Source: New York Times, Zachary Small
Photo: The Trump administration wants federal buildings to look more like the U.S. Supreme Court, with its Corinthian columns, than the Brutalist architecture seen elsewhere in Washington. (Stefani Reynolds for The New York Times)

The order, which affects buildings like federal courthouses and agency headquarters, encourages classical styles rather than modernist aesthetics.

President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday that requires federal buildings in Washington to maintain a classical style of Greco-Roman architecture associated with the marble columns and austere hallways of the Supreme Court and U.S. Capitol.

The new guidelines, which the White House has framed as “making federal architecture beautiful again,” also discourage federal construction projects nationwide from choosing modernist styles like Brutalism.

“Because of their proven ability to meet these requirements, classical and traditional architecture are preferred modes of architectural design,” the executive order said. It added, “Major emphasis should be placed on the choice of designs that embody architectural excellence.”

Architects had expected the new rules for some months, ever since the White House released a memorandum in January calling for federal buildings to respect “classical architectural heritage.” It was a throwback to an executive order that Mr. Trump passed in the final weeks of his first administration and was later rescinded by President Joseph R. Biden Jr.

“Architecture should be of its moment,” said Liz Waytkus, the executive director of Docomomo US, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving 20th-century architecture. “It seems the current administration wants to look back and not forward.”

The executive order said that George Washington and Thomas Jefferson modeled buildings in Washington, including the White House, on the architecture of ancient Athens and Rome.

“They sought to use classical architecture to visually connect our contemporary Republic with the antecedents of democracy in classical antiquity, reminding citizens not only of their rights but also their responsibilities in maintaining and perpetuating its institutions,” the order said.

The new guidelines will affect several federal projects, according to Justin Shubow, president of the National Civic Art Society, a nonprofit that helped draft the executive order. He said the designs for new courthouses in places like Hartford, Conn., and Chattanooga, Tenn., would need to follow the executive order. In recent years, courthouses with a modern style have opened in cities like San Antonio, Texas, and Harrisburg, Pa.

“For too long, federal architecture has been in a dismal state,” Shubow said in a statement that refers to Mr. Trump. “Recognizing the public’s disdain of our more recent government buildings, he is ensuring that new edifices will be beautiful, dignified, and admired by the common person. Federal buildings will be once again noble symbols of our democracy.”

The White House has taken measures in recent months to exert more control over the design and planning of federal architecture. It has eyed plans for the redevelopment of southwestern Washington, where several buildings are under consideration for disposal, meaning they could be torn down and replaced. Those include the James V. Forrestal Building, which houses the Department of Energy, and the Jamie L. Whitten Building, where the Department of Agriculture resides.

In July, Mr. Trump also appointed three administration officials to the National Capital Planning Commission, which advances the government’s interest in the development of Washington by overseeing federal land. (The commission has traditionally included architects, urban planners and engineers.) New appointees included William Scharf as the commission’s chairman; he is also one of Mr. Trump’s personal lawyers and the White House staff secretary.

The commission has since taken aim at Jerome Powell, the chair of the Federal Reserve, over a $700 million renovation to his department’s building that has been proceeding since 2021. James Blair, a new planning commissioner and the White House’s deputy chief of staff, has referred to the headquarters as the “Taj Mahal on the National Mall.”

The president also announced a ballroom expansion to the White House in July, which is being overseen by the architect James McCrery II, another founding member of the National Civic Art Society.

Preservationists worry that the new executive order is encoding a distaste for Brutalism, which was a popular style of architecture in the postwar era during a boom in the construction of public projects like universities, libraries and administrative offices. Architects closely associated with the style, including Paul Rudolph and Marcel Breuer, advanced the use of exposed concrete to build functional spaces of openness and warmth. Critics, however, have frequently described the style as cold and elitist.

It was frequently used in federal complexes like the J. Edgar Hoover Building, which opened north of the National Mall in the 1970s to negative reviews that described it as “arrogant” and “overbearing.”

The General Services Administration and the F.B.I. have announced they would be leaving the Hoover Building because of its dilapidated structure and aging water system. Michael Peters, the G.S.A.’s public buildings service commissioner, said in a statement that the complex had more than $300 million in deferred maintenance costs.

Some preservationists have expressed skepticism about those costs, saying that the federal government has generally been a good steward of its buildings.

“They are allowed their opinions, but this is a taste argument,” Waytkus said. “Where it gets more challenging and disturbing is when that is dictated by the federal government.”

Zachary Small is a Times reporter writing about the art world’s relationship to money, politics and technology.

A version of this article appears in print on Aug. 30, 2025, Section C, Page 8 of the New York edition with the headline: Federal Architecture Is Facing a Redesign.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/arts/design/trump-executive-order-architecture-federal-buildings

Source: Daily Passport, Fiona Mokry
Photo: Felix Lipov/Shutterstock

You don’t need to travel all the way to Europe to find a fairy-tale castle. Although castles aren’t nearly as common in the U.S. as they are across the pond, there are still a handful of notable castles to discover from coast to coast — as long as you know where to look. We’ve narrowed your search down to a list of the 13 most incredible castles you can visit without leaving the U.S.

In the early 1900s, millionaire George C. Boldt set out to build a spectacular medieval-style castle on Heart Island, part of the Thousand Islands archipelago on New York’s northern border. The magnate, who was also the proprietor of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, shaped the island itself into a heart and built his namesake castle as an expression of his love for his wife. He was planning to gift the castle to her, but in 1904, Boldt’s beloved wife tragically died. Bereft, Boldt immediately stopped construction on the castle and never returned to the island. The castle sat there, unfinished, for more than 70 years, until the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority bought the property in 1977 and began restoring it for future generations. Accessible by water taxi, Boldt Castle is open for self-guided tours from mid-May through mid-October.

