Snøhetta completes a sustainable presidential library, a construction crisis in Midtown Manhattan, a new leader will shape Boston’s cultural vision. All that and more in this week’s Five on Friday.
The former Pfizer building buckles
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Led by Gensler, the transformation of 235 East 42nd Street in New York is slated to become the largest office-to-resi conversion in the U.S., with 1,600 units spread across its footprint as well as the adjacent 219 East 42nd. The Midtown project, however, is at a standstill after a major scare this week.
The old Pfizer headquarters was evacuated Tuesday morning after support beams on the 21st floor began buckling, signaling the possibility of a cave-in. Surrounding buildings were also evacuated and traffic was rerouted before the building was announced as stabilized (for now) on Wednesday. Emergency beams and columns are in the midst of installation to help shore up the unstable building’s load, though the cause of the structural failure remains officially undetermined. One possibility, per a steamfitters union rep, may be that an insufficient amount of steel is being used to support additional structures including new levels, Curbed reports. Other firsthand accounts claim that excavation so far exceeds what is listed on the approved construction plans. Under construction since 2024, the address also touts 22 building violations stretching back to 2020, largely for failing to file elevator inspection and testing reports. Maybe just avoid Midtown for the time being.
Snøhetta unveils Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library
Photo by Nic Lehoux
The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library has been unveiled in Medora, North Dakota. Designed by Snøhetta, the 95,000-square-foot structure echoes the rolling landscapes of the setting with a sustainable composition of mass timber and low-carbon concrete shaping its sloping, vernacular form. Wood soffits and rammed-earth walls comprising local soil further imbue an organic sense of place, while skylights, efficient lighting, and Corten steel elements evoke a contemporary ethos. Solar and geothermal power is also featured onsite along with wastewater recycling systems and a green roof fecund with native plants. If you’re wondering how such an edgy, dynamic presidential library received approval, it’s because it’s not an official government-sanctioned presidential library. Private donors supported the project, though the project was inaugurated earlier this month by President Trump, Dezeen reports.
Meet Boston’s chief of arts and culture
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Officially appointed Boston’s new chief of arts and culture in May, Joseph Henry is tasked with advancing the city’s first cultural infrastructure plan. In addition to partnering with the Boston Center for the Arts, he will collaborate with locally based architecture studio Utile on the city’s Creative Space Typologies Design Guidance while also supporting the development of 290 North Beacon, a project providing both affordable music rehearsal space and public housing. Henry brings forth expertise honed during time working alongside London Mayor Sadiq Khan in the city’s Culture and Creative Industries Unit and teaching at Columbia GSAPP. Architect’s Newspaper sits down with the cultural and design maestro to discuss his plans to reinvigorate Boston and empower the city’s artists. Read the Q&A.
Help choose today’s Seven Wonders of the World
An interior view of the Grand Egyptian Museum, designed by Heneghan Peng Architects; photo courtesy of Legacy
Calling all jetsetters! The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is embarking on a new mission to designate the Seven Contemporary Wonders of the World. The global initiative will identify and celebrate landmarks and buildings that have had the greatest impact on travel and tourism since 1801. Travelers worldwide are invited to nominate destinations that have spurred economic development, set a precedent for the future of design, and defined our modern age of travel. All your favorite icons from the Eiffel Tower to the Grand Egyptian Museum to the Myrtle-Broadway subway stop in Bushwick are each in play. Nominations are open now ahead of January 2027, when 70 nominees will be revealed and public voting will commence. Learn more and submit your pick.
Introducing the 2026 Platinum Circle honorees
Hospitality Design has revealed the four honorees set to be inducted into the Platinum Circle this year. The award is annually bestowed upon trailblazers who have made significant contributions and impacts to the hospitality industry—from architecture and design to management and purchasing. The 2026 honorees are: David Ashen, Saguez & Dash; Verena Haller, Hyatt Lifestyle Group; Mary Alice Palmer, ROAM Interior Design; and chef and restaurateur Missy Robbins. Join HD to celebrate these industry legends at the 37th annual Platinum Circle gala on November 6th at Cipriani Wall Street in New York.