NYCHA Debuts Design Guidelines for Improving Public Housing

On 01.12.17, representatives from the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) debuted the authority’s new Design Guidelines for the Rehabilitation of NYCHA Residential Buildings to a packed room of architects, policy makers, urban designers, and concerned NYC residents. As part of  NYCHA’s 10-year strategic plan entitled NextGeneration NYCHA, which aims to dramatically improve residents’ quality of life through updated health, environmental, and social policies, the publication details new guidelines and procedures to improve the interiors and exteriors of the 2,550 buildings within NYCHA’s domain. Continue reading “NYCHA Debuts Design Guidelines for Improving Public Housing”

In Memoriam: Sarelle Weisberg, FAIA

Many friends were startled to learn that Sarelle Weisberg, FAIA, passed away on 03.29.14. Her levels of energy and enthusiasm, and her very positive outlook on life and its possibilities, were legendary to all who knew her.

I met her in 1960, when we both entered architecture school at Columbia, in the evening program (which no longer exists). Sarelle was taking care of her family, husband Daniel and sons Andrew and Joel, of elementary school age. But that was not enough of a challenge for her.

She became a very stimulating classmate, encouraging others as well as persevering enthusiastically and thoughtfully in her own design work. She produced some excellent projects, and won a William Kinne Fellowship in 1965. Sarelle graduated in 1966 with a B.Arch. degree, which was later converted to an M.Arch. degree when Columbia reorganized its curriculum. Continue reading “In Memoriam: Sarelle Weisberg, FAIA”