FROM MARKET TO GYM

The YMCA of Fort Washington, Maryland is not a dazzling, high-profile work nor a restoration of anything historic. Indeed, in this suburb of the nation’s capitol, the project is overshadowed by all the surrounding history. Yet this rehabilitation of a former supermarket should not be taken for granted. GTM Architects of Bethesda, Maryland have successfully transformed the nondescript building into a YMCA (Kenneth M. Wyner Photography) that is at once visually poetic, pragmatically functional, and admirably committed to its community.

ARCHITECTURE ON THE EDGE

Last month, downtown Los Angeles was overrun with architects in town for the 2006 National AIA Convention. When not exploring the burgeoning downtown and notable regional architecture, these visitors were eagerly learning about the next new thing. Next week, architect and writer Leigh Christy will tell us how the convention drew inspiration from its surroundings and its theme, “Architecture on the Edge."