Montezuma Castle – Camp Verde, Arizona

This Arizona “castle” is probably unlike any castle you have ever seen. For starters, it’s tucked into the side of a cliff, where it has been sitting for more than 800 years. Built by the Sinagua peoples around 1100 CE, the pueblo palace contains about 45 to 50 rooms, but unfortunately visitors won’t be able to get inside to count them. Since 1951, Montezuma Castle has been off-limits to the public, as looters and time have rendered it too fragile for it to be safe. You can still climb up to peer in the windows, though, as you imagine what life must have been like back when it was built.

Castello di Amorosa – Napa Valley, California

If you’ve always wanted to visit Italy but your budget doesn’t allow for it, then consider heading to Castello di Amorosa in California’s Napa Valley wine country. Visiting this castle is like strolling through Tuscany hundreds of years ago — but many visitors don’t realize that it was completed far more recently, in 2007, after a 14-year-long building period. Built by Dario Sattui, the great-grandson of an Italian immigrant, this 107-room castle is a love letter to Italian culture, as well as a thriving vineyard and winery.

Scotty’s Castle – Death Valley, California

Located in California’s Death Valley, Scotty’s Castle has an interesting history — one marked by falsehoods. According to legend, the castle was built by Walter Scott, also known as “Death Valley Scotty.” He told everyone that he had built the castle with a fortune he had gained from a collection of secret mines nearby. In reality, though, the castle was built by wealthy couple Albert and Bessie Johnson, who used it as a vacation home. Scott was a friend of the family, though, and the castle today bears his name — even if records show no evidence that he ever actually visited it.
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Bannerman Castle – Pollepel Island, New York

Of all the castles in the United States, Bannerman Castle arguably looks the most like an authentic castle from Europe, if only for the fact that it is now in ruins. The castle was built in 1901 by Francis Bannerman VI on Pollepel Island, an island that was once considered to be haunted. This was an ideal place for the owner of a military surplus company to build a fortress in which to store all the weapons he stockpiled during the Civil and Spanish Wars. Unfortunately, there may have been some sort of curse on the island after all — in 1967, the castle was destroyed by a fire, turning it into a collection of beautiful ruins.

Iolani Palace – Honolulu, Hawaii

While most of the castles in the United States were built by wealthy private citizens, Iolani Palace in Honolulu, Hawaii, is the only one that served as an official royal residence. It was built in the early 1880s by Hawaii’s King Kalakaua, one of the last monarchs to reign over the islands. The very last was his sister, Queen Liliuokalani, who ruled Hawaii after him and lived in the palace he had built. After the monarchy was overthrown in 1893 with the goal of annexation of Hawaii to the United States, the castle was kept up and restored, so now it still looks much like it did back then.

Belvedere Castle – New York, New York

If you’re not a New Yorker, you may not have realized there’s a castle tucked into the city’s most famous park. Belvedere Castle was built by Calvert Vaux in 1869 as a way to welcome visitors to the sprawling park he helped design. The miniature castle atop Vista Rock looks out onto Central Park’s Great Lawn and gives visitors the opportunity to take in fantastic views. In fact, the view is so great that it gave the castle its name — the name Belvedere means “beautiful view” in Italian. But the castle isn’t just beautiful to look at — it’s also functional. The National Weather Service takes advantage of its location to take measurements of wind speed, rainfall amount, and temperature for its forecasts.

Lyndhurst Mansion – Tarrytown, New York

Occupying a 67-acre park on the banks of the Hudson River, the Lyndhurst Mansion is one of America’s most outstanding examples of Gothic Revival architecture. Its construction spanned more than a century, with three wealthy New York City families contributing to the castle standing today. First commissioned in 1838 by former New York City Mayor and U.S. Congressman William Paulding, the estate was once dubbed “Paulding’s Folly” due to its elaborate and exaggerated turrets and unbalanced dimensions. In 1864, wealthy merchant George Merritt took over the mansion and brought back its original architect, Alexander Jackson Davis, to update and expand the grounds. He also planted Linden trees around the house, spawning the present-day name, Lyndhurst Mansion. Finally, railroad tycoon Jay Gould purchased the property in 1880 and spent summers there with his family until his death in 1892. Gould’s daughters, Helen and Anna, maintained the mansion and added a pool and bowling alley. Eventually, they turned it into a community space for disadvantaged youth and American military soldiers. In 1965, the castle opened as a museum and historic site.

Coral Castle – Miami-Dade County, Florida

The unconventional Coral Castle, located in unincorporated Miami-Dade County near Leisure City, attracts many visitors due to the bizarre story of its construction. Legend has it that eccentric engineer Edward Leedskalnin single handedly built his mysterious abode secretly and at night, without the use of modern construction. Between 1923 and 1951, Leedskalnin claimed to have moved 1,100 tons of stones and hand-carved them to create his fantasy castle, dedicated to his former fiance Agnes Scuffs, who he said broke his heart. No one officially witnessed the construction of the castle. When Leedskalnin was questioned how he was able to build the two-story estate and stone sculpture garden, his response was simply that he “knew the secret of the pyramids,” according to the castle’s website. Perhaps even more miraculously, the builder started his project in Florida City, but decided to relocate to Homestead in 1936 after learning of the planned construction of a subdivision in Florida City. He disassembled his home, moved it with trucks, and reconstructed it again — where it remains standing as a peculiar tourist attraction today.

