Municipal Moves: The Municipal Art Society of New York (MAS) announced that Margaret Newman, FAIA, presently the chief of staff at the New York City Department of Transportation, will join MAS as executive director, a position reinstated at the nonprofit organization after six years. “[Newman is] a long-time MAS member, and fan, and her career in both architecture and administration is the perfect fit for MAS at this time. MAS had a terrific year in 2013, and it will be great to have Margaret’s leadership of our day-to-day operations as we forge ahead,” said Board of Directors president Vin Cipolla. Newman has practiced architecture in New York for over 15 years. Before joining DOT, Newman was a partner at Marren and Newman Architects. [MAS]
Anything but Stone: Some 30 years in the making (or 5,000 years, depending on how you look at it), the new Stonehenge Visitor Center in Wiltshire, England, is ready for its debut, days before the winter solstice on Saturday. Designed by Denton Corker Marshall and built for $44 million, it was built from timber and glass. “One key thing has been to make it as different from the stones as possible,” said architect Stephen Quinlan in a report. Will the celestial powers that govern over us be confused by this new addition to this zodiac temple? [Design Applause, CNN]
More News:
Technogym is ready to help you achieve your New Year’s resolutions with design-y personal fitness machines. Take a look at Cross Personal and Kinesis Personal and feel inspired. [Architonic]
A strike over safety conditions has halted construction at the Manaus 2014 World Cup stadium. Three workers have been killed this year at the site. [The Guardian]
A central Florida city commission approved Florida Southern College’s request to rename a street after Frank Lloyd Wright. The college is the site of the world’s largest Wright collection and recently added another Wright home to its campus. [Ocala Star-Banner]
UNStudio at MAXXI in Rome will make you dizzy. [Urdesign]
Can’t wait until 2017 for Washington, D.C.’s Science Fiction Museum to open? The museum board is planning to open a preview museum in 2015. The preview museum may cost up to $800,000 to assemble, but a crowdfunding campaign has raised $37,000 of its $160,000 goal so far. [Wired]
Fans of parametric design will appreciate the new baseball-themed coin produced by the U.S. Mint. It’s curved! [MLB.com]
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