150 YEARS OF SMITHGROUP The Detroit-based SmithGroup turns 150 this year, making it the oldest architecture firm in the United States. It is also the country's fifth largest, according to a 2002 report from Building Design & Construction. A look back at past successes and recent innovations — such as in the McNamara Terminal and Chesapeake Bay Foundation headquarters — and a look ahead to projects still on the boards demonstrate that the SmithGroup continues to reinvent itself. — Published 2003.0806
	POSTCARD FROM CHRISTCHURCH Dear ArchitectureWeek, On my first day in Christchurch, New Zealand, I was eager to explore the city's cultural heart. After enjoying the brilliant blossoms of the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, I headed east toward downtown, where my eyes were drawn to a group of stone buildings from another century. — Published 2003.0723
	A TENT ON THE BEACH Residential architect and teacher Marcel Sedletzky was born in Russia but lived most of his professional life in Monterey, California. His style was a blend of high modernism, like that of Marcel Breuer, with the organic fusion of form and site of Frank Lloyd Wright. Sedletzky's houses embody his passion for drama, and his collaborations with his clients were often dramatic as well. — Editor — Published 2003.0709
	STEREO PHOTOGRAPHY FOR ARCHITECTURE Stereoscopic architectural photography provides an evocative visual experience, through its ability to record subtle qualities of space, light, and materials, that can only be suggested by flat media. Stereo photography positions scene artifacts in space, simulates interior space enclosed by the envelope, and effectively renders the dispersal and reflectance of light that define the tactile and visual qualities of materials. — Published 2003.0604
	POSTCARD FROM RONCHAMP Dear ArchitectureWeek, The architectural highlight of our bicycle ride across France was visiting the Notre Dame du Haut chapel, a steep climb from the town of Ronchamp. Designed by Le Corbusier and built in 1955, this expressionist chapel is one of the icons of 20th century European architecture. — Published 2003.0521
	FROM VERNACULAR TO MODERN IN SWEDEN The history of architecture in Sweden over the last four centuries is one of "functionalistic eclecticism," with traditions borrowed from other cultures, molded by national politics, and blended into uniquely Swedish form. Sweden's traditional building culture was anonymous, exemplified by the Bjoerkvik storehouse, a nobleman's showpiece. But in the 1600s, Sweden began to fight its way to a position of international influence that spurred huge architectural ambitions. The traditional artistry continued and coexisted with high-profile architecture. — Published 2003.0507
	LUBETKIN'S HIGH POINT Born in Tbilisi, Georgia and educated in Moscow and Paris, architect Berthold Lubetkin (1901-1990) practiced primarily in the United Kingdom. His designs were characterized by clear geometric figures, technical ingenuity, and a vision of modernism inspired by Le Corbusier. Widely regarded as the most outstanding architect of his generation in England, Lubetkin was awarded the Royal Gold Medal by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) in 1982. The Highpoint apartment blocks are considered among his most influential works. — Editor — Published 2003.0409
	JULIA MORGAN IN CHINATOWN In 1932, architect Julia Morgan saw the opening of her YWCA building in Chinatown, San Francisco. Over 70 years later, actress Jill Jackson portrays the architect in a one-woman show, hosted by the Chinese Historical Society of America Museum and Learning Center, which now occupies the building. An excerpt shows how the play dramatizes Morgan's ideas. — Editor — Published 2003.0326
	TWO CITIES OF NICARAGUA For much of the 19th century, two conflicting political groups contested for power in Nicaragua: the liberals, based in the northwestern city of Leσn, and the conservatives, based in Granada to the south. The country's capital rotated between the two cities, shifting with changes in power, whether by elections or by war. — Published 2003.0305
	POSTCARD FROM ZHOUZHUANG Dear ArchitectureWeek, Zhouzhuang, China, located between Shanghai and Suzhou, is a marvelous place of art and architecture. Two-thirds of the architecture in this canal town dates back to the Yuan (1271-1368), Ming (1368-1644), and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. Temples and houses line the zigzagging streams that cut through the town, and 14 arched bridges enable people to travel within the city walls on foot. The canals are responsible for the city's survival: during times of war, they were effective defenses against invading forces. — Published 2003.0219

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