Fonthill Castle – Doylestown, Pennsylvania

Fonthill Castle, the estate of Henry Chapman Mercer, sits on a manicured lawn surrounded by soaring trees in a small borough located 33 miles north of Philadelphia. Mercer — an accomplished archaeologist, anthropologist, ceramist, scholar, and antiquarian — lived in Fonthill Castle after its completion in 1912, but the purpose of its construction was mainly to showcase his collection of handmade tiles, prints, and artifacts collected from his world travels. The castle’s architecture blends Medieval, Gothic, and Byzantine styles, resulting in an eclectic appearance further embellished by Mercer’s own art and creativity. An impressive 44 rooms, 18 fireplaces, 32 staircases, and 200 windows compose Fonthill Castle. The primary building material — concrete — is used liberally from the foundation to the stairs and even the built-in furniture. A visit to the castle is best combined with a stop at the Mercer Museum, located a mile away from the castle.
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Gillette Castle – Lyme, Connecticut

If you thought Gillette Castle looked like a medieval European fortress, you’d be right. William Hooker Gillette — the son of U.S. Senator Francis Gillette and an actor, director, and playwright in his own right — designed this spectacular abode to closely resemble a medieval European castle. The main structure took five years to build from 1914 to 1919, and many additions and updates were added in the years following. Located on the southernmost hill in the group known as Seven Sisters, Williman fondly referred to his 184-acre estate as the “Seventh Sister.” Some of the castle’s outstanding features include 47 doors (none of which are exactly alike), a train and three miles of train tracks, built-in couches, and wood-carved light switches. While exploring the grounds, visitors can also hunt for hidden mirrors and secret tunnels.

The Breakers – Newport, Rhode Island

Newport is famous for its lavish mansions built during the Gilded Age by the country’s wealthiest families. Many were used as summer cottages by financiers from New York City and the surrounding areas, but most were abandoned or demolished in the 1920s with the start of the Great Depression and World War I. Today, many of these mansions are maintained by the Preservation Society of Newport County, and the Breakers is by far the most visited. Built by Cornelius Vanderbilt II, the 62,482-square-foot oceanfront mansion boasts a castle-like Italian Renaissance exterior, a grandiose open-air courtyard, European-made tile mosaics, crystal chandeliers, gold trimming throughout, and even diamonds embedded in the walls. Today, you can visit and tour the Breakers and imagine the lavish lifestyle of the 19th century’s social elite.

Hearst Castle – San Simeon, California

Perched amongst the elevated ranchlands of California’s Big Sur region, Hearst Castle served as a retreat for the iconic newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst. In 1919, Hearst inherited 40,000 acres of farmland from his father George Hearst, and he dubbed it La Cuesta Encantada (“The Enchanted Hill”). The construction of Hearst Castle spanned decades and included 165 rooms, the largest privately owned zoo in the world at the time, two pools constructed with imported statues of Roman deities, and over a hundred acres of gardens, paths, and pools. Hearst and architect Julia Morgan had still not completed their masterpiece in 1947, when the tycoon had to leave the residence due to failing health. Today, visitors come to this hilltop mansion not only to soak up the castle’s grandeur, but also to enjoy the serene views over rolling green hills and the Pacific Ocean.

https://dailypassport.com/incredible-castles-in-the-us

Source: Fast Company, Nate Berg
Photo: Getty Images

A new Slack group is uniting a typically competitive industry.

As wildfires tore through neighborhoods across the Los Angeles area this month, the city’s large architecture and design community found itself in an uncomfortable state of anticipation. With thousands of homes destroyed, architects in L.A. know that they’ll soon be called upon to help some people rebuild.

That’s how more than 350 L.A. area designers have found themselves members of “Rebuild LA Architecture,” a workspace in the online communication platform Slack where architects, interior designers, and contractors are sharing resources and information about what it takes to design and build in the aftermath of fire. For a field often defined by competition, these designers are collectively wrapping their heads around the recovery to come.

The Slack workspace was created by Aaron Leshtz, an L.A. native and cofounder of the architecture firm AAHA Studio. In the days after the fires broke out, Leshtz’s friend and fellow architect, Rachel Shillander, had posted on her Instagram account asking if any L.A. area architects and designers wanted to talk through the implications of the Eaton and Palisades fires and how the design community could play a role in the recovery. A Zoom call was set up, and hundreds of people logged in. “With this particular disaster and being in such a concentrated city of designers and architects like Los Angeles, I think we all realized, oh, we’re in a very unique position to be able to help,” Leshtz says.

In an effort to help formalize the conversation, Leshtz posted a link to the Zoom’s chat inviting people to join a free Slack workspace and share thoughts and resources. They swarmed in. “Within three or four days it was almost 300 people,” Leshtz says. “So now I’m in charge of a very large Slack group.”

https://www.fastcompany.com/91266705/architecture-la-fires-slack-group

Source: CNBC, Celia Fernandez and Mickey Todiwala
Photo: The train car features a sitting area, kitchenette, gas potbelly stove, bathroom and king-sized bed in the bedroom. (CNBC Make It)

When Deary, Idaho native Isaac French’s dad saw an abandoned train car on a neighbor’s farm, he knew there was potential for something great.

The car, built in the 1900s, had been sitting in the same spot for decades. The wood was rotting, algae was growing and there were about 20 cats living inside, French, 27, tells CNBC Make It.

Train car number 306 originally ran on the Washington Idaho & Montana Railway from 1909 until the 1950s.

It took several years, but in 2020 the family purchased the train car for just $3,000.

″[My dad] had the faith and the vision for it and I’m so glad he did,” French says. “There’s something so rewarding about taking an old structure that was so lovingly built, and breathing life back into it.”

It also took quite a bit of time for the family to find someone willing to move the 61-feet-long structure to their 145-acre piece of land.

“It’s just a beautiful, secluded place in nature,” French says. “We chose the highest point on our property so that we could capture these epic views.”

The move cost around $10,000.

The family then spent $137,000 and six months renovating the structure that they intended to use as an Airbnb. Expenses included building a platform, refurbishing the floors, adding a bathroom, landscaping, and furniture.

