13/06: 2010 RMHF Reunion Conference, Chicago
Category: Postscript: 2010 RMHFReunion Conference
Posted by: troachadmin
There are two meanings to the word "Fellow". First there is the honor of being selected as a Richard Morris Hunt Fellow and the opportunity it provides to travel and study abroad. Unlike other scholarship programs, the fellowship does not end at the end of six months abroad. Recipients are also welcomed into a College of Fellows, who now number 21. We hold bi-annual reunions, alternately in the United States and France, to continue our explorations in current trends and "edge-thinking" in preservation.
May 12-16 was the 2010 Richard Morris Hunt Fellows reunion conference in Chicago. Organized by Mary Brush, AIA, 2005 Hunt Fellow and Preservation Group Leader at Holabird & Root, in collaboration with the American Architectural Foundation, the reunion conference continued the rich cross-pollination between French and American fellows, our sponsors and supporting organizations. Fourteen fellows participated, including the first French and American ones. Five fellows (Mary Brush, Kyle Brooks, Linda Stevenson, Ruth Todd, and Yves Deflandre) presented their recent professional work, and the two most recent fellows (Diego Rodriguez and myself) presented our research. The 2008 fellow, Diego Rodriguez, reflected on contemporary design in historic contexts, and encouraged all to think about the growth and change that is required as we pass our heritage on from one generation to another, to keep it rich with life and meaning.
The fellows also welcomed Vanessa Fernandez, the 2010 recipient. Experienced in the restoration of 20th century French modernism, Vanessa will be researching "21st century technologies for the restoration of 20th century architecture". She will begin her investigations in America for two months this summer. Due to her teaching obligations in France, she will continue her research in early 2011.
John Syvertsen, FAIA, President of OWP/P | Cannon Design and AAF Board Member, graciously hosted the opening reception. The OWP/P offices have received a LEED-CI Gold Rating from the US Green Building Council and afforded excellent views of the City Hall and County roofs. Another AAF Board Member, Stephen Bonner and his wife Lisa generously opened their home for an honors dinner, where individual certificates were bestowed upon each fellow. I was honored with a certificate in anticipation of the completion of my final report!
John Robbins, the first Hunt fellow, receiving his certificate from co-founder Michèle le Menestrel-Ullrich and Ron Bogle, AAF President and CEO. John is now Deputy Administrator of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.
In conjunction with the reunion conference, the first French Hunt Fellow, Pierre-Antoine Gatier, ACMH, IGMH, publicly presented his recent restoration projects of Le Corbusier's Maison La Roche in Paris and Eileen Gray's Villa E.1027 in the south of France. Lafarge, who became a funding partner for the Hunt Fellowship in 2009, also provided significant technical and financial assistance for the restoration of Villa E.1027. This well-attend public presentation was co-hosted at the Chicago Architectural Foundation, a partner of the American Architectural Foundation.
The fellows benefited from special tours of local landmarks, sophisticated examples of restored, revitilized, and city centers and urban campuses.
- Vegetated roof of the 1911 Chicago City Hall
- Vegetated roof of the 1897 Cultural Center and its Tiffany dome, restoration designed by Holabird & Root
- Aqua Tower, a new 82-story skyscraper designed by Studio Gang Architects and featured on the cover of the May 2010 issue of Architectural Record
- Recent restorations and additions at Mies van der Rohe's Illinois Institute of Technology, as presented by Patrick Rosen (Holabird & Root)
- Unversity Park Condominums, by architect Araldo Cussatto, FAIA, and a long-time supporter of the fellowship
- Chicago Theological Seminary, tour led by architect Ann Beha, FAIA, now charged with transforming the seminary building into the Milton Friedman Institute for Research in Economics at the University of Chicago
- Keck & Keck private residence in Hyde Park
- Muchin Magnet High School in the Loop, designed by Wheeler Kearns, that stimulated much discussion into education differences between the US and France
- Krause Music Store in Lincoln Square, rehabilitation by Wheeler Kearns
Many thanks to all our guides and organizers.
