“Establishment critics may continue to debate whether Stern makes ‘great architecture.’ Regardless, this new monograph proves that the architecture of Robert A.M. Stern makes great places.”

—Clem Labine, from a review of the new book Robert A.M. Stern: Buildings and Projects 2004-2009

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“Old buildings have an unjust reputation for being energy hogs. And, unfortunately, this misconception can be misused to justify ‘improvements’ that do little to save energy or money, while doing real damage to an historic building.”

—John H. Cluver, AIA, LEED AP, partner and director of preservation, Voith & Mactavish Architects, LLP, writing in the “Forum” section of the August issue of Clem Labine’s Traditional Building magazine

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“To loosely quote Steve Mouzon (author of The Original Green), the most efficient HVAC system is the one that never has to run. Traditional design is also an acknowledgement that no building is green by itself. Its relationship to neighboring structures and the public realm cannot be overlooked.”

—Samantha L. Salden, professor,
School of Architecture, Notre Dame University,
writing about sustainability in the June issue
of Clem Labine’s Traditional Building

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“[Value engineering] does not mean removing desirable features just to reduce the budget. I suggest we all start using the term ‘cost cutting’ or ‘budget trimming’ to describe this less elegant process and leave ‘value engineering’ on the high road.”

—Richard Heinemeyer, AIA, LEED AP,
CDFM Architectural, in response to a report on the AIA show
by Restore Media’s president, Peter Miller

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“Let’s see. A not-for-profit trust is doing a noble deed by creating housing for the homeless, and this author arrogantly assumes the egos of the designers precluded any thought of functionality. Of course the author did not tour the inside of the structure or interview the beneficiaries. Why let truth muddy a good story. . ? Perhaps we should just consider ourselves lucky to read the ramblings of someone so intellectually enlightened. NOT!”

—Randy Doerksen, in reply to Clem Labine’s recent blog “Architects Experimenting on the Poor (Again),” which criticizes the design of
the New Carver Apartments, a facility in Los Angeles that provides
housing for the homeless

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“Today, working with someone else’s idea is derisively referred to as ‘copying’ or ‘plagiarism.’ News flash: If you can’t copy, tradition is impossible. . .Great ideas deserve to take on a life of their own and become part of a living tradition, living again and again in design after design, helping to create a great place. And that’s what we want. Isn’t it?”

—Stephen A. Mouzon, AIA, principal Mouzon Design and the New Urban Guild

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“When a building of yours ends up on the front page of a phone book, it means the community has embraced it and sees it as a symbol of themselves. Most architects care whether they win architectural awards, but we care about what people see on the front page of phone books.”

—David M. Schwartz, AIA, LEED AP, president, David M. Schwartz Architects, quoted in “Restless Architects”

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“Sustainable strategies in the urban or campus context, whether on a large or small scale, must be holistic responses. It’s so obvious, so logical. What took us so long?”

—Gregory L. Rutledge, AIA, design principal and preservation specialist, Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas + Company, writing in Traditional Building’s roundtable on sustainability in an urban context

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“Sprawl is a dysfunctional form of urbanism. It is a broken pattern that needs to be fixed. While it has been the prevalent growth model in this country for the past half a century, it is in fact the least sustainable and the least affordable.”

—Galina Tachieva, LEED AP, partner, town planner, Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company, writing in Traditional Building’s roundtable on sustainability in an urban context

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“Once Lady Gaga has worn an outfit, it disappears. She knows it has the power to dazzle only that first time. Starchitects come up short in this area, because they litter the land with yesterday’s radical designs – which quickly become shopworn and tired-looking.”

—Clem Labine, founder and editor emeritus, Traditional Building, from his recent opinion piece, “Lady Gaga’s Lessons for ‘Starchitects’”

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