OCULUS an eye on new york architecture The New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects Volume 52, Number 10, June 1990 [~;~~ ;.;~:~:..~==-= ~F~: ~ R.~ R.~ ~ tk- U~ E~ ~ HOTELS HEAT UP SOUTH Of THE BORDER stay tuned: the chapter tells all ..• 2 YC/AIA OCULUS Cover: A my Jackson, "Propylaea, "collage for thesis pro]°ect, Cooper Union OBITUARIU Back cover: The Panorama, a portion of the model, Queens Museum, Flushing, NY Volume 52, Number 10, June 1990 Richard G. Stein Editor: Suzanne Stephens Richard G. Stein, the architect who his career, he served as a member of the Deputy Editor: Suzanne Beilenson introduced energy conservation as an school's Trustee Advisory Committee and Editorial Consultant: Alex Cohen essential consideration in building design, Board of Governers, as well as the president Art Director: Abigail Sturges died at age 73 on April 18. A fellow of the Copy Editor: Kate Norment of the New York Society of Architects Typesetting: Steintype, Inc. AIA and past president of the New York (1969-70 ). J essor's socially conscious Printer: The Nugent Organization Chapter (1975-76), Stein captured the designs earned him many professional Staff Photographer: Dorothy Alexander attention of the architecture world with his honors, including the Queens Chamber of studies on the enormous energy costs Commerce Award for Excellence in Design, The New York Chapter of involved in construction and building Cooper Union's Presidential Citation, and the American Institute of Architects maintenance. His 1978 book Architecture the Distinguished Service Award from the 457 Madison Avenue and Energy was hailed by architect Charles New York Society of Architects. New York , New York 10022 Hughes as the definitive treatise on the 212-838-9670 subject. William Muschenheim, FAIA, died at the Executive Committee 1989-1990 age of 87 on February 1. The reputation of Denis G. Kuhn AIA, President Stein received his undergraduate degree the early modernist architect, who worked John H. Winkler FAIA,First Vice President from New York University and his master's in New York and Long Island in the 1930s David Castro-Blanco FAIA, Vice President degree from Harvard University, where he and '40s, was revived by the East Hampton Douglas Korves AIA, Vice President studied under Walter Gropius. Later he Guild Hall show "Long Island Modern," John Ellis AIA, Secretary worked fo r Gropius and Marcel Breuer organized in 1987 by Alastair Gordon. James L. Garretson AIA, Treasurer before serving in the Army Corps of Bronson Binger AIA, Director Wendy Evans AIA, Director Engineers during World War II. Upon his Muschenheim studied architecture at MIT Harold Fredenburgh AIA, Director return, he was a principal with the before going to Vienna to attend Peter Margaret Helfand AIA, Director Manhattan firm of Kats, Waisman, Behrens' Master School of Architecture at Judith Solomon AIA, Director Blumenkranz, Stein, Weber until 1960, when the Academy of Fine Arts. He then came to Margot Woolley AIA, Director he established his own firm, the Stein New York to work with Joseph Urban. One Partnership. Projects he designed included of his early claims to fame was his inclusion Lenore M. Lucey AIA, Executive Director the Manhattan Children's Treatment Center in the "Rejected Architects" show of Regina Kelly, Executive Secretary on Ward's Island, Intermediate School 183 in modernist work that Philip Johnson Chapter Staff the Bronx, and the Coney Island Hospital. organized in 1931 to protest the stodginess Christine Magnus of the Architectural League's parallel Judith Rowe A forerunner of environmentalism, Stein exhibit. Stacy Spies embodied a philosophy of conservation and Stephen Suggs social responsibility, a stance for which Peter After Urban's death in 1933, Muschenheim © 1990 The New York Chapter of the Samton called him "the early conscience of practiced on his own, renovating public American Institute of Architects. All rights the architectural community." Through his spaces in the Hotel Astor and designing reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part roles as a teacher at the Cooper Union, a spare, minimal apartment interiors. In 1939 without written permission is strictly chairman of the Croton Planning Board, and the firm of Muschenheim and Brounn prohibited. a member for 25 years of the National AIA worked with Ely Jacques Kahn on the Marine OCULUS, published ten times a year, Delano and Aldrich/Emerson Fellowship Transportation Building at the New York September through June, is a benefit of Committee, Stein continually contributed World's Fair. Eventually Muschenheim NYC/ AIA membership. Public membership his own energy to the profession. Sam Brody moved to Ann Arbor, where he lived and is $54. A year's subscription to Oculus is $25. said of him, "The values Richard Stein worked until his death. represented are enduring ones. Whether we For more information