STAIRCASES THROUGH HISTORY

Staircases are one of the oldest building elements in architectural history, though it would be difficult to date their origin precisely. They appear to change with architectural eras, reflecting the prevailing philosophies and symbolic languages, unveiling the talent and ingenuity of those who have created them.

POSTCARD FROM NEW YORK

In a city still mourning the loss of an architectural icon, the buzz these days in Manhattan is the much-anticipated Austrian Cultural Forum tower on 52nd Street, just east of Fifth Avenue. A decade in the making — architect Raimund Abraham won an international design competition sponsored by the Federal Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Austria in 1992 — and under construction since 1998, it is already heralded by some of the city's cultural clerisy as the most important new work of architecture in New York in 40 years.

CONCEPT KITCHEN

The kitchen is often the heart of the family home and reflects changes in society, technology, and ecology. As methods of food preparation change and new technologies are quickly taken for granted, kitchens rearrange how we work and how we interact with family and friends. To explore this premise, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and furniture retailer MFI, organized a competition. The winner, ML Design Group, explains how a future kitchen may become fully integrated into the life style of its users. — Editor

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