French, his parents and his siblings did most of the work themselves, restoring the train car to mimic the original design. They hired subcontractor friends for the HVAC and electrical work.

French hand-painted the lettering on the exterior of the car based on an old photo they found. The train car even has its original windows.

“In the summer, we open these up, let the breeze blow through the car. It’s just beautiful. In hay season, you smell the rye grass wafting through the car,” French says.

To make the train car livable, French and his family converted the passenger room into a sitting area, added a kitchenette, and a gas potbelly stove.

They built a bathroom with a barn door and outfitted the train car’s former mailroom into a bedroom with a king-sized bed.

“Our guests absolutely love it. They wake up in the morning and look straight out onto these beautiful panoramic views of the countryside. It’s a really epic place to sleep,” French says.

“The idea is to reflect the nature surroundings. Since we had these beautiful pine trees and this spectacular view, we thought it would be a cool juxtaposition of new and old,” French says.

Finding success on Airbnb

Despite being in the middle of nowhere, the train car was an instant hit on Airbnb. The listing became one of the most successful Airbnb locations in the country, according to Fast Company.

It costs between $325 and $350 a night to stay in the Restored 1909 Train Carriage.

“What I love about it the most is that there is a sense of history and a story that’s already built in,” French says.

In the first year, the train car had 90% occupancy and $14,179 in revenue. Since then, revenue has increased to between $75,000 and $90,000 a year, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It. This year, French says it’s projected to bring in $105,000.

In 2023, the train car was booked for 231 nights on Airbnb. It has about a 65% profit margin, with 30 to 35% of overall revenue going towards cleaning costs, ongoing small maintenance and repairs, property taxes, and insurance.

The family knows they could raise the price per night of the train car’s stay, but French says they don’t plan on doing that because they find it fulfilling to play hosts to people from all over who want to experience a piece of history.

“How many old buildings and old stories and old train cars are just sitting out there waiting to be discovered and loved,” French says. “And I think that’s the key. You have to have some love and some inspiration to participate in a project like this and breathe new life into it.”

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/12/05/idaho-train-car-airbnb

Source: Dezeen, Tom Ravenscroft
Photo: Maurice King

Following the news that construction has begun on the world’s largest building in Saudi Arabia, we have rounded up 10 record-breaking structures, including the tallest, the narrowest and the heaviest.

Largest building: Boeing Everett Factory (1967)

Although the Mukaab in Saudi Arabia is set to become the world’s largest building, the current record-holder is the Boeing Everett Factory in the USA, which was built in 1967.

With a volume of 13,400,000 cubic metres, the building was built for the construction of Boeing 747 planes and has been expanded several times since. Around 5,000 aircraft have been built at the facility.

Tallest building: Burj Khalifa (2009)

Rising 828 metres above Dubai, the Burj Khalifa skyscraper became the tallest building in the world by a huge margin when it was completed in 2009.

Designed by architect Adrian Smith while at SOM, the landmark structure is now the centrepiece of a large shopping development in the city’s downtown area. Fifteen years after the building was completed it is still close to 200 metres taller than any other building in the world.

Narrowest house: Keret House (2012)

The world’s narrowest house is squeezed into a gap between two buildings in the centre of Warsaw. Named Keret House, the unique building was designed by Polish architect Jakub Szczesny as a temporary home for travelling writers.

Raised on stilts, the steel-framed, two-storey house is just 122 centimetres across at its widest point.

Tallest home: Antilia (2010)

At 173 metres high, the 27-storey Antilia building is the world’s tallest single residence. The 6,070-square-metre home was designed by architecture studio Perkins & Will for Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, although shortly after completion it was reported that he had chosen not to live in it full time.

The building contains nine high-speed lifts, a 50-seat theatre, several terrace gardens, swimming pools, a spa and health centre, temple, three helipads and a garage for 168 cars.

Heaviest building: the Palace of the Parliament (1997)

Designed by architect Anca Petrescu for Romanian president Nicolae Ceaușescu, the vast Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest, Romania, is believed to be the world’s heaviest building.

Weighing just over four million tons, the building opened in 1997 and now contains the Romanian Parliament. Its huge weight is causing the building to sink by around six millimetres per year.

Biggest cantilever: One Za’abeel (2024)

Earlier this year the mixed-use One Za’abeel skyscrapers by Japanese studio Nikken Sekkei completed in Dubai. The development includes two skyscrapers connected by a horizontal structure called The Link.

This structure, which is dramatically suspended 100 metres above a highway and topped by a pool, projects out 67.5 metres to create the world’s longest cantilever.

Largest office building: Surat Diamond Bourse (2023)

Recently overtaking the Pentagon near Washington DC, which had held the title since it was completed in 1943, the Surat Diamond Bourse is now officially the world’s largest office.

The 660,000-square-metre office building on the outskirts of Surat in India was designed by architecture studio Morphogenesis to be a “city within a city”. It holds the world’s largest community of diamond traders.

Skinniest skyscraper: Steinway Tower (2022)

Over the past decade a series of super skinny skyscrapers have appeared on the New York skyline, and the skinniest of them all is the Steinway Tower, also known as 111 West 57th Street, by SHoP Architects.

With a height-to-width ratio of 24:1, the 435-metre-high residential tower is the world’s skinniest skyscraper. The building contains 60 apartments that each occupy an entire floor.

Largest stadium: Narendra Modi Stadium (2020)

With a capacity of 132,000, the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, has the largest capacity of any stadium in the world.

Opened in 2020 and designed by architecture studio Populous, the giant stadium was designed to host domestic and international cricket matches and has two distinct tiers that encircle the whole ground.

Tallest timber building: Ascent (2022)

The 25-storey Ascent tower in Milwaukee, USA, officially became the world’s tallest timber building when it completed in 2022.

