pritzker prize

Jean Nouvel, the newly minted winner of architecture’s Pritzker Prize, will likely face some criticism of his planned 75-story apartment tower (rendering right) next to the Museum of Modern Art tomorrow afternoon, as the development proposal goes before the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission for a hearing.

Surrounding residents have criticized the tower for its out-of-scale height, and the local community board recommended against the development last month. Though in a twist uncommon to not-in-my-backyard battles, architectural enthusiasts, troubled by the community board vote, have tried to rally support for the tower, at least in cyberspace (we’ll see if they show up to the hearing tomorrow).

The Times did a profile of Mr. Nouvel yesterday and quoted his business partner as saying the French architect was focusing his energy on the MoMA tower.  read more »

The developers of the new condo development at One Madison Park on East 22nd Street have selected the New York firm of Harvard achitecture and urban design professor Rem Koolhaas to design part of the two-building development. Mr. Koolhaas will design the 22-story part of the development (there's a 60-story building, too).

Press release after the jump.  read more »