New York City loses another iconic restaurant in the coronavirus fallout, hotels and museums look toward the future, and Zaha Hadid Architects unveils an upcoming project. All that and more in this week’s Five on Friday.
Zaha Hadid Architects offers first look at Shenzhen science museum
The Shenzhen Science & Technology Museum, shown in a rendering; courtesy of Slashcube
Living up to the legacy of its eponymous innovator, Zaha Hadid Architects has designed a pebble-shaped structure that will house the Shenzhen Science & Technology Museum. Spanning more than 1.3 million square feet, the cultural hub will be a landmark for the Guangming Science City masterplan, reports Dezeen. Inside, a central atrium is wrapped by a U-shaped plan, and terraces on the west side of the site offer views of the park next door. “The museum will be a key destination to learn and explore the power of science and technology and understand their impact on our life and future,” the London-based architecture firm said in a statement. The museum is slated for completion in 2023.
Manhattan BBQ mainstay Blue Smoke closes after 18 years
Blue Smoke restaurant; courtesy of @bluesmokenyc
Restaurateur Danny Meyer’s Blue Smoke in Manhattan’s Flatiron district, a mainstay that Eater credits with establishing New York’s BBQ renaissance when it first opened in March 2002, has permanently shuttered. In an email, Meyer attributed the closure to revenue loss and the subsequent inability to pay its rent. The iconic restaurant, run by Union Square Hospitality Group, had not reopened its doors after the initial “New York State on Pause” executive order was instated in March. “Over nearly two decades, we’ve had an amazing ride and I can’t begin to express how beautiful it has been to make so many lasting friendships in both the barbecue and jazz communities,” Meyer said in a statement. “Those relationships live on. ” (A second Blue Smoke location opened in Battery Park in 2011, and is currently offering pick-up and delivery services.)
The Museum of Modern Art receives gift from architect Emilio Ambasz
Emilio Ambasz; photo courtesy of Emilio Ambasz & Associates
New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) recently announced the establishment of the Emilio Ambasz Institute for the Joint Study of the Built and the Natural Environment, which will focus on the relationship between architecture and ecology—particularly within the digital sphere. To be located at the museum’s Midtown Manhattan campus, it will work toward a more ecological and equitable future with a creative approach to buildings, cities, landscapes, and objects. “Every building is an intrusion into the plant kingdom and is a challenge to nature,” says the locally based architect and industrial designer. “We must devise an architecture that stands as the embodiment of a reconciliatory pact between nature and construction, designing buildings so intrinsically connected to their surroundings that they are unable to disentangle themselves from each other.”
Hotels turn to HEPA filters and HVAC units to kill viruses
Photo by PIRO4D from Pixabay
According to The New York Times, the next major hotel and cruise ship amenities to ward off COVID-19 may be HVAC units outfitted with virus-scrubbing capabilities and hospital-grade HEPA filters. Some virus-killing techniques employed by these technologies include sending charged ions on air currents that either inactivate a virus or bind with it, making it easier to be filtered out, as well as systems that include germicidal UV light in their ductwork. “HVAC systems are of great significance in reducing the amount of airborne particles since this virus can be spread in an airborne fashion,” says Dr. Philip M. Tierno Jr., a professor of microbiology and pathology at New York University School of Medicine, calling the tiniest aerosols “the most dangerous.”
Chef Andrew Carmellini is on latest episode of HD’s podcast
Andrew Carmellini; photo by Nicholas Karlin
In the latest episode of HD’s What I’ve Learned podcast, James Beard and Michelin star honoree Andrew Carmellini describes his foundational trips through Italy and France’s respective wine countries, cooking for the Cuomos, and his many storied experiences in New York’s restaurant world. From Locanda Verde, The Dutch, and Bar Primi to Leuca and Westlight, the chef and restaurateur reviews his career in this enlightening interview. Listen to the episode now.
