3.21.08 | New York, NY | The Museum of the City of New York will discuss the goals and design for phase one of its building addition, designed by Polshek Partnership Architects, on Monday, March 24 from 6:00-8:00pm (rsvp) at the Center for Architecture, 536 La Guardia Place, NYC. Speakers are Susan Henshaw Jones, President and Director, Museum of the City of New York and James S. Polshek, Timothy P. Hartung, and Joanne L. Sliker, from Polshek Partnership Architects. CEU credits available.

3.21.08 | Cambridge, MA | RMJM launched a $2 million program aimed at tackling a global shortage of architects. RMJM's $1.5 million donation, matched by another $500,000 from the Harvard GSD, establishes the "RMJM Program for Research and Education in Integrated Design Practice," which aims to stem a "brain drain" in the design and construction industry. It is the largest cash donation received by the GSD since a donation from The Aga Khan in 1999.  

3.20.08 | Buena Park, CA and New York, NY | Fairmont Designs retained GRID2 to develop a cohesive corporate brand identity system for product categories, including residential, furniture, cabinetry and hospitality furnishings, which are internationally distributed. GRID2, additionally will redesign a floor of Fairmont Designs’ JSWB Global Home Furnishings Center, in Shanghai.

3.20.08 | New York, NY | Studio 63, a firm specializing in retail, interior design, architecture and branding, designed Energie, a fashion boutique that creates a contemporary design mixed with personal memories, tradition and a sense of coziness. Materials such as linoleum, natural wood stained tables and cabinets, brushed nickel, and plywood were use to achieve an atmosphere of openness and intimacy.

3.14.08 | London, UK | Architecture Foundation announced that Plasma Studio, London, UK, was the winner of the 2008 Next Generation Architects/Piper Award. The award seeks to connect young practices with built experiences and the developer. The announcement was made at MIPIM, the international market for the property industry in Cannes, France.  MIPIM also launched a Next Generation Architects Directory which will profile Plasma Studio. www.plasmastudio.com/

3.14.08 | Costa Mesa, CA | Interior Architects promoted Christina Kotlarski to Director of Operations and Shannon Medina to Design director. Ms. Kotalarsk, who joined the firm in 2002 as Project Manager, will be responsible for the financial management of the office.  Ms. Medina began with IA as Intermediate Designer in 2003. She will be responsible for leading the firm's design effort.

3.14.08 | Bloomfield Hills, MI | SmithGroup Board of Directors elected seven people to the position of Vice President, Susan Arneson, corporate market director, Juhee Cho, co-leader of Workplace Studio, San Francisco, Steven L. Cohen, operations leader for Workplace Studio, Washington, DC, Michael Kang, Design Review Committee, Washington, DC, Angie Lee, Workplace Studio, Chicago, IL, Will Loftis, co-leader Workplace Studio, San Francisco, Mark Patterson, Healthcare Studio leader, Phoenix, AZ.

3.14.08 | London, UK | DEGW will expand into two key global markets: Singapore and San Francisco to serve key clients in those regions.  Globally, DEGW is active in four primary market sectors: corporate, real estate, government, and learning environments. Current clients active in San Francisco or Singapore include Google, Cisco, the National University of Singapore, Philips, Deutsche Bank, and the U.S. General Services Administration. www.degw.com