We're back... again

What better way to return from a long absence of blogging about architecture and urbanism in Raleigh, by posting a very short link to underground urban exploration in New York... Well, it's happening - so we hope you enjoy it.

Photo NPR.org

Undercity.org: Guerilla History & Urban Exploration

On a personal note...

Today is a very sad day for those of us who knew Elizabeth Edwards. She had the uncanny ability to always see the best in everyone, myself included. Although she would carry the pain of Wade's death with her the rest of her life she would use their tragedy as a catalyst for helping others and for that I admired her greatly. We weren't great buddies by any means, Wade and I, but I considered him a friend and I know he felt the same. Through him I got to know his mother and although we hadn't spoken in over 13 years, she is and will always continue to be, one of the best people I will ever know.

Link

Moore Square Meeting THIS THURSDAY

Moore Square Meeting THIS THURSDAY. Whether you like the scheme or not it's important to attend the meeting, especially if you live downtown. They need your input. See below.

Public Meeting #1 will be held on Thursday,
September 9, 2010 at Cobblestone Hall in historic City Market (across
the street from Moore Square). There are two opportunities to participate.
Session 1: 1pm-4pmSession 2: 7pm-10pm

N & O Home of the Month

Vernacular Studios' Bridge House, on Crabtree Creek, is the latest addition to the News and Observer's "Home of the Month" series. They have also been previously recognized by the publication for their Edenton Street residence. Congratulations to those guys, they deserve it.

Bridge House

Two Days Left to Vote for Local Grad Student in the Build a Better Burb Competition

Matt Tomasulo, a Planning/Landscape Architecture dual degree candidate, is one of twenty three finalists for his proposal "B.U.R.P. the Burb: Build Urban Relationships for People" in the Long Island Index organized Build a Better Burb Ideas Competition on Long Island. The competition states "The time for thinking cautiously is over. New visions are needed for the next generation of suburban centers." You can check out the other twenty two finalists in the site's gallery or jump straight to Matt's proposal here. Voting ends Aug. 31st.

NC State & AIA Triangle Fall Lecture Series

The lecture series sponsored jointly by NC State College of Design and AIA Triangle has announced the fall lineup - and there are several great names. The theme for the series is Sacred + Secular. As always, all lectures are free and open to the public, in Burns Auditorium at the College of Design. This year the lectures will return to 6:00 pm, parking is free after 5:00 pm behind Kamphoefner Hall.

Check out the poster below, and be sure to mark your calendar (or more likely put a reminder in your phones) for the lectures you would like to attend.

Syme Hall Rain Garden ribbon cutting

NCSU Landscape Architecture is celebrating the completion of the program's first design-build studio project. The project transforms Syme Hall's backyard into a more raingarden.

From SHIFT, NCSU Landscape Architecture Student Blog, a brief description of the project:

"After weeks of digging up dirt, pouring concrete, tilling soil and laying bricks, the students have essentially created a natural filtering system in the form of a garden. Plants with deep roots are used to absorb some rainwater. The rest is channeled into a cistern and into infiltration zones, where it flows through layers of mulch, sand, soil and glass beads called cullet to remove pollutants and sediment."

The ribbon cutting is open to the public:

August, 17, 2010 at 10 a.m.

Burns Auditorium, 1st Floor Kamphoefner Hall

PLEASE RSVP to Melissa Miklus by August 10, 2010 at melissa_miklus@ncsu.edu