To see more photos and highlights from the conference, associated tours and special events, please click on "Read More".
The offices of Holabird & Root provided an inspiring venue for reunion conference meetings. Fellows flank Ron Bogle, President & CEO of the American Architectural Foundation, and Michèle le Menestrel-Ullrich, co-founder of the Richard Morris Hunt Fellowship. Alan Schwartzmann, FAIA, another long-time supporter of the fellowship, is seated to Ron's right.
Vanessa Fernandez, the 2010 Fellow, presenting her recent study of the original natural ventilation design of the 1958 UNESCO building, by Breuer-Nervi-Zehrfuss in Paris.
The vegetated roof of Chicago City Hall includes beehives, a tree, and parapet walls too shallow to allow for unsupervised public access. The adjacent Cook County building has a white (high albedo) roof, affording a comparison between the environmental benefits of these approaches to "green" roofs. When the vegetated roof was installed, the County building roof was a black asphalt roof. Early studies showed the dramatic benefits of the vegetated roof. On a hot humid afternoon, we were impressed with the comfortable climate of this beautiful roof garden.
Architect Araldo Cossutta, FAIA, now in his 80's, provides insights into his design for the University Park Condominiums, one of the urban redesign efforts of the 1960's in Hyde Park. It is technologically notable for the narrow window surrounds of its prefabricated concrete facades.
Ann Beha, FAIA, was recently commissioned to implement the transformation of the Chicago Theological Seminary, rich with Christian imagery, into the Milton Friedman Institute for Research in Economics. As Preservation Group Leader, Holabird & Root, Mary Brush, led the preceding feasibility study effort for the University of Chicago.
Wishnick Hall (1945-46) was designed by Mies van der Rohe at the Illinois Institute of Technology; this image shows Wishnick Hall after its recent restoration by Holabird & Root (2008).
The adjacent Siegel Hall (1945) is very similar to Wishnick Hall, and shows what the before conditions were, including rusting steel, single-glazed windows, and window air conditioning units.
Larry Kearns, Wheeler Kearns showed us their rehabilitation of the Krause Music Store, the last commission of Louis Sullivan. The ornate terracotta tile facade was restored and the interior renovated into offices for Studio V Design.
Following the green preservation theme, we found ourselves immersed in jazz at The Green Mill, a Chicago institution.
May 12-16 was the 2010 Richard Morris Hunt Fellows reunion conference in Chicago. Organized by Mary Brush, AIA, 2005 Hunt Fellow and Preservation Group Leader at Holabird & Root, in collaboration with the American Architectural Foundation, the reunion conference continued the rich cross-pollination between French and American fellows, our sponsors and supporting organizations. Fourteen fellows participated, including the first French and American ones. Five fellows (Mary Brush, Kyle Brooks, Linda Stevenson, Ruth Todd, and Yves Deflandre) presented their recent professional work, and the two most recent fellows (Diego Rodriguez and myself) presented our research. The 2008 fellow, Diego Rodriguez, reflected on contemporary design in historic contexts, and encouraged all to think about the growth and change that is required as we pass our heritage on from one generation to another, to keep it rich with life and meaning.
The fellows also welcomed Vanessa Fernandez, the 2010 recipient. Experienced in the restoration of 20th century French modernism, Vanessa will be researching "21st century technologies for the restoration of 20th century architecture". She will begin her investigations in America for two months this summer. Due to her teaching obligations in France, she will continue her research in early 2011.
John Syvertsen, FAIA, President of OWP/P | Cannon Design and AAF Board Member, graciously hosted the opening reception. The OWP/P offices have received a LEED-CI Gold Rating from the US Green Building Council and afforded excellent views of the City Hall and County roofs. Another AAF Board Member, Stephen Bonner and his wife Lisa generously opened their home for an honors dinner, where individual certificates were bestowed upon each fellow. I was honored with a certificate in anticipation of the completion of my final report!
John Robbins, the first Hunt fellow, receiving his certificate from co-founder Michèle le Menestrel-Ullrich and Ron Bogle, AAF President and CEO. John is now Deputy Administrator of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.
