Our own Karen Fairbanks has been awarded the 2015 Educator Award by the New York State AIA! Since she began at Barnard College’s Department of Architecture in 1996 (and since overseeing the merger of Barnard and Columbia Architecture as department chair), Karen has developed the curriculum’s engagement with urbanism, data analysis, and new forms of digital media and communication. Congrats Karen!
New York magazine architecture critic Justin Davidson will lead a conversation with Robert A.M. Stern, Herbert Newman, Kent Bloomer and our own Karen Fairbanks about the role of the public library in the 21st Century. Catch the event at the Center for Architecture on October 21, from 6 to 8PM. RSVP here.
This week, Karen will be attending Re-think it: Libraries for a New Age in Grand Rapids. Catch her panel discussion with architects Tod Stevens of Stantec and Jefferey Scherer of MSR on designing libraries tomorrow at 8:45AM.
This week, Karen is heading to Knoxville for the AIA Tennessee Convention, TENNESSEEING. She will be speaking on this year’s topic, “seeing,” in her lecture, “SEARCH and Research.” Catch the talk from 8:30-10:30AM on Thursday, July 30th, and in the mean time, check out her interview with AIA Tennessee.
On Thursday, December 4, Architecture League of New York and Center for an Urban Future hosted presentations and panel discussions of the Re-Envisioning Branch Libraries studies. Karen, along with James Lima and Leah Meisterlin presented our proposal to use data to inform system-wide policy and zoning changes, along with design excellence, to foster community enriching co-developments on new and existing library sites.
Our panel was made up of Vicki Been – Commissioner, NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development, Michelle de la Uz – Executive Director, Fifth Avenue Committee, Mark Dempsey – President, Philip H. Corboy Foundation, David Kramer – Principal, Hudson Companies, and Brad Lander – Council Member, New York City Council. The panel discussion was moderated by Jonathan Bowles – Executive Director, Center for an Urban Future.
Our proposal was also featured in the article, “Modern Public Libraries Might Help Renters Afford NYC,” by Brady Dale for Next City.
Karen, James, and Leah will be giving a follow up presentation on Monday, January 12, at 6:30pm, hosted by The School of Media Studies at The New School at the Theresa Lang Community and Student Center, in Arnhold Hall. We hope to see you there! And be sure to stay tuned for more news about Branch Libraries moving forward — keep an eye out for more #libraryideas on twitter!