POSTCARD FROM KHIRKI VILLAGE Dear ArchitectureWeek, Khirki Village, a small "urbanized village" to the south of New Delhi, conceals Khirki Mosque, one of the city's most famous archaeological monuments. Notable for its unusual architectural style, the mosque's roof has four large openings, creating courtyards for light to penetrate into the monumental, red, sandstone building. The most dramatic views are from the roof — where a vast landscape of domes creates a forbidden playground for local children and breathtaking views of the surrounding village. The village takes its name from the mosque — khirki means "lattice windows." There are over 40 of these intricate stone screens on the exterior of the building. — Published 2005.0119
	TEXTURING GRANITE In July 2004, Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II officially opened a uniquely landscaped memorial in Hyde Park, West London. The Diana Memorial, a collaboration of Seattle-based landscape architect Kathryn Gustafson and London architect, Neil Porter, is unusual because its design and construction combined groundbreaking CAD/CAM production techniques with the traditional art of stonemasonry. — Published 2004.0915
	STARI MOST — MOSTAR RECONNECTION When a beloved and highly symbolic historic bridge was destroyed during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina of the early 1990s, the whole world grieved. The single-arched Stari Most ("Old Bridge") in Mostar was erected in 1566 by architect Mimar Hajruddin at the height of the Ottoman Empire. It not only connected the city physically but, by the 20th century, had come to symbolize the coming together of many nationalities and ethnicities. — Published 2004.0804
	MODELING LIBESKIND'S WTC Like other contemporary architects, Daniel Libeskind — designer of the new World Trade Center — and his firm use computer-aided modeling tools extensively during schematic design. But the firm also relies on physical models. As the new World Trade Center design develops in the public limelight, a look back at its schematic beginnings reveals a process in which physical and computer models evolved in parallel. — Published 2004.0303
	YALE'S SOUND RENOVATION In renovating a historic concert hall, it can be a tricky balancing act to improve both thermal comfort and hall acoustics while respecting the traditional character of the original building. At Yale University's School of Music, Canadian architects Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg, teaming with acoustical consultants Kirkegaard Associates, have succeeded in achieving this balance. — Published 2003.1029
	LIBESKIND SCHEME CHOSEN FOR WTC On February 27, 2003, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LMDC) selected Studio Daniel Libeskind and their widely-applauded design to guide the reconstruction of the World Trade Center site in New York. The "Memory Foundations" submission by the Polish-American architect emerged from a competition lasting many months, involving some of the best known architects in the world, and inspiring a lively, often rancorous, public debate. Although the debating is far from over, there now appears to be a framework from which to develop a long-term reconstruction plan. — Published 2003.0305
	LEVIN AND LOS ANGELES In the early 1980s, Brenda Levin was one of the chief engineers of a collective epiphany that the city of the perennial future had a past. Fresh from Harvard's Graduate School of Design, she was the right architect in the right spot at the right moment to restore a succession of historic buildings in Los Angeles. — Published 2003.0108
	WTC DESIGN COMPETITION RESULTS On December 18, 2002, citizens and designers of the United States and the world got a glimpse of some new ideas on how the site of New York's World Trade Center could be transformed over the coming decade. On December 18, 2002, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation released a new set of design proposals submitted by some of the world's most talented architects. Perhaps skittish after the poor reception given the last round of proposals, the LMDC simultaneously also launched a campaign to solicit public comment. — Published 2003.0101
	BUILD BOSTON BOOMS An excellent way to keep current in the architectural world is to attend the Build Boston conference held every November. This year's event shattered previous records with 13,000 participants attending over 260 seminars and workshops led by industry professionals from around the United States. — Published 2002.1204
	ANNIVERSARY OF DISASTER As the first anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center site approached, the air in New York was strangely expectant. Hot, balmy days recalled the weather of September 2001, as if inaugurating a season of remembrance. — Published 2002.0911

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