On Current New York Architecture

OCULUS on current new york architecture

The New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects Volume 43, Number 6, March 1982

The proposed Special Midtown District page2 Oculus l Midtown Update: Chapter Names and News OCULUS Recommendations Adopted

Volume 43, Number 6, March 1982 by George Lewis

Oculus Following the Planning Commission's Editor: C. Ray Smith hearing on the Special Midtown Chapter Party at Plaza Managing Editor: Marian Page District February 3, at which the Art Director: Abigail Sturges Chapter presented testimony (see To Honor Giurgola & Hotel Typesetting: Susan Schechter page 10), the Commission responded The New York Chapter of positively to our recommendations. For the first time in many years the the American Institute of Architects Language in the legislation was Chapter will hold a dress ball, in the The Urban Center, 457 Madison A venue, changed to permit modification by Terrace Room of the Plaza on April 22: New York, New York 10022 special permit of mandatory elements we hope this will become an annual 212-838-9670 of Section 81-40, and also the event. We shall have the special allocation of floor area in zoning lots at pleasure of honoring AIA Gold George S. Lewis, Executive Director least 60,000 square feet or when a lot Medalist Romaldo Giurgola and the occupies an entire block. The CPC has Plaza itself on its 75th Anniversary. Executive Committee 1981-82: Joseph Wasserman, President also relaxed mandated pedestrian Arthur I. Rosenblatt, First Vice President space requirements to meet the Tician Papachristou, Vice President Chapter's objections to sidewalk Beyer Blinder Belle has announced the Robert Siegel, Vice President widening that would break street wall appointment of Richard Visconti as Terrance Williams, Secretary continuity.-Further, in residential associate and director of technical Alan Schwartzman, Treasurer buildings the minim um recreational services . . .. Ada Louise Huxtable, Frank Eliseo space required for a bonus was who received a coveted MacArthur William Ellis reduced from 5000 square feet to 500. Foundation Fellowship, has resigned Theodore Liebman from The New York Times . ... Paul Nancy A. Miao Stuart Pertz More on Midtown Goldberger, as the paper's senior Mildred F. Schmertz The Report on Metropolis magazine's architecture critic will now also extraordinarily revealing conference contribute to the Sunday edition, NYC/AJA Staff "Midtown: Testing the Zoning perhaps twice a month .... Fox and Cathanne Piesla Proposal," including the architects' Fowle are architects of a 30-story Carol Jones sketches of buildings tested against office tower at 175 Water Street near Jeannette Manzo the daylight evaluation diagram, is the South Street Seaport complex Eileen McGrath available for $10 at Urban Center slated for completion in 1983 .... The Books or at Metropolis. Reliance Development Company's © 1982 The New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. award program for distinguished Energy Awards Winner architecture has cited The Eggers In the Chapter's recent Energy Group and Rudin Management Conservation Awards Program the Company for the building at 560 jury-Sital Daryanani, Paul Segal, Lexington Avenue, which backs up to Richard G. Stein, and Robert A.M. St. Bart's Community House, "for Stern-gave one award. It went to keen response to the urban landscape, Kelbaugh & Lee of Princeton, N .J. for pedestrian needs, and its a multi-family, low-rise project. incorporation into a landmark block." . . . The Gruzen Partnership has Large City Chapters announced the following promotions: At the AIA Grassroots conference in Wallace B. Berger and Barbara Geddis January considerable progress was were named associate partners; Peter made toward establishing the M. Gumpel, and Scott Keller, are new influence of large chapters within the senior associates; David Augustine, AIA. At a meeting chaired by Richard Philip Jones, Fredric Rosen, and Martin Cook, past president of the Chicago Rotondo were named associates . ... Chapter, it was agreed that the Skidmore, Owings & Merrill are Institute seems to be far too little architects for a 55-story mixed-use aware of what chapters such as ours building combining office space and do - how we deal directly with condominiums to be constructed at 33 members, including most of the firms; W. 52 Street .... Emery Roth how the concerns of our members & Sons in association with the Halpern focus on local issues, and how distant Partnership of London are architects the AIA in Washington often seems. A of a planned office building to be group, probably including this writer, constructed on the site of the YWCA's is expected to meet with AIA officials national headquarters at Lexington in Washington next summer. cont'd. p. 12, col 3 Oculus page3 SPECIAL MIDTOWN DISTRICT The Planning Commission·'s proposed Special Midtown District is one of the most sweeping changes in New York zoning in many years. The concept of stabilization of East Midtown and encouragement of growth to the west and south, as well as the introduction of bulk controls through diagrams evaluating daylight at street leve~ are particularly notable. For the District to be put into effect requires approval by the Board of Estimate; its hearing has been tentatively scheduled for April 1. G. L.

