His recent split from Princess Diana still makes for screaming headlines in the tabloids, but the world’s most famous architecture critic appears to have something else on his mind: the state of his favorite art.
Prince Charles will appear Feb. 12 at a private reception in Washington, speaking briefly about architecture and architecture education.
The reception will be in the home of the British ambassador. It is the only house in America designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, the late distinguished British architect, according to the embassy staff.
In the past, the prince has been highly critical of modern architecture, saying it did more damage to London than Hitler’s bombers inflicted during World War II.
Once he characterized a development in London’s financial district as a “glass stump.” On another occasion, a plan to expand the National Gallery drew his wrath as a “monstrous carbuncle.”
What-or who-will the prince take aim at this time?
“I’m not sure if we’re expecting carbuncles or not,” says a staff member at the British Embassy.
– When Stanley Tigerman was ousted last week from his post as director of the school of architecture at University of Illinois at Chicago, Los Angeles architect Frank Gehry was among those upset by the move.
“I think they just threw away the goose that lays the golden eggs,” said Gehry, a friend of Tigerman’s.
Gehry is to lecture at UIC on Feb. 17, but indicated he might cancel the speech in protest, adding: “If Stanley insists I come, I’ll come. But I would only do it for him.”
As of Monday, Gehry was still scheduled to appear at UIC. His lecture is to be in the A1 lecture center at 5 p.m. Admission is free. Call 312-996-3335.
– Gehry will be busy when he hits town. He’s also scheduled to speak at 8 p.m. Feb. 17 at the Graham Foundation, 4 W. Burton Pl.
That talk is part of a discussion series sponsored by the non-profit Chicago Institute for Architecture and Urbanism.
Tickets for the Gehry lecture are $25 for non-members, $5 for students and free for institute members. For more information or reservations, call 312-951-8006.
– Author Ross Miller has been named special program coordinator for the Chicago Institute for Architecture and Urbanism. Former executive director Janet Abrams is no longer with the organization. Both Abrams and Institute officials declined to discuss her departure in detail.
– Thomas Fridstein has been named managing partner of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill’s Chicago office. Fridstein, a Chicago native, formerly ran the firm’s London office, where he managed projects including the Ludgate office complex.
– The Chicago Children’s Museum has narrowed a list of 50 contenders to four Chicago-based finalists as it selects an architect for its new quarters at the renovated Navy Pier.
The four are Dirk Denison; Hammond, Beeby and Babka, Inc.; Wheeler Kearns; and Ross Barney + Jankowski, which is teamed with Diane Legge Kemp and the Child Design Group (headed by Jane Thompson of Benjamin Thompson & Associates, the Cambridge, Mass., firm in charge of the Navy Pier renovation).
The museum’s 11-person architectural selection committee will make a final recommendation to the museum’s board of directors on Feb. 23.
– The topic will be “State Street Redevelopment & Urban Design Guidelines” as Friends of Downtown holds its February brown bag lunch Thursday.
The speaker is Marcel Acosta, deputy commissioner of the Chicago Department of Planning and Development.
The lecture is at noon in 5th floor meeting room No. 2 of the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St. Admission is free. Call 312-977-0098.
– Susan Maxman of Philadelphia, the first woman president of the American Institute of Architects, will speak at a dinner organized by the Chicago chapter on Feb. 18.
Her topic, “Architecture at the Crossroads: Designing for a Sustainable Future,” is also the theme of the national convention, to be held June 18 through 21 in Chicago.
The program is at the 410 Club at the Wrigley Building, 410 N. Michigan Ave. Dinner is at 6:30 p.m. Maxman’s speech follows at 7:15. The cost is $37.50 for members, $42.50 for non-members. Call 312-670-7770 to register or for more information.
