the Van Alen Institute, celebrates architects, designers and artists working with an eye toward 21st century recreation. Curated by Zoe Ryan and designed by Dan Wood and Amale Andraos of WORKac, the......

The NY Sun looks at Lincoln Center's redesign as the arts organization broke ground on the first part of their redevelopment plans:The project is already underway, and the public will start to see evidence of construction soon. The Paul Milstein Plaza, which extends over 65th Street and is a hangout for Juilliard students, will be destroyed, and a temporary footbridge constructed between the Rose Building and the plaza level by Lincoln Center Theater. This......

Even though construction has been quietly progressing for the last month, today was the official groundbreaking for the High Line Park. Just about every local politician was there to make a little speech about the revitalization of the area, including Senators Clinton and Schumer, Mayor Bloomberg, and City Council Speaker Quinn. A requisite smatter of celebrities also showed up-- Barry Diller and his wife Diane Von Furstenberg, Kevin Bacon, and Ed Norton all stood......

A couple weeks ago, the planned renovations of parts of the Lincoln Center complex were approved by the area's resident board with construction on the $500 million project to begin this week. The project is supposed to transform West 65th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam with construction that will affect several organizations on the street. One of the biggest changes will be to Alice Tully Hall, which will undergo exterior and interior renovations. The......

Labor Day has come and gone at last, which means temperatures are down, good moods are up, and the New York art world is just about ready to wave goodbye to the Hamptons, hide its summer hangover behind oversized glasses, and deem this city inhabitable again. Things get a great jump start this week with the first Semi-Permanent art and design conference to be held in the city. Started in Sydney in 2003, the two-day......