The Proposed Midtown has involved every major star in the since Rockefeller Center. Zoning: Growth, city planning firmament: public interest groups, developers, I won't catalogue the mistakes, but Preservation, Stabilization architects, economists, labor, there were many. And the City's environmentalists, community difficulties in enforcing these The Association of the Bar of the City representatives, and so on. Discussion increasingly sophisticated covered of New York, on January 18, 1982, had brought us through a draft report amenities proved expensive in a time presented a panel discussion in 1980 to a final report on Midtown of shrinking municipal budgets. organized by the Committee on Development in 1981. Before us now Interior public spaces had a way of Lectures and Continuing Education, are 112 pages of zoning legislation functioning for the most part as chaired by Eugene J. Morris with that implement the recommendations private lobbies. Worst of all, the new Norman Marcus as Program Liaison. of that 1981 report. "brutal" scale of development in the Oculus is indebted to the Bar East Midtown "gold coast," where Association for providing a tape of I have spent the better part of my most private investment was that discussion and expresses its professional life as Counsel to the channeled, tended to overwhelm the appreciation to the speakers for their Planning Commission and have public gestures at the pedestrian permission to excerpt their comments witnessed and helped shape the level. The daylight expectations of the as follows: evolution of Midtown zoning. From a 1961 zoning were increasingly traded largely as-of-right body of regulations, away in favor of public spaces, which which produced predictable wedding­ when not actually located within by Norman Marcus cake setback buildings under the 1916 buildings, tended to bask in shadows ordinance, we moved in 1961 to towers reminiscent of the Wall Street I am really pleased to moderate in large plazas as the favored canyons. tonight's panel discussion of the architectural form. This vision in turn Proposed Midtown Zoning gave way to a system that encouraged And so, inevitably, the current Regulations by three knowledgeable waiver of these regulations in order to Midtown proposal is a revisionist speakers: Ed Barnes, a distinguished achieve more "relevant" public­ document. If we do not learn from our architect familiar with the present as interest amenities. Ironically, these mistakes, we simply go on repeating well as proposed zoning regulations; bulky 60s and 70s "waiver" them. And zoning mistakes tend after Donald Elliott, former Chairman of buildings raised a public outcry all to be big, highly visible, and the City Planning Commission from similar to that inspired by the old wasteful of the City's limited physical 1966 to 1972, a crucial period in which Equitable Building at 120 Broadway, opportunities. the 1961 as-of-right zoning formulas which led to zoning in the first place. gave way to a series of creative public The pending legislative proposal interest innovations; and Paul It was better golden eggs from the therefore has a number of salient thrusts: Goldberger, an articulate and Midtown Development goose that perceptive critic of New York City justified this assumption of 1. An explicit Development Strategy: planning and design. discretionary zoning powers by the Growth, Preservation, Stabilization Planning Commission in the late 60s a) Growth is encouraged in West and The City is well into the final and 70s. In actuality, as built, many of South Midtown by allowing higher as­ implementation phase of its three­ these amenities literally laid an egg; of-right floor area allowances in these year review of Midtown Development and the bigger bulkier buildings, areas than the zoning presently problems. Affected community boards which were their price, broke the scale confers. have completed the ULURP and character of their neighboring recommendations; this week the City areas. However, some of these b) Stabilization of the presently Planning Commission will schedule its interventions did work: new saturated East Midtown core is first public hearing on the proposed legitimate theaters, which incentive achieved by reducing as-of-right floor zoning changes for February 3 at City zoning spawned, replenished one of area allowances in this area. Hall. When the Board of Estimate acts the city's most valuable industries and in late April or early May, we will resources; priceless architectural c) Preservation areas are designated have a substantially new treasures such as Grand Central and on existing legitimate theater sites comprehensive zoning ordinance in the Villard Houses were preserved and in the 50s between Fifth and Sixth Midtown for the first time since 1961. through the combined intervention of Avenues near the Museum of Modern zoning and landmark laws; the Art, where downzoning is The process to date, begun in June Citicorp covered pedestrian space recommended. 1979 by former Commission Chairman, with its combination of community now Deputy Mayor Bob Wagner, Jr., events, retail vitality, and subway d) Wide avenues are distinguished and carried forward under present access made it the most exciting place from narrow midblocks for floor CPC Chairman Herb Sturz's direction, for people to be created in Midtown allowance purposes with less page4 Oculus

The Waldrum Diagram is a daylight evaluation diagram upon which a building or buildings are drawn for evaluating daylight compliance. The building or buildings are drawn on the diagram using a fixed vantage point and recording all horizontal and vertical angles subtended by all edges of the building from the vantage point. The building or buildings are translated to the corresponding angle lines on the diagram.

encouragement given for midblock as opposed to avenue development. by Donald H. Elliott