on professional and liked it or not, everyone was influenced by Ralph G. Gulley, founder of the School of public memberships, please call the Chapter, his ideas, fo r he challenged us to think." Architecture at Rensselaer Polytechnic at 212-838-9670. - S .B. Institute in 1929 and later partner at the The views expressed in this publication A memorial service for Richard Stein will architecture firm ofDeskey Associates, Inc., are not necessarily those of the be held Sunday, June 3. See calendarfor died on March 18. Gulley, who obtained his Executive Committee or Staff of the details. undergraduate degree from the University NYC/AIA. of Virginia and his master's degree from Herman Jessor, who died at the age of 95 Harvard University, was 87 years old. He on April 8, was recognized worldwide as an remained as dean at the School of Special Thanks authority on urban housing. He became well Architecture at RPI for twelve years before Oculus would like to thank Margaret Helfand, known for the housing project Co-op City, moving to Manhattan. Later in his career liaison from the Oculus editorial board to the which, though much maligned in the 1960s, Gulley joined Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. NYC/ AJA, along with Chapter President Denis is now applauded by its inhabitants for the In the 1970s he began work as an Kuhn, Bart Voorsanger, and Harold Fred en burgh, for their encouragement, suggestions, and sense of community encouraged by the independent zoning consultant. criticism (which was, of course, welcome) during design of the complex. Among J essor's other the editorial year of September 1989 to June accomplishments were Rochdale Village in 1990. We would also like to thank both Denis Kuhn Queens, Starret City in Brooklyn, and and incoming Chapter President John Winkler for their prodigious fundraising efforts on behalf Seward Park Houses on the Lower East Side. Conection of Oculus. Helen Demchyshyn deserves our special appreciation for her help in obtaining Born in Russia, Jessor emigrated to the In the May issue's article on the NYC/AIA advertising. We are grateful to architecture United States at the age of twelve and later 1990 Design Awards Program, we misspelled historian Barry Bergdoll for being the sole person to respond to our plea for the loan of an additional graduated from the Cooper Union School of juror Peter Prangnell's name and would like computer. It has been invaluable, needless to say. Engineering in 1917. During the course of to offer him our apologies. JU E 1990 3 NEWS NOTES Politics, Plans, and People Amanda Burden Rosen Town H ouses, N. Y International Youth Hostel, N. Y used it was not designated a city landmark In the City until 1983. Its use wasn't finally determined until American Youth Hostels, which has taken over a number of historic buildings Since not too many architects have the nationwide fo r its programs, developed a opportunity to design town houses from plan that called for a 450-bed hostel, offices scratch, it's not hard to imagine how happy for AYH 's Metropolitan New York Council, a Charles Gwathmey and Robert Siegel restaurant, and a community theater. were to get the job of designing two Restoration architects Robert G. Larsen speculative houses on 85th Street between Associates have been in charge of the Madison and Fifth Avenues. Yes, this is the building's conversion to spaces where males Upper East Side Historic District, but the as well as females (still respectable, perhaps houses ate located in an actual "loophole" still somewhat indigent, but probably not - the district happens to loop around the aged) can seek temporary sleeping site, which belongs to the Metropolitan quarters . Oculus would like to The Chapel L ounge Museum Historic District. The two congratulate David Todd for his work as 7,000-square-foot limestone houses, each six chairman of the Landmarks Preservation be presented on June 28, are honoring stories high, have 50 feet of street frontage Commission, a position he has held for the former mayor John Lindsay for his planning and are 50 feet deep; as Gwathmey points last 12 months. In April, in his final hours as and urban design work during his eight-year out, this makes the parti more shallow and chairman, Todd and the commission administration, from 1966 to 1974. For those more vertical than those of many older designated as landmarks City and with short memories, Lindsay was houses. Building a new structure instead of Suburban York Avenue Estate, which responsible for the urban designers who renovating an existing one has also meant consists of thirteen tenement buildings on dreamed up new 1,000-seat theaters in office that he and Siegel could "work out facades York between 78th and 79th Streets, and buildings in Times Square and 21.6 FAR specific to the plan and to the vertical City and Suburban First Avenue Estate, multi-use towers along Fifth Avenue.