The 86.6-metre-tall mass-timber tower was designed by Korb + Associates Architects. It has a concrete base and lift core, with the main structure made from glulam and cross-laminated timber.

However, with Michael Green Architecture, Icon Architects, Schmidt Hammer Lassen and Fraser & Partners all working on plans for taller mass-timber structures, it may not hold the title for long.

https://www.dezeen.com/2024/10/25/record-breaking-buildings-biggest-tallest-narrowest

Source: Dezeen, Amy Peacock
Photo: Courtesy of RSHP

British studio RSHP has received planning consent to build cylindrical housing blocks within Victorian gas holders at the Bromley-by-Bow Gasworks in London.

RSHP’s plans to redevelop the gasworks will include refurbishing the Grade II-listed gas holder frames, which date back to the 1870s, and building residential buildings within and around them.

The redevelopment, which was approved by the London Borough of Newham’s Strategic Development Committee, will reopen the site the the public after being inaccessible for 150 years.

“RSHP’s design for the 23-acre Bromley-by-Bow Gasworks site, home of the biggest collection of Victorian gas holders anywhere in the world, unlocks one of the most technically complex regeneration areas in the Lower Lea Valley,” said the studio.

“The experience of being close to these majestic structures, inaccessible for so long and which sit centre-stage within this unique mixed-use development, will now be available to all,” added RSHP associate partner Andy Bryce.

“The proposal will create a lasting and meaningful legacy for Londoners that extends far beyond the site.”

Two building typologies will be built on the brownfield site. Seven gas holder buildings rising from four to 10 storeys tall will be located inside each of the existing gas holder frames.

Six slimmer cylindrical buildings, ranging from 15 to 33 storeys tall, will also be built at the edges of the site.

The 13 residential buildings will have faceted exteriors decorated with vertical strips of colour.

“Form, height and material characteristics of the proposed buildings within the gas holders take their cues from the frames themselves, preserving their memorable image, silhouetted against the sky as icons of an industrial past,” said the studio.

A water feature will be added to the centre of the site, set within the footprint of a former gas holder that was destroyed during world war two.

One of the gas holders’ substructures will be relocated next to the water feature and used as a community hub, aiming to provide additional public space that is connected to a park by pedestrian and cycle paths.

“The proposal will create a new neighbourhood for east London within a unique urban composition, sited within an extensive riverside park,” said RSHP senior director Graham Stirk.

“The project creates a fantastic place for people to live and work, as well as a new leisure destination for all.”

Construction is planned to commence in 2025, following the finalisation of a Section 106 planning agreement.

Other projects involving some of London’s gas holders include WilkinsonEyre’s conversion of three Victorian gas holders into luxury apartments and Avanton’s proposal to build an alligator park within a gas holder structure.

The images are courtesy of RSHP.

Project credits:

Architect: RSHP
Development manager: St William Homes
Structural engineer: Ramboll
Mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineer: Ramboll
Landscape architect: Gillespies
Community consultation: Iceni
Planning consultants: Quod
Heritage and townscape: Montagu Evans

https://www.dezeen.com/2024/07/11/bromley-by-bow-gasworks-rshp-london

Source: History Facts, Kerry Hinton
Photo: Graphic House/Archive Photos via Getty Images

The Brill Building isn’t just an art deco structure in midtown Manhattan — it’s also the name of a musical genre. Throughout the early and mid-1960s, the “Brill Building sound” became synonymous with groundbreaking pop music. The heyday of the Brill Building era was short-lived, but in one six-year span, the songwriters, arrangers, musicians, and producers behind this sound contributed to hundreds of Billboard Hot 100 hits, including “Stand By Me” (Ben E. King, 1962), “One Fine Day” (the Chiffons, 1963), and “Be My Baby” (the Ronettes, 1963).

Located at 1619 Broadway in New York City, the Brill Building was a hub of songwriters, record labels, and recording studios, all under one roof. It built on the tradition of the “Tin Pan Alley” district before it — a concentration of music publishers and studios in a strip of Manhattan that dominated the music industry in the big-band era. But while their downtown predecessors were mainly concerned with the profits produced by pumping out sheet music for radio hits, the writers and producers at the Brill Building were also on a mission of artistic idealism. Their compositions drew inspiration from classical music, Latin music, traditional Black gospel, and rhythm and blues to create songs that appealed to an audience already hungry for the new sound of rock ’n’ roll. The assembled talent was a once-in-a-generation roster of songwriters, including Burt Bacharach and Hal David, Gerry Goffin and Carole King, and Neil Diamond. Together, they produced sophisticated songs that were directly aimed at a new, youthful generation and a powerful rising subculture: teenagers.By the mid-’60s, an increasing number of artists — such as the Beatles and Bob Dylan — began composing and playing their own material, making the songwriter-for-hire less of a necessity. As Dylan wrote in 1985, “Tin Pan Alley is gone. I put an end to it. People can record their own songs now.” This may be true, but the creators behind the Brill Building sound helped make the ascent of these singer-songwriters possible. Here are five ways the Brill Building shaped popular music in the 20th century.

It Pioneered “Assembly-Line Pop”

The Brill Building employed a model of vertical integration that supervised every phase of a song’s life cycle, from production to distribution, all under one roof. The 11 floors of 1619 Broadway and a few surrounding buildings became a one-stop shop where a songwriter could pen a would-be hit, sell it to a publisher, find a band, and cut a demo. Songs could even be played for radio promoters in the building to garner airplay. This new type of streamlined hitmaking — often called “assembly line pop” — gave publishers and producers a huge pool of material to choose from and encouraged creative collaboration, merging art and commerce in a new way.