2. Amenities The title of tonight's topic should We've tried to separate the wheat probably be "Big Bulky Brutal from the chaff. Many of those Buildings" or "The Emerging Madison amenities which have proven their Avenue Canyon." I am starting with worth are mandated in the new my conclusions so there won't be any proposals; on the other hand, bonus doubt about where I stand, and I will provision has been rescinded from the explain why. failures and reduced where results have been mixed. The opportunities 1) The City Planning Commission is for negotiation- calling on the giving up the role of innovator and Planning Commission to exercise government leader in matters of discretion in trading off bulk for Midtown development, and I think amenities whose value can't be that is a great mistake. uniformly predictable-are narrowly circumscribed and limited. Only 2) The proposed general rules that are landmark preservation, major subway being offered are legitimate for what statute was being amended and the access improvements, and theater the shape of buildings should be, but amendment applied to a particular renewal will qualify. they ought not to be made absolute. building. Therefore the fact that the They will not prove responsive to the Planning Commission is now saying 3. Light and Air peculiarities of different areas of the "thou shalt not amend this law" is By codifying practical, but city. They will stop desirable important only if they don't amend it. demonstrably measurable, standards buildings, and they are making a During this period they could have of daylight penetration to public judgment about one value almost refused to grant waivers and this streets, the need for discretionary absolute- light and air on the street. circumstance might not have waiver of rigid regulations is removed. It is an important urban design goal happened. This leaves the Board of For example, the emerging Midtown but not the only one. Standards and Appeals as the major Madison Avenue canyon in the upper varier of the zoning ordinance - a role 50s-a product of negotiated trade­ 3) The proposed zoning will not in the 60s many of us felt was being offs between light-and-air values and appreciably effect the amount of exercised too strenuously by the pedestrian amenities- cannot happen building that occurs on the East or board, one that we believed was more again under the proposed Midtown West Sides. In my judgment it was a properly left to the Planning zoning. mistake for the Commission to stop at Commission. Eighth Avenue rather than to It is important to recognize that the continue west. And that is the main thrust of my City's Midtown plan is not limited to concern about this approach. I really zoning alone. Key to the success of the The solution which has been proposed don't have any particular concern plan are public projects including is to change the organization of the whether we use the Waldrum system West 42nd Street redevelopment, the rules, which provides for how a or another system as a general rule for Portman Hotel, and major building should sit on a lot and what the placement of buildings. I feel when infrastructural renewal. Tax reform is its relationship to the street should be the Planning Commission says we will another necessary ingredient and we and then to permit no change from not consider anything else, that it is a will not to~ch on that tonight. The that rule and to forbid the Planning mistake. subject tonight is zoning, return to as­ Department the right to exercise any of-right, predictable controls that discretion. Let me talk about some of the enable the private sector to carry out criticism of some of these big bulky a public vision of a future that A peculiarity of the zoning law is that brutal buildings. First, there is the responds to the City's needs and the same degree of energy and question of the size of the building, the aspirations. formality is necessary to issue a number of square feet .... The June special permit as is necessary to 1980 report urges that buildings be change the underlying law. So what related to the size of the foot print, the we found happening in the late 70s and problem being that it would tend to early 80s for the special districts was encourage tearing down the small not only that special permits were building. If you can't leave the small given under them, but the law itself building next door, the tendency was changed with respect to would be to tear it down. The June particular buildings. The underlying 1981 report supported restricting Oculus page5

The Daylight Evaluation Diagram for a 60-foot wide street is shown applied to Citicorp Center. Center line of diagram is looking north, 250 feet from the intersection of Lexington Avenue and 59rd Street. Darkest line is outline of Citicorp's south elevation. Vertical lines represent increments of 25 feet along the street. The spaces enclosed by intersections of all horizontal and vertical lines constitute "squares " which are used for counting daylight. Each square above 70° is 25 feet by 2° no matter how distorted it may look in the diagram. Similarly, all squares below 70° are 25 feet by 10°. All squares on the diagram represent equal daylight.

