By Matt Chaban 8/10/11 2:46pm

Critical Mass

Davidson and Goliath. (SVA)

If You’re Looking for an Architecture Critic, Try Justin Davidson

Our colleague Jonathan Liu has a nice appraisal in this week’s culture pages of what it means to be the architecture critic at The Times and whether Michael Kimmelman is up to the task. Mr. Kimmelman replaces the oft-maligned Nicolai Ourousoff, who stepped down last month, and over here at the real estate desk we have been hearing much the same thing: It is borderline offensive that The Times promoted an arts writer to cover architecture, but let’s hold out hope because he can’t be much worse than his predecessor. Read More

By Staff 10/10/06 8:30am

Tuesday: Gehry & Foster, 'Law & Order', Castles & Schools


Stormin’ Lord Norman

  • Paul Goldberger calls Frank Gehry’s new West Side Highway building “serene,” “swooping” and “daring.” The critic forgot the adjectives “frosty” and “hideous” because he was saving his ire for Mr. Gehry’s Atlantic Yards plan. But even at his bitchiest–he says the development isn’t “palatable”– Goldberger remembers his manners. (New Yorker)
    • Read More

    By Staff 5/19/06 2:59pm

    Weekend Reading


    Click to enlarge.


    This weekend’s New York Times magazine is all about architecture. It’s definitely thinner than the big real estate special issue (although there are still plenty of ads, including a seven-page spread for the Frank Gehry jewelry collection).

    All the big guns were pulled out for this Read More

    By Staff 1/08/06 11:06pm

    Gehry Grilled in Manhattan

    On Saturday afternoon, architect Frank Gehry and New York Times critic Nicolai Ouroussoff discussed architecture (and much more) before a sold-out audience at the CUNY Graduate Center, part of the newspaper’s Arts & Leisure Weekend.

    For a while, the conversation glided effortlessly through Mr. Gehry’s oeuvre, complete with an introductory slideshow of renowned works–from Read More

    By Sheelah Kolhatkar 9/27/04 12:00am

    Hit the I.R.T., Jack! No Goldman Aerie Downtown

    There is something quaintly proletarian about the idea of a group of investment bankers living right above their offices. After 16-hour days running cash-flow models and stuffing spreadsheets with merger statistics, tired associates could gather their Brioni jackets and step into the elevator for the short commute home to the luxury apartments upstairs. It would Read More