It Created Sophisticated Music

At the Brill Building, songcraft mattered. Some of the most interesting and popular songs of the era were written at Aldon Music, one of the music publishing companies in the building. Its founders, Al Nevins and Don Kirshner (“Al” and “Don”), had a plan: to take the spirit of classic Tin Pan Alley songwriting (catchy melodies with commercial appeal) and create well-crafted songs aimed at young people, an increasingly lucrative market. Kirshner had already enjoyed some success writing jingles with his high-school friend Bobby Darin, and after acquiring the talents of the experienced songwriting team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller (the writers behind “Hound Dog” and “Jailhouse Rock”), he convinced the more experienced Nevins to partner with him.The music may have been aimed at the youth market, but Aldon’s songwriters employed lyrics that addressed bleak social conditions (“We Gotta Get Out of This Place”) and tragedy (“Leader of the Pack”). The arrangements and production were innovative as well. Songs such as the echo-drenched Phil Spector-produced “River Deep, Mountain High” (performed by Tina Turner) showcased new directions in arrangements and production techniques.
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It Showcased Young Talent

The Brill Building sound was created for young people, by young people. In 1962, the oldest of Aldon’s songwriters was just 26 years old. Many of the Brill Building songwriters were only slightly older than their songs’ subjects, making their perspective especially accessible to young audiences. At the age of 20, Carole King wrote the No. 1 hit “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” — recorded and released by the Shirelles in 1960 — with her husband Gerry Goffin. Little Eva, their babysitter, sang the smash hit “The Loco-Motion” (which King and Goffin also wrote) when she was just 17.

It Boosted Women Songwriters

Before the Brill Building era, popular songwriting was basically a boys’ club. This changed with the arrival of female songwriters such as Carole King, Ellie Greenwich (“Then He Kissed Me,” 1963), and Cynthia Weil (“You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” 1964), although their husbands were named first in the songwriting credits. In addition to writing dozens of hits, these women proved that they were equally capable in the recording studio as arrangers and producers.

It Helped Integrate Popular Music

The Brill Building songwriters made rock ’n’ roll popular with mainstream teenage America. Although the majority of writers were white, they all had been influenced by the melting pot of musical styles they heard on the fire escapes and in the clubs of New York City. The result was a hybrid sound that blended genres and often had crossover appeal, finding success on both pop and R&B charts. Songwriters often specifically wrote for Black female artists such as Dionne Warwick, the Ronettes, and the Crystals, using arrangements that gave their music mainstream appeal. This unique musical style united listeners from different backgrounds and opened people’s eyes to the possibility of a biracial popular culture.

https://historyfacts.com/arts-culture/article/how-the-brill-building-changed-pop-music

Source: Dezeen, Ellen Eberhardt
Photo: SHoP Architects

German car brand Mercedes-Benz has unveiled its first branded skyscraper in North America created in collaboration with SHoP Architects and informed by a philosophy of “sensual purity”.

Mercedes-Benz Places is a planned 67-storey, mixed-used skyscraper under construction in the Brickell neighbourhood of Miami.

Developed by JDS Development Group (JDS), the building was designed collaboratively between New York studio SHoP Architects and the Mercedes-Benz design team.

At 2.5 million square feet (232,257 square metres) it will be one of the largest projects currently under construction in Florida, according to the project team.

The development will also include a “reimagining” of Miami’s Southside Park by American landscape studio Field Operations, which sits nearby.

Renderings of the building show multiple rectangular volumes stacked in alternating, perpendicular directions. Curved-corner balconies line each floor of the building’s exterior, with larger terraces tucked between spaces created by the structure’s arrangement.

A residential portion will host 791 Merecedes-Benz-branded residences, ranging from studios to 3-bedroom condominiums.

The remaining square footage will have 200,000 square feet (18,580 square metres) of office space, health and fitness facilities, a hotel, retail space and 130,000 square feet (12,077 square metres) of amenities.

The shape of the tower was informed by the Mercedes-Benz design philosophy of “sensual purity”, which it described as a “symbiosis of intelligence and emotion”.

“Our distinctive style is Sensual Purity,” said Mercedes-Benz chief design officer Gordan Wagener.

“This philosophy, based on the duality of emotion and intelligence, consists of a hot and a cool pole.”

He said that the influence of the technical work of German design group Bauhaus still resonates with the firm’s building design, informing the “cool” pole.

“The emotional side of Sensual Purity is characterised by free-flowing, elliptical lines and shapes inspired by nature,” added the team.

According to the team, the tower’s multiple balconies were designed to “capture the light in a wide variety of ways”.

A “technical silver” will be the building’s dominating colour, with black-and-white details informed by classic Mercedes-Benz colours. A large Merecedes-Benz logo will be affixed to the building’s entrance.

The development will include a refurbishment of Brickell’s Southside Park, which sits at the base of the tower.

“In addition to changing the residential landscape, Mercedes-Benz Places in Miami will transform the Brickell neighbourhood,” said the team.

“Key to this will be reimagining Southside Park as an urban oasis. With its canopy of trees and native vegetation, such as mango trees and shortleaf figs, the project aims to create a healthy living space.”

According to the team, foundation work has broken ground and occupancy is planned to start in 2027.

“As JDS Development Group and Mercedes-Benz work together, Mercedes-Benz Places in Miami will emerge as a symbol of excellence, innovation, and a timeless presence in Miami,” said the team.

The project marks the fourth collaboration created by JDS and SHoP Architects, with others including the recently completed Brooklyn Tower and two “dancing” copper-clad towers in New York.

Merecedes-Benz recently unveiled its first branded skyscraper in Dubai, while car brand Bentley also shared its designs for oceanfront residences located in Miami, which will feature a car elevator that takes vehicles directly up to individual apartments.