by Edward Larrabee Barnes by Paul Goldberger

The proposed zoning changes, have There are a number of issues that the had the scrutiny of architects and real new zoning raises, and it is important estate developers. Architects have to keep them separate. There is the generally supported the proposals but question of as-of-right zoning versus felt that the FAR differentials still what might be called negotiated were not great enough to slow down zoning; there is the question of bulk; development on the East Side and there is the question of density. The encourage development on the West impulse behind the new zoning Side. They also felt that the zone emerges out of a sense that the should be extended beyond Eighth existing zoning is not serving us Avenue. And there was a minority adequately on all three of these report that thought the issue of separate areas. But the nature of the residential construction should have problem and the nature of the solution been addressed-that there should chosen in each area is different. have been an incentive for residential Similarly, the inadequacy of the transfer across zoning lines. So if construction. zoning so far as developers and there was a zoning line you couldn't architects are concerned is not the move the bulk from one side of it to The motives for zoning change at same as the inadequacy of the zoning the other, even though you owned the different times are always worthwhile so far as planners are concerned; building. The problem here is that it - albeit frequently a reaction to the different still from both of these would tend to encourage a small results of the previous zoning change. constituents is the public's perception building next to a big building on the At the time of the Seagram Building, of the whole matter. avanue but not to have one or the there was a general appreciation of other behind or in front. The current the serene massing of Mies van der There are moments when I think statute doesn't deal with the problem Rohe - the open plaza and the setback that the crucial issue facing us right except by drawing new zoning lines. If tower. I remember the intensity that now is one of density, one of crowding, you happen to own a lot that spans architects felt about that. It took time and that the best zoning law we could zoning lines you can deal as you would to see what such massing was like, as ask for at this moment in Midtown in the old days. But if you don't you tower after tower, each with a front Manhattan's history is a very simple will have trouble transferring it back plaza, was developed along Sixth one, consisting of three words: no and forth. There will be many Avenue. There was a reaction in the more buildings. Illegal, of course, and instances when that arbitrary rule is Lindsay/Don Elliott period when the altogether ridiculous. But the notion going to work improperly and when tendency was to try to make this a that we could reach a time in which pressure to give the Commission pedestrian city, a more humane city, architecture could cease to matter is power to make an amendment is going with lively street life. The plaza was now becoming very real. to be overwhelming. seen to sort of cauterize the street. And so there was a move to bring the I wonder if the entire city should not Second, shape and placement of retail line right up to the sidewalk­ be drastically downzoned - not from buildings on the lot: When the doing as much as one could for the 15 to 12 in midblocks, as we are now emerging canyon of Madison Avenue pedestrian. Through-block arcades, proposing, but to something more like is completed-IBM, AT&T, and and mini parks were encouraged; 3 or 4, with a certain kind of bank or Trump along with the closing of 56 there was even an attempt to close fund of extra development rights Street between Madison and Fifth-it Madison Avenue. available for purchase within any area will be recognized as a major triumph of, say, 8 or 10 square blocks. of urban design done not by Since that time, there has been an government agencies. but individual increasing awareness of preservation As it is now, our zoning code really developers. First-rate architects and landmarks and the value of does not address the problem of too working with the Planning architectural heritage in place. much building, and I am not sure that Commission have achieved what I "Contextual architecture" that is to the proposed revisions address this believe will be a sensational result. say, a building designed with a problem all that effectively, either. What I am saying is that it's sensitivity to the building next to it, is Reducing mid block FAR from 15 to 12 important to have some degree of now much appreciated. When I was in does not make all that much difference flexibility so, as we understand the architecture school there were no such in the final analysis - if a street of old particularities of different areas of the objectives. You were given a blank brownstones or 5 or 6-story city, we can mold the rules to fit those site with nothing on it. Whatever you commercial buildings in the East 50s is cont'd. p. 10, col 1 cont'd. p. 8, col 1 cont'd. p. 8, col 3 OCULUS NYC I AIA MAR 82 CONTINUING EVENTS Oculus welcomes information for the MANHATTAN ADDITIONS: THE ARCHITECTURE OF TIME HISTORIC CAST IRON IN CENTRAL MTA PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE calendar pertaining to public events about PART II A study of four cities by Lebbeus PARK FIFTH AVENUE COACH COMPANY architecture and the other design An expanded presentation of two Woods, Express Network, 59 Greene Exhibition. The Dairy in Central Exhibition. The New York Historical professions. It is due by the 7th of the apartment buildings by Diana Agrest St. 431-6560. Wednesdays to Park (65th St. between the Zoo and Society, 170 Central Park West. month for the following month's issue. and Mario Gandelsonas. The Lobby, Sundays, 12-6 pm. Closes Apr. 4. the Carousel). 360-8141 or 360-8236. 873-3400. Closes May 1. Because of the time lag be tween 369 Lexington Ave. Closes Mar. 10 Closes Mar. 31. information received and printed, final PLANNING AROUND ARCHITECTURAL FANTASY AND details of events are likely to change. It is LANDMARKS THAT AREN'T Exhibition. SPACED Gallery of ROBERT ADAM AND HIS STYLE REALITY recommended, therefore, that events be Photographic exhibition of some of Architecture, 165 W. 72 St. 787-6350. Exhibition. Cooper-Hewitt Museum, Exhibition of 17th and 18th century checked with the institutions before the city's unprotected landmarks. Closes Mar. 27. 2 E. 91St. 860-6868. Closes Apr. 11 drawings- entries in competitions at attending. Sponsored by The Municipal Art National Academy of St. Luke in Society, 457 Madison Ave. 935-3960. Rome. Cooper-Hewitt, 2 E. 91 St. Send Oculus Calendar information to: Closes Mar. 11. 860-6868. Closes May 2. New York Chapter/A/A, 457 Madison Ave1111". NY 10022. MONDAYl TUESDAY2 WEDNESDAY3 THURSDAY 4 FRIDAY 5 THE HAND OF ADAM PRESERVATION ISSUES FORUMS ON FORM ARCHITECTURE: THE FACE OF A film by Murray Grigor in five­ First session of design studio given Lecture by Ronald Lee Fleming and NEW YORK Monday series in conjunction with by Stephen B. Jacobs. Tuesdays 6-8 Renata von Tscharner on their book, Lecture by James I. Freed in series "Robert Adam and his Style." 6:15 pm (Mar 2-May 11). Pratt Manhattan P/,ace Makers, Public A rt That Tells at Ethical Culture School for pm. Cooper-Hewitt Museum, 2 E. 91 Center, 160 Lexington Ave. You Where You A re (Hastings Continuing Education, 2 W. 64 St. St. 860-6868. Registration $10, studio $200. House). Introduction by Margot 874-5210. 7:45-9:15 pm. Single 685-3754. Wellington. Urban Center Books, 457 admission $15 if available. ARCHITECTURE AS A PUBLIC Madison Ave. 12:30 pm. 935-3595. LANGUAGE FILM SERIES: ARCHITECTS, COALBROOKDALEFOUNDRY First session of design studio given BUILDERS AND BUILDINGS LIGHTING DESIGN AWARDS Slide lecture presented by Friends of by James Wines/SITE. Mondays 6-9 Full of Life (1957) and The Finishing Deadline for entries in 1982 IES Cast Iron Architecture and The pm (Mar 1-Apr 19). Pratt Manhattan Touch (1927). Cooper-Hewitt Lighting Design Awards: Lighting Victorian Society. 6 pm. Donnell Center, 160 Lexington Ave. Museum, 2 E. 91St.6:15 pm. Design Awards Committee, c/o IES Library, 20 W. 53 St. Registration $10, studio $200. 860-6868. Headquarters, 345 E. 47 St. 644-7924. 685-3754. MONDAYS TUESDAY9 WEDNESDAY 10 THURSDAYll FRIDAY 12 ARTISTS AS DESIGNERS IN THE GOTHIC REVIVAL IN FRANCE NEW DRAWING IN AMERICA URBAN ENTERPRISE ZONES LONG ISLAND DESIGN AWARDS 20th CENTURY First in series of Matthews lectures Part II of exhibition celebrating Seminar co-sponsored by PROGRAM First in five-Monday series by Dr. by Neil Levine. 6 pm. Avery Hall, Drawing Center's 5th anniversary NYC/AIA and APA. 6 pm. Urban Deadline for entering the Long Ronny Cohen, critic and art historian. Columbia Graduate School of includes architectural drawings. The Center, 457 Madison. 838-9670. 6:15 pm. Cooper-Hewitt Museum, 2 Architecture & Planning. 280-3414. Drawing Center, 137 Greene St. Island Chapter/AIA's 1982 E. 91St.860-6868. 982-5266. Architectural Design Awards REMKOOLHAAS Program "for excellence in Long EMERGING VOICES Exhibition of drawings for three PRESERVATION TAX INCENTIVES First in new program series of FORUMS ON FORM architectural projects in Holland. Island architecture." Information Conference on "New Investment emerging architects hosted by the Lecture by Lester Walker on his Max Protetch Gallery, 37 W. 57 St. and entry form: Philip C. Opportunities Under the Economic Architectural League, 457 Madison book, American Shelter: An 838-7436. Closes Apr. 3. Pandolfi, 610 Veterans Memorial Recovery Tax Act of 1981." 6:30 pm. 753-1722. Nonmembers $5. Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Highway, Hauppauge, N.Y.11788. Registration and information: American Home (Overlook Press). HANNAH ARENDT AND LOUIS 516-543-1300. Education Services, National Trust FILM SERIES: ARCHITECTS Introduction by Tim Prentice. 12:30 KAHN for Historic Preservation, 1785 BUILDERS AND BUILDINGS pm. Urban Center Books, 457 Lecture by Kenneth Frampton. Open Massachusetts Ave. NW, P/,aytime (1969) and L 'architecture Madison Ave. 935-3595. Atelier of Design, 12 W. 29 St. Washington, DC 202-673-4092. d'aujourd'hui (1931). Cooper-Hewitt, 686-8698. $10. 6:45 pm 2 E. 91 St. 6:15 om. 860-6868. JI ~w~- ru _rj~UAI Hl W ~UN~~UAl'. l'I THURSDAY 18 FRIDAY 19 SHELTER: MODELS OF NATIVE FILM SERIES: ARCHITECTS, FORUMS ON FORM ARCHITECTURE: THE FACE OF INGENUITY BUILDERS AND BUILDINGS Lecture by David Naylor on his book, NEW YORK Exhibition of models, drawings, and Metropolis (1926), and Manhatta American Picture Palaces: The Lecture by Bob Mayers on the photographs focusing on house forms (1921). Cooper-Hewitt Museum, 2 E. Architecture of Fantasy (Van changing face of the theater district, of indigenous builders, early 91 St. 6:15 pm. 860-6868. Nostrand Reinhold). Introduction by in series at Ethical Culture School of American settlers, energy-conscious Dorothy Twining G lobus. 12:30 pm. Continuing Education, 2 W. 64 St. architects. The Katonah Gallery, 28 EMERGING VOICES IN Urban Center Books, 457 Madison 874-5210. Single admission if Bedford Rd., Katonah. 914-232-4988. ARCHITECTURE Ave. 935-3595. available $15. 7:45-9:15 pm. Closes May 23. George Ranalli and Tod Williams - in new program series presented by the BATTERY PARK ESPLANADE Architectural League, 457 Madison RECIPROCITY AND CONFLICT Exhibition. Avery Hall, Columbia Ave. 6:30 pm. 753-1722. Nonmembers Lecture by Bernard Tschumi. Open Graduate School of Architecture and $5. Atelier of Design, 12 W. 29 St. Planning. 280-3414. Closes Apr. 2 686-8698. $10. 6:45 pm.

