CELEBRATING THE SUMMER SOLSTICE

All of us at ArchitectureWeek offer our best wishes to everyone enjoying the northern hemisphere's summer solstice and/or Independence Day in the United States. In observance of these important dates, we give you ArchitectureWeek No. 56 as a two-week issue.

Our next issue will be ArchitectureWeek No. 57, including the articles previewed here, scheduled for release on July 11.

THE CHANGING FACE OF THE WORKPLACE

Despite a wobbling economy, some companies are still experiencing explosive growth. Yet even growing companies are reluctant to take on additional space. Instead, they’re doing all they can to squeeze more people into tighter confines while trying to maintain a fun, energetic, and creative atmosphere. How the workplace is changing will be explored by Kristin R. Hill, AIA, principal of Design Management Corporation, which has been reworking office buildings to suit the demands of the 2001 corporate climate.

STILL TOWERING OVER PISA

One of the world's most familiar architectural landmarks was, until recently, also one of the most endangered. The famous Leaning Tower of Pisa had begun to lean so far that it threatened to finally lose its balance. For several years engineers worked on a complex project to stabilize — but not totally straighten — the tower, which has recently reopened to the public. Experts monitoring the project expect that the stabilization ought to keep the landmark safe for another two or three centuries. Join ArchitectureWeek contributing editor Don Barker when he explains the latest chapter of the tower's history.

MACHU PICCHU : SOLID AS A ROCK?

Thousands of miles from Pisa, another architectural landmark lies endangered. Machu Picchu, a huge sacred city nestling between two Andean peaks and the gem of Peru's Inca heritage, has taken its knocks in recent years. The destructive forces of both natural phenomena and tourist intrusions are threatening the ancient temples. In our next issue, Sophie Arie will show us the remains and explain what is being done to preserve them.