Obama Foundation’s Post

One of the coolest things about architecture is the fact that we can literally immerse ourselves within the creative outcome. As a visual artist, I really envy this aspect of the architectural profession. Really really do. My world is limited to "Hey Mom, look what I made." An architect can say "Let's go inside!" Not too long ago I was in Bentonville, Arkansas visiting the amazing Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Stunning architecture and a treasure trove of iconic American artwork - Edward Hopper, Winslow Homer, Asher B. Durand, Norman Rockwell, William Merritt Chase, Maxfield Parrish, Cincinnati's Robert S. Duncanson, Whistler - you name it, it's there. For a kid who loves both architecture and painting, it's a super combo. I was struck by this dome within the main area of the building, having absolutely no idea that one of my all-time favorite clients, Draper Inc., with whom I've worked for over 21 years, had designed and engineered its shading element - giant operable "sails," 14 feet wide at the bottom and 2 feet wide at the top - that is, until my dear friend Penny Sitler, LEED AP shared this the other day. Architects, give this a watch. There's also a shade structure application featured in the video for the museum's outdoor amphitheater with a really clever design and function. I could get in trouble for saying this, but Draper is one of those special manufacturers which not only is qualified for these types of unique challenges, their engineers might actually welcome them. Worth an ask, at least, am I right? #aia #architects #csi #specifiers #aias #design #museumdesign #entrearchitect

We love going to places like Paris, Madrid and London not only to admire their history but also to live (for a few days or weeks) the type of life which we secretly (or not so secretly) admire. We think that we cannot go back to that architecture because it no longer reflects us yet that way of thinking (when compared to the centuries of our history) is relatively recent. So I ask, can we build like this again for us, for our children and for future generations? I believe Audubon Terrace at 155 and Broadway and Home of the Hispanic Society is proof that we can. We can build like this again, we just need to want to. #classicalarchitecture #newyorkarchitects #newyorkarchitecture #urbandesign #museums #publicbuildings.

This event is TOMORROW! Registering for the Zoom link is free, quick, and easy. Join to hear about some immediate threats facing East Point Lighthouse - and how you might help!

This event is TOMORROW! Registering for the Zoom link is free, quick, and easy. Join to hear about some immediate threats facing East Point Lighthouse - and how you might help!

Bottom right:)

It will be March before demolition of the existing State Historical Society Museum on #Madison’s Capitol Square gets underway, and late 2026 or early 2027 before a new and much larger “History Center” rises on that site and two adjacent properties. Just don’t think #history is taking a holiday in the meantime. In fact, for people living across #Wisconsin, it will become a chance to take in some road shows. Founded in 1846, two years before statehood, the Wisconsin Historical Society is more than a depository of artifacts, books and manuscripts from the state – but an important link to national and pre-history gems. A journal from the Lewis & Clark Expedition, Abraham Lincoln’s shawl, the largest film collection outside Hollywood, native canoes once preserved under water, some of the first copies of founding documents, a huge array of colonial newspapers and one of three original copies of the “Star-Spangled Banner” are in the collection. Not everything has been on display, of course, especially in the smallish former hardware store on the corner of State and Carroll Streets. A massive, climate-controlled building on Madison’s East Side serves as a repository for millions of items and will remain so. But once the $160 million public-private History Center reopens, more rotating exhibits will have their rightful space. Article: 'Inside Wisconsin: New history center three years away, but society's work carries on' https://lnkd.in/gGz3dUKG via Tom Still

It never ceases to amaze me what a new name and brand refresh can do to shift the perception of a company, organization or product. Breathe new life into your brand! #brandrefresh #webdesign #brandstrategy #museum

Interesting article about long-overdue shifts in the interpretation of historic sites: "People are looking at museums, and they're asking 'Why are you still telling me the same old moonlight and magnolias story?" https://lnkd.in/g7R3cZ6x #historicbuildings #historichomes #museums #historymatters

Art is innate to all humans, but it is today mostly framed as decorative business. The Fifth Element initiative by The Club of Rome questions this framing and enquires into the role of art in bringing about a societal transformation. We work with the Future Of Work Foundation and other partners to help humanity emerge from our current crises into desirable futures through art. Learn more ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dgg4VCSc