MONDAY22 TUESDAY 23 WEDNESDAY 24 THURSDAY25 FRIDAY26 GOTHIC REVIVAL IN FRANCE IMPACT OF RADIOLOGIC PUBLIC SPACE IN MEDIEVAL LONG ISLAND DESIGN AWARDS Second in series of Matthews IMAGING MODALITIES ON ITALY PROGRAM lectures by Neil Levine. 6_pm. Wood Lecture by Dr. Patrick Cahill, Lecture by Guiseppe Zambonini. Deadline for receipt of entries in Auditorium, Avery Hall, Columbia Physicist, New York Hospital­ Open Atelier of Design, 12 W. 29 St. the Long Island Chapter/AIA's Graduate School of Architecture & Cornell Medical Center. 686-8698. $10. 6:45 pm. 1982 Architectural Design Awards Planning. 280-3414. Sponsored by NYC/AIA Health Program "for excellence in Long EMERGING VOICES Facilities Committee. 5 pm, Island architecture." Philip C. Steven Holl and Lauretta Vinciarelli NYC/AIA Headquarters, 457 Pandolfi, 610 Veterans Memorial - in series presented by the Madison Ave. 838-9679. Highway, Hauppauge, N.Y.11788. Architectural League, 457 Madison 516-543-1300. Ave. 6:30 pm. 753-1722. Nonmembers FORUMS ON FORM $5. Lecture by Kenneth Frampton on his book, Modern Architecture: 1845-1919 (Global Architecture). Introduction by Robert Hughes. 12:30 pm. Urban Center Books, 457 Madison Ave. 935-3595. MONDAY29 TUESDAY 30 WEDNESDAY 31 THURSDAY 1 APRIL FRIDAY 2 APRIL NEW YORK'S TRANSIT SYSTEM IN GOTHIC REVIVAL IN FRANCE FORUMS ON FORM THE LESSONS OF ROME PRESERVATION IN PROGRESS: TROUBLE Third in series of Matthews lectures Lecture by Gerald Allen and Richard Lecture by Jon Michael Schwarting. THE SEAPORT DISTRICT First of six sessions led by Alfred by Neil Levine. 6 pm. Wood Oliver on Architectural Drawing: Open Atelier of Design, 12 W. 29 St. Exhibition and program highlighting Shapiro, principal planner, NYC Auditorium, Avery Hall, Columbia The A rt and the Process (Whitney 686,8698. $10. 6:45 pm. the Seaport as a working Planning Department, Graduate School of Architecture & Library of Design). 12:30 pm. Urban preservation site organized by the Transportation Division. 7:45-9:30 Planning. 280-3414. Center Books, 457 Madison Ave. South Street Seaport Museum, 203 pm. Center for New York City 935-3595. Front St. 766-9020. Closes Dec. 26. Affairs/The New School, 66 W.12 St. EMERGING VOICES IN 741-5690. $80 for course. ARCHITECTURE GIORGIO DE CHIRICO Frank Israel (Los Angeles) and Susana Exhibition of paintings and drawings. Torre (New York)- in series New West Wing, MOMA, 18 W. 54 presented by the Architectural St. 956-7284. League, 457 Madison Ave. 6:30 pm. 753-1722. Nonmembers $5. page8 Oculus

