Exposição: WMF PRESERVING MODERN ARCHITECTURE

WORLD MONUMENTS FUND EXHIBITION ON PRESERVING MODERN ARCHITECTURE

Cities and towns across America routinely demolish their modern architecture, without giving the buildings a chance to be preserved and adaptively restored.

Why this happens, and what we can do to save 50 years of modernist architecture, is addressed in Modernism at Risk: Modern Solutions for Saving Modern Landmarks, a traveling exhibition organized by the World Monuments Fund (WMF) and sponsored by Knoll, Inc. Opening on February 17 at the Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place, the exhibition will be on view there through May 1, 2010.

A project of WMF's Modernism at Risk program (http://www.wmf.org/advocacy/modernism), the exhibition features large-scale photographs by noted photographer Andrew Moore and interpretative panels on five case studies that explore the role designers and other advocacy groups play in preserving modern landmarks.

"For decades the World Monuments Fund has worked to save heritage sites around the globe, from early settlements to 20th-century architecture," said Bonnie Burnham, WMF President. "While modern buildings face the same physical threats as ancient structures, they are too often overlooked as insignificant, not important enough to preserve. We launched our Modernism at Risk initiative to advocate for these often ignored buildings and to address their special needs. And, through this traveling exhibition, we hope to draw many more advocates to our cause. We are especially pleased that it is now here in New York, at the Center for Architecture, where we hope hundreds of people will see the show and add their voices to ours on the importance of preserving our modern heritage."

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"Architecture isn't just about building new buildings," said AIANY President Anthony Schirripa, FAIA, "It's also about celebrating our architectural history. Preserving modernist landmarks should be a goal not only for the design community, but for all communities that want to celebrate the diversity and richness of modern architecture in their midst. I hope this exhibition will begin a dialogue amongst New Yorkers about how, and why, modernism matters, and that it inspires us to each contribute in our own way to the World Monuments Fund's valuable mission of saving these extraordinary buildings."

The Center for Architecture

The Center for Architecture is a destination for all interested in the built environment. It is home to the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter and the Center for Architecture Foundation, vibrant nonprofit organizations that provide resources to both the public and building industry professionals. Through exhibitions, programs, and special events, the Center aims to improve the quality and sustainability of the built environment, foster exchange between the design, construction, and real estate communities, and encourage collaborations across the city and globe. The Center also celebrates New York's vibrant architecture, explores its urban fabric, shares community resources, and provides opportunities for scholarship. As the city's leading cultural institution focusing on architecture, the Center drives positive change through the power of design.

Foto: Museu Guggenheim, restaurado em 2009 por ocasião dos 50 anos.