In conjunction with the reunion conference, the first French Hunt Fellow, Pierre-Antoine Gatier, ACMH, IGMH, publicly presented his recent restoration projects of Le Corbusier's Maison La Roche in Paris and Eileen Gray's Villa E.1027 in the south of France. Lafarge, who became a funding partner for the Hunt Fellowship in 2009, also provided significant technical and financial assistance for the restoration of Villa E.1027. This well-attend public presentation was co-hosted at the Chicago Architectural Foundation, a partner of the American Architectural Foundation.
The fellows benefited from special tours of local landmarks, sophisticated examples of restored, revitilized, and city centers and urban campuses.
- Vegetated roof of the 1911 Chicago City Hall
- Vegetated roof of the 1897 Cultural Center and its Tiffany dome, restoration designed by Holabird & Root
- Aqua Tower, a new 82-story skyscraper designed by Studio Gang Architects and featured on the cover of the May 2010 issue of Architectural Record
- Recent restorations and additions at Mies van der Rohe's Illinois Institute of Technology, as presented by Patrick Rosen (Holabird & Root)
- Unversity Park Condominums, by architect Araldo Cussatto, FAIA, and a long-time supporter of the fellowship
- Chicago Theological Seminary, tour led by architect Ann Beha, FAIA, now charged with transforming the seminary building into the Milton Friedman Institute for Research in Economics at the University of Chicago
- Keck & Keck private residence in Hyde Park
- Muchin Magnet High School in the Loop, designed by Wheeler Kearns, that stimulated much discussion into education differences between the US and France
- Krause Music Store in Lincoln Square, rehabilitation by Wheeler Kearns
Many thanks to all our guides and organizers.
To see more photos and highlights from the conference, associated tours and special events, please click on "Read More".
The offices of Holabird & Root provided an inspiring venue for reunion conference meetings. Fellows flank Ron Bogle, President & CEO of the American Architectural Foundation, and Michèle le Menestrel-Ullrich, co-founder of the Richard Morris Hunt Fellowship. Alan Schwartzmann, FAIA, another long-time supporter of the fellowship, is seated to Ron's right.
Vanessa Fernandez, the 2010 Fellow, presenting her recent study of the original natural ventilation design of the 1958 UNESCO building, by Breuer-Nervi-Zehrfuss in Paris.
The vegetated roof of Chicago City Hall includes beehives, a tree, and parapet walls too shallow to allow for unsupervised public access. The adjacent Cook County building has a white (high albedo) roof, affording a comparison between the environmental benefits of these approaches to "green" roofs. When the vegetated roof was installed, the County building roof was a black asphalt roof. Early studies showed the dramatic benefits of the vegetated roof. On a hot humid afternoon, we were impressed with the comfortable climate of this beautiful roof garden.
Architect Araldo Cossutta, FAIA, now in his 80's, provides insights into his design for the University Park Condominiums, one of the urban redesign efforts of the 1960's in Hyde Park. It is technologically notable for the narrow window surrounds of its prefabricated concrete facades.
Ann Beha, FAIA, was recently commissioned to implement the transformation of the Chicago Theological Seminary, rich with Christian imagery, into the Milton Friedman Institute for Research in Economics. As Preservation Group Leader, Holabird & Root, Mary Brush, led the preceding feasibility study effort for the University of Chicago.
Wishnick Hall (1945-46) was designed by Mies van der Rohe at the Illinois Institute of Technology; this image shows Wishnick Hall after its recent restoration by Holabird & Root (2008).
The adjacent Siegel Hall (1945) is very similar to Wishnick Hall, and shows what the before conditions were, including rusting steel, single-glazed windows, and window air conditioning units.
Larry Kearns, Wheeler Kearns showed us their rehabilitation of the Krause Music Store, the last commission of Louis Sullivan. The ornate terracotta tile facade was restored and the interior renovated into offices for Studio V Design.
Following the green preservation theme, we found ourselves immersed in jazz at The Green Mill, a Chicago institution.
