CHURCH OF BOOKS Though surely not as great a source of significant contemporary architecture as cultural institutions, places of worship — in one form or another — continue to generate invention and cutting-edge design. The reuse of places of religion for other purposes sometimes poses the problem of deconsecration, with the reticence some users may have when asked to dine or party in a former church. — Published 2009.0916
	PARISH CHURCH IN LECCE The city of Lecce, located in the southern heel of the Italian peninsula, is associated with highly ornate baroque palaces and churches, their facades overlaid with elaborate decorative carvings in the local limestone. — Published 2009.0902
	WHO IS PETER ZUMTHOR? In April, about two weeks before his 66th birthday, Swiss architect Peter Zumthor was named the 2009 laureate of the Pritzker Architecture Prize. Zumthor is not a household name, as many other Pritzker winners have been — architects such as Gehry, Meier, and Pei. Even many architects haven't heard of him. — Published 2009.0826
	MICHIGAN AIA AWARDS 2009 For its new northeastern branch, the Ann Arbor District Library asked inFORM studio to design a sustainable building that would promote observation of and respect for its natural surroundings. The resulting Traverwood Branch Library traces a narrow L shape on the corner of a triangular lot, treading lightly on its wooded site while also engaging the street edge. — Published 2009.0715
	AIA HOUSING AWARDS 2009 To the street, the concrete-block home near Bellevue, Idaho, presents minimally incised walls. From inside, the boxy masonry of Outpost opens up to surprisingly expansive views of the rural Idaho landscape. — Published 2009.0610
	GREEN SYNAGOGUE When the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation of Evanston, Illinois, set out to build a new synagogue, they found the goal of achieving LEED Platinum certification arising naturally from the spiritual context. "The Torah teaches us that the earth does not belong to us, that we are but stewards of God's creation," says Rabbi Brant Rosen. "Building the most sustainable facility possible was for us a religious act." — Published 2009.0415
	ROPE-ACCESS SURVEYING "Wanted: Project architect/designer with varied experience in construction documents, detailing, and construction administration. Minimum 5 years CAD experience and familiarity with digital photography. Experience in mountain climbing desirable; athletic ability with no fear of heights is required." — Published 2009.0311
	EDAR IN LA The EDAR, a four-wheeled combination cart and sleeping unit created for use by people experiencing homelessness, is beginning to make its presence known in the greater Los Angeles area. Designed by Eric Lindeman and Jason Zasa while still in school at Pasadena Art Center College of Design, this modified shopping cart was their solution to a problem posed by local philanthropist Peter Samuelson: improve upon the cardboard box by designing a mobile, single-person shelter. — Published 2009.0211
	KOLUMBA ART MUSEUM In Cologne, Germany, a city ravaged by World War II, the Kolumba Art Museum embraces and preserves centuries of culture and pays poetic tribute to the layers of civilization unearthed on its site. Designed by reclusive Swiss architect Peter Zumthor, the museum provides a stunning exception to the city's drab urban landscape built after the war. — Published 2009.0107
	EERO AND ONWARD On a December day of 1955, fresh over from Paris, I walked into the small Eero Saarinen office in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, with a beat-up box of eight-by-tens of my Beaux-Arts graduation work. "Can I see Mr. Saarinen? I'm looking for a job." He did see me, and having reviewed my prints, asked whether I could start that very afternoon — for $2.75 an hour pay. I did. — Published 2008.0730

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