features actually exist on each side of Residential encouragement is a Barnes a lot or not. partnership thing. I think David cont'd. from p. 5 Rockefeller has put forward the were designing was on empty land, or We are not intended to look up or possibility of a partnership for middle you could demolish a building to make down the block but to design within income housing on a non-profit basis empty land. That is absolutely not the our lot. Without the kind of planning but an idea as innovative as that must rule today. In my visits to architecture agency that Don Elliott is suggesting, have encouragement and innovation schools I have found that practically which is an agency with the power to from the Planning Commission. So I every problem involves building in analyze sensitively- particularly on give total endorsement to what Don context with other buildings. large lots to see what would be best Elliott is saying, that is, the • Architects are being trained to be for the neighborhood, without such Commission is drawing back from aware of street lines, cornice heights, planning support, architects and imaginative partnerships with and general continuity within the city. developers will be designing with architects and developers. The blinders. proposal zoning is basically a lot-by-lot So the new height and setback analysis and I think that a larger view regulations recognize the context of I have worked with Seymour Durst to is the essence of city planning. · the street wall. And there are new look at his property west of Sixth and regulations favoring preservation of north of 42 Street. Offhand you would landmarks and even whole say that the general formula for Goldberger neighborhoods. N.Y.C., to build on the avenues and cont'd. from p. 5 not on the side streets is a good one. replaced with a tower built to 12 FAR The question is can you zone a city and But when we made a model and we oratowerbuilttol5,ttjustdoes~t produce overall good architecture? could look at the whole neighborhood, make too much difference. For example, if New York had never we found that off-setting towers was changed the old setback zoning what an extremely interesting proposal. Similarly, the increased FAR offered would the city look like today? If there When you have such strong holdings on the West Side will surely act as had never been any 40% towers and as that, an overall plan can be somewhat of an incentive to move­ everything had just been wedding developed that is far more enlightened but it does nothing to prepare for the cakes, what kind of city would that be? than the individual development of eventuality that we may have a as-of-right buildings on each single similar problem of too dense, too tight, I recall Bernard Rudofsky's book block. And this entails a planning a kind of overbuilding on the West Architecture Without Architects in commission with more powers than Side. And of course the economics of which village architecture is studied. are implied under the new zoning. building on the West Side are not so There we see whole towns that face dramatically different as they are on the wind, or face s6uth, or towns To me one of the most beautiful the East Side; land costs are of course effected by contour .... The question streets in New York is Wall Street­ cheaper, but not that much cheaper, is whether the zoning lawmakers which is a canyon and darker than and the differential is narrowing. could have the same effect of wind and anything we're doing on the upper 50s sun[general laughter] and produce a and Madison. And why is it beautiful? Things are changing, which brings me common piece of architecture without Because at the end of that canyon is a to a second point. Our zoning architects? I think the answer is no. green park and Trinity Church. The legislation has frequently been one fact that you are looking through step out of phase with the economy, New York has already been through containment to openness moderates and today seems no exception. We are many successive changes. The feeling the necessity for setbacks. The entering a much harder time; the I have is that we should update our alteration of light and dark, the great boom of the last few years is, for zoning and in a few years change it recognition of context in real life is all practical purposes, over. Just as we again. One cannot have an absolute, something that architects are trained were out of phase-correctly sure zoning law. Perceptions will to do. concerned about overbuilding on the change, and there will always be yet East Side, but waiting so long to do another change. But I don't see in the new zoning the anything that we are, in effect, locking possibility of discretion when the rules the barn door after the cows have This new zoning law tends to look at just don't add up or make sense. already gotten out. And as I said things on a lot-to-lot basis. The Urban renewal and clearance will before, we haven't done all that much architect looks only at his lot and probably come back, when you have anyway-the new zoning is more a designs according to the new laws. For partnership between the Planning case of leaving the door ajar, not example: Retail at the sidewalk line Commission and the individual locking it. But in any case it is all too and an 80" height is mandated to developer-again, when you are late-the building has taken place. encourage continuity whether these looking at something larger than There will be a couple of projects on a individual sites. couple of sites, but the combination of Oculus page9

Ted Liebman and Tom Jones tested a buil,ding design on the Daylight Evaluation Diagram at the Midtown conference organized by Metropolis magazine. Use of the diagram to control buil,ding bulk has been included in the Planning Commission's Midtown Special District legislation. The diagram process was evolved by CPC consultants Davis/Brody and Kwartler/ Jones.

the economic downturn and the fact that the core of Midtown east of Sixth Avenue is, for all practical purposes, filled up makes a lot of this fairly moot.

