OPEN TO THE PUBLIC: CIVIC SPACE NOW exhibition and symposium

THE CENTER FOR ARCHITECTURE PRESENTS A MAJOR EXHIBITION AND SYMPOSIUM ABOUT PUBLIC SPACE NYC Planning Commission Chair Carl Weisbrod and NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver to speak at the Symposium on June 14 Open to the Public: Civic Space Now examines the indispensability of public space to both effective urban place-making and lively social discourse. Curated by Thomas Mellins and designed by Athletics, the exhibition features monumental photography, models, street furniture, and an interactive social media component. A major initiative of AIANY 2014 President Lance Jay Brown’s, FAIA, presidential theme “Civic Spirit: Civic Vision,” the exhibition will be on view through September 6, 2014. The opening will include a book signing for Design for an Urban Century: Shaping More Livable, Equitable, and Resilient Cities, co-authored by Brown and David Dixon, FAIA. A separate exhibition on public space, Barcelona Glòries: Dialogues & Transformation, will also be opening at the Center for Architecture on June 12. Exhibition Opening: Thursday, June 12, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Symposium: Saturday, June 14, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM A day-long international symposium about enlivening, enjoying, securing, and, regulating public space, “Open to the Public,” will take place on June 14. The program will close with a conversation between Carl Weisbrod, Chair, NYC Planning Commission, and Mitchell Silver, Commissioner, NYC Department of Parks and Recreation. Speakers will discuss themes from four concurrent exhibitions that explore public space: - Polis: 7 Lessons from the European Prize for Urban Public Space [2000-2012] - The Swiss Touch in Landscape Architecture - Barcelona Glòries: Dialogues & Transformation - Queensway Connection: Elevating the Public Realm Symposium speakers: Michael Arad, AIA, LEED AP, Partner, Handel Architects Adrien Benepe, Senior Vice President, The Trust for Public Land Christine Bräm, Executive Director, Office of Parks and Open Spaces, City of Zurich (keynote) Lance Jay Brown, FAIA, 2014 President, AIA New York Chapter David Burney, FAIA, Associate Professor, Graduate Center for Planning and the Environment, Pratt Institute Judit Carrera, Director of the European Prize for Urban Public Space, Center for Contemporary Culture of Barcelona David Dixon, FAIA, Urban Design Leader, Stantec Consulting Susannah Drake, AIA, ASLA, Principal, dlandstudio Craig Dykers, AIA, Co-founder and Principal, Snøhetta Laura Hansen, Executive Director, Neighborhood Plaza Partnership Christopher Janney, Composer/Artist/Architect, PhenomenArts, Inc. Natalie Jeremijenko, Artist, Engineer and Inventor David Kelly, Director, Risk Management Services, Cushman & Wakefield Ethan Kent, Senior Vice President, Project for Public Space Leslie Koch, AIA, President and CEO, The Trust for Governors Island Setha Low, Professor in Environmental Psychology, and Director of the Public Space Research Group, City University of New York Barry Mandel, President and Park Director, Discovery Green, Houston Jonathan Marvel, FAIA, Principal and Founder, Marvel Architects Thomas Mellins, Curator, Open to the Public: Civic Space Now Ron Shiffman, Hon. AIA, Professor, Graduate Center for Planning and the Environment, Pratt Institute Mitchell Silver, Commissioner, New York City Department of Parks and Recreation Ned Smyth, Sculptor Tattfoo Tan, Artist Bernard Tschumi, FAIA, Principal and Founder, Bernard Tschumi Architects Carl Weisbrod, Chair, New York City Planning Commission Marion Weiss, FAIA, Co-founder of WEISS/MANFREDI Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism Hyuntek Yoon, Architect, nooyoon Admission: Exhibition and Exhibition Opening: Free and open to the public Symposium: $25 for AIA members; $35 for non-members, and free for students