The images are courtesy of the JDS Development Group by the Boundary.

https://www.dezeen.com/2024/02/28/mercedes-benz-first-us-residential-skyscraper-miami

Source: Daily Passport, Daily Passport Team
Photo: Frennet Studio/ Shutterstock

There are few American landmarks more instantly recognizable than Mount Rushmore. The majestic visages of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln draw over 2 million visitors every year to the Black Hills of South Dakota. While many of them simply admire the stunning monument from afar, what many don’t realize is that there’s a hidden, inaccessible room built into the rocks behind President Lincoln’s head. Find out why it exists and what’s inside the secret chamber at Mount Rushmore.

Building the Monument

In 1927, construction began in the Black Hills National Forest to sculpt the faces of four U.S. Presidents into the side of a mountain. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum led the project with 400 workers under his management. After 14 years, almost $1 million (equivalent to $15 million today), and the removal of 450,000 tons of rock, Mount Rushmore was finally completed and opened to the public in 1941. When the project first began, Borglum had even bigger plans for the sculpture — and technically, Mount Rushmore isn’t even halfway complete according to the sculptor’s vision. In Borglum’s original plan, he wanted to depict the four presidents from the waist up. He mocked up a 1/12-scale model of the completed monument, which can still be seen on display in his studio.

The Hall of Records

In addition to depicting the Presidents from the waist up, Borglum had another grand idea for the monument. He wanted to construct a Hall of Records to house the most important documents and artifacts in American history. The proposed room measured 80 by 100 feet and was supposed to be drilled into the mountain behind the presidential heads. To get to the hall, Borglum wanted an 800-foot granite staircase reaching the top of the mountain. Bronze and glass cabinets would be placed in alcoves all around the room to house important artifacts such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. There would also be busts of several famous Americans and a list of American contributions to science, arts, and industry. At the grand entrance to the hall there was to be a massive bronze eagle with a 38-foot wingspan. Clearly, Borglum was prepared to spare no expense to make Mount Rushmore the grandest monument in America.

Construction Stops

In 1941, two major events happened: Gutzon Borglum died and the United States entered World War II. Initially, Borglum’s son, Lincoln, took over the management of the project, but once the U.S. officially entered the war in December of 1941, all construction ceased since the money used to build the monument was used towards the war effort. Luckily, the faces of the presidents had been completed, so the monument didn’t look unfinished. The Hall of Records, however, wasn’t so lucky. The team had blasted a 70-foot tunnel into the rock behind Lincoln’s head and began to carve away some of the walls before construction stopped. The tunnel was left unfinished with jagged walls that ended in an anticlimactic point.

Work Begins Again

Decades after construction stopped, a team returned to Mount Rushmore in 1998 to put the finishing touches on the Hall of Records. Sixteen porcelain enamel panels were inscribed with the words of the Declaration of Independence, a biography of Gutzon Borglum along with each of the presidents depicted, and a history of the memorial’s construction and the United States. The panels were placed in a box, sealed in a titanium vault, and lowered into the ground inside the unfinished Hall of Records. A 1,200-pound piece of black granite was placed over the hole with a quotation from Borglum written on it: “… let us place there, carved high, as close to heaven as we can, the words of our leaders, their faces, to show posterity what manner of men they were. Then breathe a prayer that these records will endure until the wind and the rain alone shall wear them away.” Although the Hall of Records was never completed in the grand way that it was envisioned, it has become a shrine dedicated to Borglum and his passion for his country. Unfortunately, it’s impossible for tourists to reach the secret room due to the difficulty of climbing the mountain. Perhaps that will ensure its survival for centuries to come.

https://dailypassport.com/inside-secret-chamber-mount-rushmore

Source: Daily Passport, Bradley O’Neill
Photo: Hemis/Alamy Stock Photo

Who doesn’t love staying at a luxury hotel? And when that hotel has a storied past, it can make your stay a bit more intriguing than your typical getaway. Even if you aren’t a history buff, you may appreciate knowing that you stayed in the same room as a Hollywood celebrity or wandered the same halls as a former President. Check into 10 of the most beautiful historic hotels in the U.S.

The Palmer House – Chicago, Illinois

One of America’s longest-operating hotels, the Palmer House began life in 1871 as a wedding gift from Chicago businessman Potter Palmer to his bride, socialite Bertha Honoré Palmer. By the start of the 20th century, the Palmer House had become the city’s most prominent events venue, hosting everyone from Frank Sinatra to Ella Fitzgerald. It was the first hotel in Chicago to have electric light bulbs and telephones in its rooms. The Palmer House is also credited with the invention of one of America’s most beloved sweet treats: the brownie. In 1893, Bertha Palmer challenged the in-house pastry chef to create something suitable for the woman attending the Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition. Today, the hotel still makes and serves the original brownie recipe — a decadent fudge creation topped with walnuts and an apricot glaze. Those looking to spend a night here can choose from a whopping 1,641 guest rooms and suites, which blend modern touches and the historic legacy of the hotel.

The Mansion on the Sea – Key West, Florida

Located in the heart of Key West’s historic Old Town District on Duval Street, the adults-only Mansion on the Sea (formerly the Southernmost House) caters to beach lovers and sun worshipers who prefer restored mansions to sprawling resorts. The original structure, built by the prominent Harris family in 1897, was designed as a one-room Queen Anne Victorian mansion. Thomas Edison oversaw the building’s original electrical design and installation work. During Prohibition, the Southernmost House served as a speakeasy, catering to mafia dons and the Hollywood elite who visited on their way to Havana, Cuba. In the 1940s, the mansion hosted a Cuban-themed nightclub, which welcomed famous residents and visitors to Key West such as Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, Gore Vidal, and Charles Lindbergh. It was renamed the Mansion on the Sea in 2023.