Similarly, the growth of incentive zoning, of which the plaza bonus under the 1961 ordinance was the beginning, was out of phase as well. It gave us an enormous amount of extra office space that, as Jerrold Kayden showed in his superb study, "Incentive Zoning in New York City: A Cost-Benefit Analysis," sponsored by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, contributed directly to the overbuilding that brought about the collapse of the office market in the early 1970s. The plaza bonus gave us nearly 8 million extra square feet of office space in the years from 1963 to 1975, the arcade bonus an extra half-million, and special districts, such as the theater district and the Lincoln Center Special District, another 1.69 million square feet of extra space. In hindsight, it is easy to see that much of this was not necessary at the time in which it was built; later, when the market grew into this space, it became a windfall. that, for all their so-called amenities, a 180-degree turn from the 1961 zoning The public was not particularly well planner concerned about the values ordinance. There is a recognition that served at all by these incentives- not that make up a livable city would have interesting tower shapes, when a only were the amenities themselves to consider an error in the very fact of responsible part of the urban context, often poorly executed, poorly their existence, despite their are valued and to be encouraged. conceived, and poorly maintained, architectural enticements. There is a recognition that light on the there is real reason to question - street is important, and that we must again, with the ease of hindsight­ In any case, most of the good get back to a time when the provision whether we would not have been far architecture we now have-these of light on the street is the major better off without the amenities and buildings, Mr. Barnes's superb Klein factor in determining permissible without the extra square footage that Tower at 535 Madison Avenue, Cesar bulk. came along with them. For the Pelli's Museum of Modern Art tower, sunshine and open sky permitted by and others-is not good because of the But I still think that we have not yet smaller buildings may be the most zoning code at all. These are not gotten far enough away from the important amenity of all. It was buildings shaped by the code; they are problems in the 1961 ordinance, or at heresy to say such a thing in the late exceptions to it in most cases. What least the problems in the system of 1960s, but it seems clear now. Sun and zoning gives us, alas, when the game is amendments and special permits and sky are an amenity, as sure as plazas played straight, are such lunacies as waivers that came to render the 1961 and retail shops. the skirted granite building with the ordinance nonexistent. I would prefer silly slope at 520 Madison Avenue. to see more amenities mandated, Let me conclude ... We are in a time others ignored, and bonuses in which we seem to have lots of good The new zoning does appear to eliminated altogether if possible. (The architecture and very little good recognize these problems. I admire off-site park is a particular mistake, I planning, despite all of our complex the attempt to return to an as-of-right think.) I still think that there is not regulations and intricate legislation. system, though I don't think it goes far enough attention being paid to the IBM and AT&T, to return to our enough-there are still too many sense of the city as a whole thing, as a favorite whipping boys, are evidence chances for negotiation. But there is a work of urban design in itself, and not of that-both buildings of serious recognition that the street wall is a series of individual tracts of land, architectural intent, both buildings important, which is a direct unrelated except by proximity. As I page 10 Oculus

The Chapter's Position On Midtown Development

said much earlier, each block's The Special Committee, Theodore commercial-residential buildings, meaning in the city fabric depends on Liebman, chairman, first expressed always adhering to the new bulk what is around it; Chrysler is not itself in the spring of 1981 in its regulations. cheek by jowl with another tower. "Comments on the City Planning Department's Draft Report/June Our statement here is intended to I remain, as I think you can tell, not a 1980" (see Oculus April 1981). It had reinforce and supplement that of the little ambivalent about the value of spent countless hours testing the Presidents' ·Council, and the points we zoning in the final analysis. I have proposed per!ormance - Wald rum shall make fall within the limits of questions about how much, in the end, Diagram- bulk controls, what we understand to be the kind of it has done for us. My worry is that as incorporation of which in the changes in the legislation's text which we have gotten more and more zoning, legislation it strongly advocated. could be made before your Report is more and more legislation, in the transmitted to the Board of Estimate. postwar years, we seem to have Then the CPC issued its report We have discussed all of these with gotten a worse and worse looking city, "Midtown Development" in June the Chairman and some members of the a city of few individual works of 1981, and the Committee submitted Commission and staff, and in architectural significance but of less further comments. The CPC arrived supporting the District we feel and less coherence. Zoning has not at its final position in legislation confident that our recommendations been able to knit it all together into which went through the UL URP will be seriously considered. They are the sort of coherent fabric we once (Uniform Land Use Review as follows: had. Procedure) process, culminating in a CPC hearing February 3, 1982. 1. Special Permits I don't believe that the answer is to The Chapter's testimony at the We are very much in agreement that a abandon it all, since the problem, in hearing follows: return to predominantly as-of-right my view, lies as much with architects, development should be a prime goal of developers, and an irrational system this legislation, but as architects we of land economics as with zoning. But The New York Chapter of the feel that opportunities for urban it does seem to me that if one is going American Institute of Architects planning may be present in certain to have zoning, one should do it all the recommends adoption of the Special cases where the proposed legislation way, without timidity. The issues of Midtown District, and we have joined would constrict the best urban design. density must be addressed more with other constituent organizations Let it be quickly said that we are strongly, the issue of urban amenity of the Presidents' Council in completely opposed to special permits must be dealt with more forthrightly submitting a statement to that effect to violate FAR restrictions or height and less in the manner of the incentive for your consideration. In it we and bulk regulations: the daylight system. The job of the City Planning express our opinion that the proposed diagrams must be adhered to in every Commission is to plan. Floor Area Ratio differential between case. East Midtown and West Midtown will not in itself go very far toward We do recommend that optional Elliott encouraging development to the west, special permits be made possible in cont'd. from p. 5 but we are strongly behind the the following categories: areas so they will be places we can be Planning Commission's expressed proud of. intention to recommend a. Large Sites. On sites of 50,000 implementation of the economic square feet and over, not including Other conclusions: New height and incentives by other City agencies. lots acquired through zoning lot setback and shape are going to result mergers on which buildings would in greater coverage, but lower And we would like to remind you here remain, the presently proposed buildings, which will make the small that the Chapter has previously prohibition of split lot averaging of lots left on the East Side more recommended lower FAR to the East bulk should be waived should the profitable to develop and, I suspect, than you have proposed, and higher, developer opt to apply for a special will essentially offset the drop in FAR for mixed use development, to the permit. which is proposed. I don't think we West. We have been l)articularly will see much impact on the East Side. concerned that West Midtown be b. The secondary urban design There does not seem to be a panic to characterized by a rich mix of features included in Section 81-40, complete buildings before the commercial, residential, and theater including Retail Continuity, Street effective date of the zoning, like that uses quite distinct in character from Wall Continuity, Pedestrian which preceded the 1961 zoning East Midtown. Toward this end we Circulation Space, Through Block amendment and, in that case, the strongly recommend that the Connections, and Major Building requirement for a grandfather clause. Commission include a bonus provision Entrances. One example of a special by optional special permit for urban design opportunity could be an increased floor area in mixed use avenue site on which the legislation as Oculus page 11

