Word on the street is the design firm ARO's handling some sort of renovation at Columbia University's Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. Actually, it's the word among the stacks, according to Lisa Chamberlain, writing on her blog Polis:
I happened to be in the architecture library yesterday and spotted Stephen Cassell who, along with Adam Yarinsky, are the founders of ARO, one of my favorite architecture firms. It seems the firm will be undertaking the Avery Hall (above right) rehab. They are not starchitects but smarchitects, intent on?hold on to your socks now?designing buildings while keeping in mind 1. the people who will use them, and 2. the surrounding environment.If true, CU's GSAPP would join several other architecture schools around the city getting a makeover. ARO is currently working on projects in Union Square and Brooklyn Bridge Park as well as Princeton University. Meanwhile, in other "Columbia" and "architecture" keyword goodness today, Barry Bergdoll, the big art history man on campus, is getting the nod to curate the MoMA's architecture and design department. The Times' daring duo of Nicolai O. and RoPog tag-team the museum's selection.
· ARO to rehab Columbia's Architecture School? [Polis]
· Museum of Modern Art Chooses Columbia Professor as Architecture Curator [NYT]
· Appreciation for Steven Holl's Higgins Hall [Curbed]