The Peabody Memphis – Memphis, Tennessee

This historic Memphis hotel has welcomed notable guests such as President Jimmy Carter, Michael Jordan, and Billy Joel. But the Peabody may be even better known for its web-footed residents. During the twice-daily Peabody Duck March, the hotel’s adorable resident ducks walk along a red carpet towards the fountain in the lobby, where they’ll usually take a dip in the waters. Ducks have resided at the Peabody since the 1930s, when the general manager and a friend placed some live duck decoys in the fountain as a prank after a hunting trip. Today’s Peabody Memphis retains the ornate beauty of the original hotel which opened in 1869. In 2019, major renovations introduced Carrara marble tile floors, quartz vanities, and plush decor to each room. The upscale rooms are the perfect place to put your feet up after exploring nearby Graceland or visiting the historical sites in Memphis.

Grand Hotel – Mackinac Island, Michigan

The opulent Grand Hotel is the crown jewel of Michigan’s Mackinac Island, which can only be reached by plane or boat — no cars are allowed on the island. This makes the Grand Hotel an ideal laid-back summer getaway for anyone who wants to walk, bike, or explore the peaceful surroundings by horse-drawn carriage. With about 400 guest rooms, the Grand Hotel has plenty of space for guests to enjoy the hotel’s historic architecture and fascinating history. It has hosted dozens of notable guests over the years, including Robert DeNiro, Madonna, and several Supreme Court Justices and American presidents. Mark Twain was the hotel’s first notable guest when he lectured at the casino in 1895.

The Plaza Hotel – New York, New York

Located on the south end of New York City’s Central Park, the Plaza Hotel was built in 1907 and remains one of Manhattan’s top luxury destinations today. You’ve most likely seen its ornate, spacious lobby in one of several movies filmed on location, such as North by Northwest, The Way We Were, Home Alone 2, and The Great Gatsby. The Plaza has also hosted countless dignitaries, celebrities, and famed business leaders over the years, such as John Lennon, Conrad Hilton, Truman Capote, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Additionally, every American President since William Howard Taft has made at least one visit to the Plaza.

The Miami Biltmore – Coral Gables, Florida

The sprawling, 15-acre Miami Biltmore Hotel and Country Club is a National Historic Landmark that was built in 1926. The hotel’s tower was designed as a recreation of the Giralda Tower in Seville, Spain, and its main structure is reminiscent of Mediterranean Renaissance–era architecture, with several balconies, ornate terrazzos, and tile floors. In the 1920s, the new hotel drew notable guests such as Ginger Rogers, Judy Garland, Bing Crosby, Franklin Roosevelt, and Al Capone. During World War II, however, the luxury hotel was converted into an army hospital. The building remained a Veterans Administration Hospital until the City of Coral Gables restored it to its former glory in the 1980s. The modern Biltmore also underwent a more recent $40 million dollar renovation, which added a championship golf club. At this historic destination, you’ll get to relax by one of the largest hotel pools in the country.

La Fonda on the Plaza – Santa Fe, New Mexico

Situated on a corner of Santa Fe Plaza in one of America’s oldest cities, La Fonda on the Plaza holds an esteemed place in Santa Fe’s history. This particular corner has been accommodating travelers ever since the Spaniards built an inn here in 1607. In 1821, Captain William Becknell stayed here during an expedition that led to the creation of the Santa Fe Trail. The adobe-style lodging soon became a popular overnight stop for frontiersmen, gold seekers, and trailblazers. Much of the landmark that exists today dates back to 1920. The interior retains traces of its original elements, including handmade beams, spectacular stained glass skylights, and sparkling chandeliers. The 29 room types offer a blend of historic and contemporary charm, with hand-painted headboards, handcrafted furniture, and original artwork. Of particular note is the Pueblo artwork by regional Native American artists. A hotel tradition started by reputable art lovers Sam and Ethel Ballen, all acquisitions help to support the annual Santa Fe Indian Market.

Hotel del Coronado – Coronado, California

Located at the southern end of Coronado Beach on San Diego County’s Coronado Island, Hotel del Coronado opened in 1888. The legendary beach resort is split into five elegant districts, ranging from the original storybook Victorian section of the resort to modern condo residences and a gated beachfront community of cottages and villas. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977, the grandiose hotel appeared in the classic 1958 film Some Like it Hot starring Marilyn Monroe, and it hosted President Richard Nixon’s state dinner in 1970. Today, guests can experience a variety of upscale amenities, from cooking s’mores on a private bonfire to boat rentals or surf classes with a professional Hawaiian surfer.

The Pfister Hotel – Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Billed as “the Grand Hotel of the West” when opened in 1893, the Pfister features a stunning Romanesque Revival architectural design. A Milwaukee icon, the hotel underwent an extensive renovation in 1962 after movie theater operator Ben Marcus purchased it. Today, it offers over 300 sophisticated rooms and 82 suites that fuse contemporary designs with old-world allure. Over its storied history, the Pfister has hosted dignitaries and Presidents such as Warren Harding, Theodore Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy. Besides its exceptional hospitality and swanky accommodations, the Pfister celebrates the talents of local artists through the in-house Artists in Residence program. Artists are invited to spend up to 30 weeks at the hotel to prepare for their exhibition.

The Henley Park Hotel – Washington, D.C.

First built in 1918 to provide upmarket residences for congressmen and senators, the Henley Park Hotel is a sublime example of Tudor Revivalism architecture. In the hotel’s early years, it was known as Tudor Hall. Its exterior is decorated with 119 gargoyles, two of which depict the lead architect Walter Granville Guss and his wife. Inside, rooms were made to resemble an English country manor. Over the years, the Henley Park Hotel was a popular gathering place for D.C.’s political and social elite. After a period of neglect, a major investment in 1992 brought the hotel back to its former glory. Much of the architectural integrity was preserved, as were the original interiors. Today, each of the hotel’s 96 rooms are elegantly appointed and merge historic charm with contemporary luxury.

https://dailypassport.com/most-beautiful-us-historic-hotels