Midtown density sometimes offers transitory-and surprising-images of layering. Photo: C. Ray Smith page 12 Oculus

Names and News

written mandates street wall On a point that is not part of the cont'd. from p. 2 continuity: it could well be that setting present legislation, we join the Avenue and 52nd Street. London & the building back and providing an Planning Commission in advocating an Leeds (USA), the real estate arm of avenue-front plaza-an occasional increased governmental capability the Ladbroke Group of Great Britain, plaza, not several in a row as on the toward assisting the assemblage of has contracted to purchase and take A venue of the Americas- could be development sites. We do not title to the YWCA building by July superior urban design and provide advocate a new agency, but we .... Ezra Ehrenkrantz is project needed and appropriate open space. recommend that the powers of the director of the exhibition, Shelter: Public Development Corporation be Models of Native Ingenuity opening at In neither of the above cases should broadened to increase its potential the Katonah Gallery on March 15 (see bonuses over and above those defined effectiveness toward this end. Calendar). James Marston Fitch is in the present proposal be offered. consulting editor for the exhibition And we wish to stress that the urban There is one more observation that catalog, which will have essays by design capability of the City Planning we, as architects, are most happy to Rene Dubos, Richard Stein, among Department must be maintained at a make. The performance system to others .... The Grad Partnership are very high level in order for special regulate bulk and ensure daylight on architects of the Middlesex County permits to be administered in the best Midtown streets, which the Adult Correctional Facility planned to interests of the City. Commission is proposing here, may replace the existing county jail in well be the most significant zoning North Brunswick, New J ersev .... 2. Pedestrian Circulation Space concept to have been introduced in The National Home Fashions.League's While we, like everyone else, favor New York in many years. From the New York Chapter honored the New relieving excessive pedestrian very beginning of the project it fell to York Landmarks Conservancy last congestion, we are opposed to us as architects to work together with month by presenting its "Big Apple mandating a certain number of square your admirable urban design staff and Award" to Landmarks Conservancy feet of pedestrian space through consultants to try out, to test, the chairman Brendan Gill ... Haines sidewalk widening, corner circulation daylight diagram proposals, and the Lundberg Waehler have been space, arcades, corner arcades, and result will be that daylight on the commissioned by City Investing through-block connections. To be streets henceforth will be for the Company to plan and design 660,000 specific, we are totally opposed to public the most vividly perceived square feet of interior space at regulations that could require a outcome of this whole exercise. Building A in the Battery Park City developer to widen the sidewalk for commercial complex. Cooper, Eckstut anything less than the full block front. These, then, are our observations, Associates prepared the design Widened sidewalks on most side which we submit to augment those guidelines for the Battery Park streets, where congestion is not a contained in the Statement of the commercial core .... HL W were also problem, would be particularly Presidents' Council. We shall be very commissioned by the U.S. Army Corps undesirable. The street wall must not willing, and on short notice, to consult of Engineers Baltimore District to be broken by jogs in the building with you and the Department staff design the Systems Design Center for front: the continuity of the street wall about possible implementation of our the U.S. Army Computer Systems is imperative, and a wall is not a street recommendations in the Report you Command at Fort Belvoir, Virginia wall when it is set back ten feet next will send to the Board of Estimate. We .... Rizzoli honored Robert A.M. Stern to a building at the lot line. New York know the time is short. last month on the publication of his is an accumulation of an enormous Bui/,dings and Projects 1965-1980 .... variety of buildings, and it is our Also last month Margot Gayle, streets that hold it all together. We president of Friends of Cast Iron are against arcades as being Architecture, presented the annual demonstrably ineffectual. Certificate of Commendation to five officials of the Department of Parks We have a relatively minor but and Recreation "for preserving and important criticism regarding the renewing the historic ironwork in Regulations for Residential Uses. We Central Park." .... NYC/AIA believe that the bonusable provisions members have been invited to for recreational space for residential participate in the Long Island occupants is unrealistic and Chapter/AIA's 1982 Architectural unworkable, that the minimum 5000 Design Awards Program "for .square feet, as well as the minimum excellence in Long Island roof setback and minimum roof deck architecture." March 12 is the size are far too large for small deadline for submitting entry blanks, buildings. March 26 the deadline for receipt of entries (see calendar).