Updated July 20: The Norwegian Embassy had the pleasure of partnering with the National Building Museum on Thursday, July 19, for an evening featuring the Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta. As part of the lecture series “Spotlight on Design,” Vanessa Kassabian, director of design at Snøhetta, discussed the studio’s multidisciplinary approach to design and the variety of innovative projects this has resulted in. The audience of approximately 450, including a large group of AIAS students, were briefed on recent projects such as the Alexandria Library in Egypt, , the Oslo Opera House, and the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York. In addition Kassabian showed slides with plans of upcoming projects such as the redesign of Times Square in New York and the San Fransisco Museum of Modern Art. The audience was charmed by the smaller project made for a fundraiser for a hospital: a dollhouse that worn by a child to give a whole new experience.
Spotlight on Design
Spotlight on Designis an ongoing lecture series featuring architects and designers of distinction from around the world. Since its inception in 1997, the series has presented many of the world's premier design voices in the fields of architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning and design. Past Speakers include Pritzker Prize Laureates Tadao Ando, Zaha Hadid, and Rem Koolhaas; American Institute of Architects' Gold Medalists Antoine Predock, Santiago Calatrava, and Frank Gehry; and the American Society of Landscape Architects' Medal recipients Richard Haag and Joseph E. Brown. Spotlight on Design also highlights the innovative work of such firms as Asymptote, field operations, and on July 19 - Snøhetta.
Snøhetta's Vanessa Kassabian, director of design
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For more information, visit the Building Museum´s website.
About Snøhetta
Formed in 1989 and led by principals Craig Dykers and Kjetil Thorsen, Snøhetta is an integrated architecture, landscape, and interior design company based in Oslo, Norway, and New York City. The firm, which is named after one of Norway's highest mountain peaks, has approximately 100 staff members working on projects around the world. The practice pursues a collaborative, transdisciplinary approach, with people from multiple professions working together to explore diverse perspectives on each project.
Snøhetta has completed a number of critically acclaimed cultural projects, including the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Egypt; the National Opera and Ballet in Oslo, Norway; and the Lillehammer Art Museum in Norway. Current projects include the National September 11 Memorial Museum Pavilion at the World Trade Center site in New York.
In 2004 Snøhetta received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, and in 2009 the firm was honored with the Mies van der Rohe Award. Snøhetta is the only company to have twice won the World Architecture Award for best cultural building, in 2002 for the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and in 2008 for the National Opera and Ballet in Oslo.
Visit Snøhetta's website for more information.
Spotlight on Design is sponsored by Lafarge, the world leader in construction materials, with additional support from the American Institute of Architects. Architectural Record is the official media partner of Spotlight on Design.
For more information, visit the Building Museum´s website.