Center for Architecture Discussion, New York, Architecture, Building

Center for Architecture Event : Global Dialogues

American Institute of Architects New York Chapter, USA

Jan 15, 2009

Center for Architecture New York Event

Global Dialogues: Seoul, Newark, and New York – an International Discussion
On the Integration of Environmental Design and Urbanism

NEW YORK CITY

Seoul Deputy Mayor Young Gull Kwon will be joined in conversation by Newark Deputy Mayor Stefan Pryor and New York City Chief Urban Designer Alexandros Washburn to discuss the integration of environmental design and urbanism, Friday, Jan. 23rd, from 6-8:00pm at the Center for Architecture in New York.

Dr. Young Gull Kwon, Deputy Mayor and Chief Design Officer of Seoul and previously Dean of the Fine Arts College of Seoul National University, is the architect and planner responsible for many of the remarkable urban design and environmental improvements in Seoul, working with Mayor Oh Se-Hoon and Korea’s President Lee Myung-Bak, the previous Mayor of Seoul.

As the overseer of the city’s overall design policies and public design fields, Professor Kwon has played a central role in Seoul’s ongoing transformation into a “Creative City, Healthy and Ecological City, High-toned Cultural City, Dynamic Hightech City, and Knowledge- and Information-based Global City.” The Han River Renaissance Project, for example, reclaims the edge of the city’s primary stream for bike paths and access to the water. The integrated “greening”of the city creates a livable and softer metropolis that has been designated World Design Capital for 2010.

Dr. Kwon has played a key role in many city initiatives including the development of the Dongdaemun Design Park designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, and the 2008 Seoul Design Olympiad, a 21-day design festival organized to celebrate Seoul’s emergence at the center of global design–bringing architects, planners, industrial designers and landscape architects to Seoul from all over the world. During the discussion at the Center for Architecture, Dr. Kwon will present Seoul’s vision of the future and the lessons of the Design Olympiad.

As Deputy Mayor for Economic Development in the City of Newark, Stefan Pryor oversees the city offices responsible for economic development, city planning and housing, among other areas. Newark has been particularly innovative, since the election of Mayor Corey Booker, in planning for waterfront revitalization, sustainability, and affordable housing. Before his appointment to this post, Pryor served as President of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation. The LMDC was created in the aftermath of September 11th by the State and City of New York to plan and help coordinate the physical rebuilding and economic revitalization of Lower Manhattan.

Joining Pryor and Dr. Kwon will be Alexandros Washburn, AIA, Chief Urban Designer for the City of New York’s Department of City Planning. Washburn has extensive experience in environmental projects and public works, which now inform New York City’s transformation of the East River waterfront and other major initiatives.
He has won local and national AIA awards as the Founding President of the Moynihan (Pennsylvania) Station Redevelopment Project. Previously Washburn served as Environmental and Public Works Advisor to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and was the only architect on the Senate staff. He also was a partner in W Architecture and Landscape Architecture, creating innovative design strategies for waterfront, urban and campus environments. In that capacity, he worked on several projects in Seoul.

The discussion on January 23 continues the “Global Dialogue” emphasis of the AIA New York Chapter. The event will be introduced by 2008 Chapter President James McCullar, FAIA, and moderated by Rick Bell, FAIA, Executive Director of the AIA New York Chapter. Rick was a speaker at the Seoul Design Olympiad where the AIA New York Chapter’s 2008 Design Awards represented New York City in the global cities exhibition.

EVENT DETAILS
Organized by: AIA New York Chapter (www.aiany.org)
Sponsored by: NY Projects, Inc.
Location: Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place, New York City
Price: Free for members; $10 for non-members

Center for Architecture Discussion information from CC Sullivan 090908

536 LaGuardia Place
New York, New York 10012
T 212 683 0023 F 212 696 5022
E-mail info@aiany.org

Center for Architecture Exhibition : Julie Dermansky

Location: 536 LaGuardia Place, New York City, USA